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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-08-28 Daily Xml
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Motions

Adelaide Roller Derby

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:56): I move:

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 Oceania 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.

It is not often you can actually say this but it is a genuine privilege today to move a motion in support of a very deserving group of world-class athletes. Members may or may not actually be aware that Adelaide is home to an internationally competitive roller derby team. If convention permitted, I would point out that some of its members might be in the gallery today and I would welcome them to parliament—if convention permitted.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: That would be unparliamentary.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: That would be unparliamentary, so I would not do that, but if I could I would welcome them to parliament and point out that they are in the gallery.

It would be quite disingenuous of me to pretend that in some way I have been a roller derby fan from way back. I did not know much about the sport until I went along to a match to represent the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing in the other place. Leading up to the event, as I contemplated going, it dawned on me that it is something that I have been quite curious to do for quite a long time. I had long driven past where the matches were held and even before I had often wondered what actually happened in a roller derby event.

I knew, obviously, it was something of a contact sport—that is kind of in the name—and I knew that they must have some great deal of athleticism to achieve that. I also knew that roller derby athletes have their own unique pseudonyms, which reflect their individuality whilst contributing, I think, to the pretty vibrant culture of the sport. That was about the extent of my knowledge, frankly.

I did have images in my head of what it might be like, as many probably do, and most of them were way off the mark. I kind of assumed that they sort of ran into each other NFL style and that it was a big part of the game strategy somehow. Well, more fool me, and it really shows, I think, my rugby bias a little bit, as a former player of rugby, because there is actually a great deal more strategy than that in roller derby. It is actually hard to get your head around it when you first see it, that is how much strategy there is. It is a little bit like a chess game.

The good people of the Adelaide Roller Derby are tremendous athletes in a very demanding sport environment. It involves a lot of strategy, a lot of tactics and a great deal—certainly more than I have—of physical conditioning and strength to achieve it. In watching, I realised how much the athletes actually invest in their sport, and not just financially. I also realised how engaged the crowd is in watching it. Those who attend as spectators really get into the game. Frankly, I regret that I did not get around to watching a game sooner.

What I would like members to appreciate in particular is that now, in 2024, is the first time in the 17-year history of the Adelaide Roller Derby that a representative A team—that is the Ads—have an opportunity to compete at the WFTDA global championships, which is the foremost event in an international roller derby—in effect, the big smoke. That is something that South Australians should be aware of, and that is something that we should all be really proud of: a homegrown team competing at the highest level on an international stage. It is a big deal.

Unlike a number of other world-class sporting teams, though, Adelaide Roller Derby is entirely self-funded. Each athlete on this team has paid their way to the tune of thousands of dollars to train and to attend games and tournaments both interstate and overseas. The cost of getting the team to the US to compete in the global championship is pretty significant. The team is, quite reasonably, seeking support from the South Australian community to cover their accommodation expenses, for a start.

Given they are in a position to make history for their league and for South Australia, it is reasonable for those who recognise the value of the opportunity here to pitch in a small amount, and my office and I have done so. There is just so much to love about roller derby. One thing that I love is that it is a very egalitarian sport. While it is very inclusive to all people, it features a particularly strong representation of women and non-binary people. They are not trying to make a statement in doing that, it is just simply a space where women and non-binary people are not only welcomed but quite rightly celebrated as people and as athletes.

Roller derby is, in my view, significantly underappreciated relative to how good a sport it is and how great a time you can have when you get along to watch a game. I encourage everyone here to do so. The effort that the Ads and the Adelaide Roller Derby have put in to get to this point is greatly worthy of recognition and a great deal of commendation. I might be able to see that there might even be some medals on those people who might be in the gallery here today.

I would like to give each athlete the recognition they richly deserve by naming them here on the record today for Hansard. They are: Ainslee Dewett (or MustDash); Alex Knopoff (that is Rage Ruthless); Anita Grace (Crusher Ramone); Ashley Tudo (or simply TUDO, I think in caps); Ashley Wilkinson (Truffles), might be my favourite player but anyway we will keep that; Caitlyn Breyer (Crafty); Didi Whitford (Trinket), might also be a fantastic player just quietly; Erin Maher (Eze-kill); Imogen Lymbery (Invader Scrim); Isabelle Hermes, I hope I am getting that right, (Ankle Grinder); Ivy-Rose Ross-Daebler (IV), and I am going to go with IV but it could be four, it could be either as it depends how much you are into Roman numerals; Jessica Aylett (or Jessica); Laura Higgins (Pinch Assault); Megan Prest (Victoria Bitter), great name; Olivia Smith-Munro (Dark Side of Doom); Rhiannon Gregurke (Grim); Taylah Wilkinson (QT); and Teagan Bassett (Alice Affliction), also a fantastic player just quietly.

In keeping with the reality of what is in front of the Ads going forward: the rest is kind of unwritten, so I thought I would do that, too. The fact is, what we have here is an underappreciated sport by many people in our state. They are champions in their own right, they have proven that much, and now they want to go off and be international champions.

I do encourage everyone here, and it is certainly something which is difficult to do for the purposes of Hansard, but I can tell you that these people are great people. They have achieved and invested quite a lot of time and effort and their own resources into getting to where they are today. They deserve recognition but, much more than that, they deserve support.

I would ask everyone, if you can later on—this speech may or may not end up on social media, as sometimes they do, and when they do you will find a link to donate. I encourage you to do so, as much as you can, $2, anywhere ranging up to $2,000. They do not need the world but they do need a little bit to make sure that they can get on the world stage and represent South Australia in the best way and in the kind of way that I think every South Australian would be proud of if they get along to a roller derby game to see it.

That is the second thing I encourage you to do: get along, watch it, it is a really great time. The Hon. Ms Franks and I did, and we did have a great time. We might have gone and had a couple of beers afterwards, too, so it is the kind of sport that leaves you with a great feeling when you leave it, and you cannot say that for every sport these days, can you, Mr President? With that, I end the motion and I congratulate everyone who may or may not be in the gallery once again.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. L.A. Henderson.

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