Extract from Hansard [COUNCIL — Tuesday, 6 August 2013] p2572b-2573a Hon Ken Travers WHEELCHAIR SPORTS WA ASSOCIATION Statement HON KEN TRAVERS (North Metropolitan) [9.51 pm]: Earlier tonight a number of members made reference to the competition on the weekend between Liberal and Labor members at the Wheelchair Sports WA Association. It is worth formally acknowledging in the house that competition, which Wheelchair Sports has been keen to see occur. Wheelchair Sports was very happy with the way the competition turned out on the day. It did not hurt that the National Disability Insurance Scheme was agreed to at the same time. Western Australia has some of the premier wheelchair basketball players. The Perth Wheelcats team is absolutely the best sporting franchise in Western Australia. I long ago gave up on Australian Football League code–based teams and a number of other sporting groups. I still have a great soft spot for West Coast Fever, but our Perth Wheelcats team won five premierships in a row. The team has not won for the past couple of years partly because a number of players have been playing overseas or have injuries as a result of competing in the Olympic Games. However, after the excellent display of wheelchair basketball put on by members of this house and the other place, we were followed by a starting five that included at least three players who have been rated at various times the world’s best wheelchair basketballers. All five of the starting five who replaced us on the court have played for their national team. Brad Ness, Justin Eveson, Shaun Norris and Michael Harnett at various times have been part of the starting five of the Rollers. Sarah Vinci plays in a mixed team and is also a member of the women’s national wheelchair basketball team. It is unfortunate that a team of such success and of such supreme athletes is not given the recognition it deserves by the media and that it took a bunch of less-than-wonderful wheelchair basketballers to turn up and play—they being members of Parliament—to attract the media out there. A number of years ago I attended a meeting with the ABC when it talked about moving out of broadcasting West Australian Football League in Western Australia, which would have been sad but would have been okay if it had been picked up by one of these new digital channels. The ABC at that time said that it intended to focus on wheelchair basketball as one of the sports it wanted to give coverage. That has never come to fruition, but I indicate that I would be a very strong supporter of that, as long as we could ensure that somebody was filming the WAFL competition in Western Australia as that is absolutely important. Those wheelchair basketball players deserve that recognition, and I absolutely support any attempt by the ABC or any other media outlet to give them the coverage they deserve. I have been going for a number of years now to their games. I have never ever not enjoyed them. It is one of the most spectacular sports to watch. For those members who were not able to participate on the weekend — Hon Phil Edman: How’s your finger? I heard you hurt your finger. Hon KEN TRAVERS: I am more than happy to talk about my war wounds but when I look at the injuries of the professional players and what they have probably had to put up with in their life, my sore finger really pales into insignificance. I have to say that another thing that has left me in complete bewilderment is my sore thighs for the past two days. I am still trying to work out how I ended up with sore thighs from sitting in a wheelchair for about an hour. It is beyond my comprehension but I am sure someone can explain it to me later. My arms I could understand. Maybe it was that one dive that did it! I come back to the serious matters that I want to put on the record tonight. I have been attending wheelchair basketball games and I urge members to do so too. Unfortunately, Sunday was the last home and away game of the season when the Wheelcats successfully trounced Queensland, which is currently the number 3 placed team. Earlier in the year I watched the Wheelcats play against the Wollongong team, which is number 2 and is currently the reigning national champion, and the Wheelcats also trounced that team. The important thing worth noting is not only the starting five, but also the depth of the team. People like Amber Merritt, who is if not the premier female very close to the premier female wheelchair basketballer in the world, was there on the day but is unable to play at the moment due to some injuries, and a number of other players were there. Not only do we have a starting five, but also we can put on a second five that would be competitive in that league against the other team. We therefore have amazing depth. In bringing my statement to conclusion, I urge members to go out there next year when the season starts. I am sure many members of this chamber, the minister included, will make sure we pass on a request to Wheelchair Sports to invite members to go and watch the game next year and I would urge members to take their children. I know that Hon Sue Ellery has taken her niece in the past. My partner and I have always promised to take her granddaughters along—although we have not got around to it—because I am convinced that they will enjoy it as much as the members there enjoyed it. Another thing we need to do, in recognising the success of the Perth Wheelcats, is to acknowledge the role that a person who is no longer with us, a guy called Frank Ponta, played in that sport. When members talk to the Wheelcats they will find that most of them, certainly the senior players, were inspired by Frank Ponta. I think Hon Sue Ellery made some comments about him. [1] Extract from Hansard [COUNCIL — Tuesday, 6 August 2013] p2572b-2573a Hon Ken Travers Hon Sue Ellery: When he passed away. Hon KEN TRAVERS: Yes, just after his passing. He is an icon in wheelchair sports and was a real success. However, there is another generation coming through and people like Justin Eveson are playing that new role of inspiring and engaging players. It is also heartening to talk to the parents of children of power wheelchair basketball. Often they have gone through unfortunate circumstances in their life such as cancer or injuries that have caused them to lose a limb and with that to lose self-esteem and a sense of worth. By playing wheelchair sports and getting involved with the Wheelchair Sports WA Association, they have not just blossomed but also found new purpose in their life that in some cases they never had before those tough circumstances. I therefore pay tribute to that group. In conclusion, another person needs to be acknowledged. Basketball WA has a fantastic board. I do not want to take away anything from the current board and the current president in Libby Woods, but I think she would agree with me on the fantastic contribution of Esme Bowen, who stepped down as chair this year. It is therefore the first year in about 10 or 12 years that Esme has not been the chair of that organisation. One of the minister’s senior staff, Neil Guard, who has also just stepped down from the board, was partly instrumental in getting us along there on Sunday. They are fantastic people and they also need to be acknowledged. I do it with caution, because one other thing is that if members get the opportunity to go out there, they will find that the organisation is like a big family; there are so many volunteers, so many activists and so many people contributing that it is an absolutely rewarding experience to engage with a group like that. Not only did I enjoy the game, but also a range of other benefits must be acknowledged in that organisation that does fantastic work. House adjourned at 10.00 pm __________ [2] .