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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-06-13 Daily Xml
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ROLLER DERBY

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:55): I rise to speak further today on roller derby. Many members will be aware that rollerskating was a popular pastime for a large part of the 20th century, the last century. The sport of roller derby was brought about by a promoter, Leo Seltzer, and a sports writer, Damon Runyon, who modified the rules of the rollerskating races of the 1930s in America and who emphasised and maximised the physical contact and teamwork that were present between the skaters and made it part of a game, effectively creating the spectacle known as roller derby.

During the 1940s and 1950s, roller derby was incredibly popular across the United States. It attracted tens of thousands of spectators to live bouts, as well as television and radio coverage. This popularity continued through the 1960s under several guises of the sport and with many leagues across that country and, I understand, in Australia as well. As time went on it became increasingly scripted and staged, and its popularity began to decline in the 1970s and early 1980s. It died out at that stage largely due to poor revenue and lack of public interest.

Fast-forward a few decades, post the Riot Grrrl movement of Olympia in the mid-1990s, and we see in Austin, Texas in 2001 a revival of roller derby. It emerged with a focus on athleticism, community, sisterhood and sassiness. It was built on the DIY feminism ethos of the Riot Grrrls and certainly harnessed something that many women were looking for, not only in America but also in Australia. With over 20,000 participants worldwide, roller derby is the fastest growing female-focused amateur sport in the world at present, and there are currently over 25 flat track roller derby leagues in Australia, with more starting up all the time.

I recently visited Port Lincoln and was speaking to an Aboriginal women's group. One of the members is looking to start up a league in Port Lincoln, and I was very excited to hear that, because I am sure it will be a great asset to the women in that community to have such an activity happening there. I understand that Gawler is also investigating a roller derby league, the Hon. John Dawkins may be interested to hear. Certainly in Adelaide we boast a league which is the envy of the country in its ability not only to put on a great bout but also to attract thousands of people to those bouts and to put on international competitions.

Not only should South Australia be proud for the role of its women previously in both politics and the law, we also have a lot to be proud of in the Adelaide Roller Derby League. The league launched its inaugural season in July 2008 and at that time only had two teams: the Mile Die Club and the Salty Dolls. Those teams have been joined over recent years by the Road Train Rollers and, most recently, the Wild Hearses. All these roller derby bouts could not happen without Team Zebra who are, of course, the umpires.

Over the years we have seen Adelaide play host to both interstate bouts against the Victorian Roller Derby League and teams from Brisbane. Also, as I previously touched on today, the Great Southern Slam first took place with an international double-header in 2009, which was not quite the Great Southern Slam: it was the Skate of Emergency which then morphed, in the following year (2010), into what has become known as the Great Southern Slam.

This past weekend I was privileged to attend the Great Southern Slam and to take my daughter to see an event where women—feisty women who are not afraid of physicality and athleticism—are at the front and centre of those events. They are wonderful, empowering events to attend and I would encourage any members to go along and barrack for our own local heroes such as Barrelhouse Bessy, Bone Shaker, Bride of Skatan, Coconut Rough, Miss Whirl, Violent Krumble, Psycho Fox Bench and so many more. I applaud the work of the Adelaide Roller Derby League, and I hope that the sense of sisterhood and the way that the league not only changes lives but possibly saves lives of those who are not in the mainstream continues for many years to come.

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