Adelaide Roller Derby

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon J.E. Hanson:

That this council—

1. Acknowledges the world's largest roller derby tournament, The Great Southern Slam, was held in Adelaide between 8 and 10 June 2024;

2. Congratulate The Great Southern Slam operations committee and Adelaide Roller Derby league and board for hosting a successful 2024 tournament, which was also endorsed as the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's (WFTDA) Oceania Regional Championship;

3. Recognises the 775 participants from 45 teams who travelled from across Australia and New Zealand, and the 140 officials who travelled from across Australia, New Zealand and Europe, to compete in and officiate 68 games across the three-day tournament; and

4. Congratulates the Adelaide Roller Derby division 1 team (the Ads) on placing second in both The Great Southern Slam division 1 and the WFTDA Regional Championships, which resulted in them qualifying for a spot in the WFTDA global championships scheduled to take place on 1-3 November 2024, in Portland, Oregon, USA against 12 other international teams.

(Continued from 28 August 2024.)

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (17:39): It is with great pleasure that I get up to support the Hon. Justin Hanson's motion drawing the attention of this council and indeed this parliament to the world's largest roller derby tournament, The Great Southern Slam. It was held in Adelaide between 8 and 10 July this year, 2024, and I had the enormous privilege of joining the Hon. Mr Hanson in viewing some incredibly exciting, exhilarating and entertaining action that weekend.

I echo the congratulations of The Great Southern Slam operations committee and the Adelaide Roller Derby League and board for hosting such a successful event. As they say themselves, The Great Southern Slam is worth all the blood, sweat and tears because it brings them all together to celebrate the best sport in the world. I thank them for their enthusiasm, their passion and, indeed, to quote them, some damn good outfits.

But it is more than just that: we also saw it as a seeding event for international competition, and I look forward to an update from the member who has moved the motion on just how they have gone in Portland at the beginning of this month in terms of the Adelaide Roller Derby division 1 team, the Ads, who placed second in The Great Southern Slam division 1 and the WFTDA Oceania Regional Championships, qualifying for that spot in Portland.

I know the Hon. Mr Hanson brought this motion to this place to raise awareness of what is a wonderful sport—an incredibly feminist, pro-woman, inclusive activity that is a hell of a lot of fun and certainly pretty frightening to watch at times—and in the same way that this nation got behind the Matildas I hope that this state parliament can get behind The Great Southern Slam in years to come. With that, I commend the motion.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (17:41): I rise on behalf of the Liberal Party to support this motion moved by the Hon. Justin Hanson regarding the Adelaide Roller Derby and The Great Southern Slam, which was held in Adelaide earlier this year. It has been fascinating. While researching the motion I went and looked at some YouTube videos, and it was really fascinating to learn about this incredibly energetic, competitive and very strategic sport that has been showcased.

Certainly, all South Australians should be very proud to learn that Adelaide Roller Derby made history in 2010 by hosting the inaugural Great Southern Slam, which united the roller derby community across Australia and New Zealand. The first tournament was a huge success, with skaters from 25 leagues competing in 37 tournament bouts and challenge bouts. Since then the biennial event has grown exponentially to become the largest competitive roller derby event in the world.

The Great Southern Slam was held at the Adelaide Showground, as other members have already mentioned, and featured 45 teams from across Australia and New Zealand. The event attracted over 775 athletes and hundreds of spectators over the June long weekend and is the centrepiece of competition in Australia. This year for the first time in history The Great Southern Slam was endorsed as the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's Oceania Regional Championships, with the first and second place winners of division 1 automatically earning a place in the WFTDA Global Championships.

I would like to convey my heartfelt congratulations to Adelaide Roller Derby division 1 team, known as the Ads, for placing second in The Great Southern Slam and the Oceania Regional Championships. I thank them so much for all their tremendous effort, and I wish them every success. I would also like to thank the honourable member again for bringing this motion and bringing this important sports event to our attention. I commend the motion.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (17:44): In summing-up, obviously I would like to thank the honourable members, including the Hon. Tammy Franks, whom I know to be quite an advocate of roller derby long before I came to move this motion. Nonetheless, I would like to thank the Hon. Tammy Franks and also the Hon. Jing Lee. Trust me, next time we have a tournament I invite you to come along, Jing. It is quite the showpiece. If you think it is good on YouTube, turn up in person—it is something else.

Earlier this week, my office was in contact with Caitlin, one of the team members who led the Adelaide Roller Derby team, and they competed in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Global Championships in Oregon earlier this month. Obviously, Caitlin had just returned from the US. Some of the team took the opportunity to stay over there with some of their new friends from the other teams, which is really great to hear as well, and were still touring around America, but she came back. She did give a quick update on how they went. They did win their scratch match against a team from San Francisco, which I think does them great credit. Certainly, from that they obtained quite a deal of valuable experience from the tournament.

I would also say that that really keeps in values with the underdog status that South Australia once again brings to the world. San Francisco are on notice and the rest of the world possibly next. While they did not win any of their official games during the tournament, they all had a tremendous time. Much like roller derby, it will come around again and when they do I am sure they will be even more fierce the next time. That is right, Mr President, round and round they go.

I am informed that, through their online campaign, the team raised just under half of their $10,000 target to get over there. I want to acknowledge my colleague in the other place the Hon. Nick Champion MP, member for Taylor, for his generous donation in support of some of his local constituents, and the members of the team who took part in the US tournament in addition to any honourable members here who might have also contributed.

I look forward to following the progress of the team and congratulate them on what was, regardless of the outcome at the global championships, an outstanding achievement. I know that they will continue to work hard to qualify once again and when they do, I too shall be back. Until then, I commend the motion to the council.

Motion carried.