MPI – Surf Life Saving Queensland

12 Sep 2014 3:26 PMMichael Hart

Surf Life Saving Queensland

Mr HART (Burleigh—LNP) (3.05 pm): On Monday night I was delighted to attend the Surf Life Saving Queensland event that was held in the Premier’s Hall. This event not only launched the official start of the surf life saving season but I, along with the member for Maroochydore, also had the pleasure of announcing the establishment of the first Parliamentary Friends of Surf Life Saving Queensland which we will be co-chairing. I would like to thank all members who attended Monday night and those who have already signed up to the friendship group. For those who could not make it, it is not too late to join. This is a bipartisan friendship group. I call on all members in the House to consider joining. Just contact the Burleigh or Maroochydore electorate office if you would like to become a member.

I think it is also worth mentioning that this group is not only for coast based members, but is inclusive of all regional and rural members. Surf life saving benefits not only local residents but also those who visit our world-class beaches less regularly. The sole purpose of the friendship group is not only to foster relationships between parliamentarians and surf life saving but also to promote the great work, value and community spirit that is the surf life saving movement.

From Coolangatta to the cape, over 30,000 members of the surf life saving community volunteered their time in the last patrolling season alone and this season will see those same volunteers, as well as a new group of recruits, contribute an estimated 350,000 patrol hours to this upcoming season. As a patrolling surf life saver myself, I know the hard work and dedication it takes to keep our beaches safe. I am sure members will agree with me when I say there should be zero preventable deaths in Queensland waters. That is why we will be working to foster relationships within the parliament to assist in reaching that goal.

I would like to thank John Brennan and Ralph Devlin for helping to organise the night and for MCing. I am an active surf life saver at Pacific Surf Live Saving Club at Palm Beach. I am also actively involved with a whole group of other surf life saving clubs such as Palm Beach, Tallebudgera, Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park, North Burleigh, Miami and Neptune Royal Life Saving Club at Neptune Beach. I will be on patrol next Saturday on the very first patrol of the year at 8 o’clock in the morning if you want to see this on the beach.

Mrs Frecklington: In budgie smugglers.

Mr HART: In budgie smugglers. Come down to Pacific Surf Life Saving Club and help me push out the IRB, put up the patrol tents and put those boards out on the beach and let us have no deaths on our beaches this year and wish everybody a safe and successful surf life saving season.

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