Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI Legislative Council Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Will the minister inform the council about the recent Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge? The Hon. E.S. BOURKE Legislative Council Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services Minister for Autism Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:06): I thank the honourable member for her question and interest in this topic. On Sunday, I had the absolute privilege of attending the finals day of the inaugural Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge to celebrate what a success this new competition has been. Our state was proud to play host to the world challenge and junior division as a brand new event for a sport that is growing at such a fast rate on a global scale. To host national and global sporting events like the national championships and world challenge, which has featured teams from across the globe, is testament to the sporting powerhouse South Australia has become in recent years. We are also excited to continue our support for national championships by hosting again next year, after a successful tournament in 2024. For this year's event it was also great to have the incredible support from Minister Koutsantonis from the other place and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to help with inclusive transport options for this competition. As part of this event, I understand Adelaide Metro had to deck out three buses, by removing the chairs from the bus, to help transport players, staff, referees, coaches, commentators and broadcasters to and from the airport to their accommodation and to the netball stadium where the event was held. Once again, I thank the minister and his team and the department for their coordination and commitment to creating inclusive options for this event. In general, and for those who may not be aware, it is an incredibly exciting time for wheelchair rugby. I understand the federal government has committed $54.9 million in additional funding to parasport, partnering with Paralympics Australia and Australian Institute of Sport to deliver programs and support the para-athletes. As part of this, the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) has also launched a dedicated parasport unit, and initially it will support athletes with disabilities on their pathway to elite competition. Wheelchair rugby is very much part of this vision, as demonstrated by the Australian Steelers already benefiting from the world-class facilities and support at the new South Australian Sports Institute. We are only just beginning to see how the new South Australian Sports Institute can elevate our parasports, and the government is excited to build on this momentum across our high-performance sports. Beyond this, the Malinauskas Labor government will contribute $1 million over four years to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Team Appeal, as part of this year's budget measures, providing support to local athletes across the four-year cycle leading into the games. The future is bright ahead for the parasports in South Australia, and events like the world challenge are testament to this growing future.