Page 1035 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
and if there are underlying issues with the young person, they will attempt to mediate a suitable resolution by using counselling mediation in conjunction with traditional sentencing.
They are also introducing a program called score raiders, which is a program for people with disabilities. They will be coached to play against either an under 14 or an under 15 team in a two-handed tag competition, running in conjunction with their normal competition. This team will also play on grand final day and will be given a slot during a Raiders home game. The competition is being run in conjunction with Disabilities Australia. A liaison officer will be appointed to work with the clubs and the score team.
There are now pathways right through from under 6s to the Jillaroos for young girls and women in Rugby League. They now have 17 league tag teams, 21 tackle teams and a representative program aligned to the Raiders with the under 18 Tarsha Gale Cup.
They are also, importantly, introducing programs about respect, designed to teach players to have respect for themselves and others, and for all people to look after each other. For example, if a player is getting out of line then it is up to a mate to talk to him and tell him that he is better than that. This program will be rolled out to both seniors and juniors.
As well as the “I respect” program, they have developed links with Menslink and EveryMan in order to ensure that players can get the counselling and support they need. They are working hard to change their attitude of “toughen ’em up and send them back out” to one of acute awareness of the risks of concussion and the need to have registered trainers attending all matches to ensure adequate care and safety for all of their players.
As I have said, while I am not a sporty person, I was very impressed by the deliberate efforts that Canberra Region Rugby League is making to ensure that their sport is more accessible to women, to people with a disability and to younger players. Combined, these tremendous initiatives will ensure that the sport is more accessible for a much wider range of people. I commend them for their efforts and wish them well in the season ahead.
Multicultural affairs—mother languages
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (6.34): Last month we observed International Mother Language Day. This day has its origin in the Bengali language movement of what was then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Protests by Bangla speakers against attempts to force them to speak Urdu actually led to the death of five martyrs and the injury of hundreds of others in 1952. Thirty-seven years later, the United Nations proclaimed this day not only to honour mother languages but also to draw attention to the ongoing extinction of languages.
In the ACT we are lucky to have a large number of community language schools committed to preserving and even expanding the use of various mother languages.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video