CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr PIKE (Bowman) (10:42): I rise today to recognise a truly remarkable milestone. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Special Olympics Australia. For five decades, this extraordinary organisation has been breaking down barriers, building inclusive communities and creating opportunities for Australians with disability to thrive through sport.

The impact of Special Olympics over the past five decades has been nothing short of life changing for many Australians. It is about far more than competition; it is about championing sport as a vehicle to transform lives, to build confidence, to foster connection and to create a sense of belonging. Since 1976, Special Olympics Australia has grown into a nationwide movement, supporting thousands of athletes, coaches, volunteers and families.

I'm particularly proud of the Redlands branch, in my neck of the woods, which is one of the largest and most active in the country. I recently had the privilege of attending a fundraising luncheon in support of our local athletes. This wonderful event brought together members of the Redlands community, all united in their support for our athletes preparing to compete in the upcoming national games in Melbourne.

I'd like to take a moment to recognise the 35 local athletes who will be representing my Redlands community at the 2026 National Games. They are Christopher Bowman—aptly named, I would say—Ethan Napoli; Trent Warner; Harrison Wright; Alex Bombolas; Benjamin Carr; Jamie Grant; Megan Le lay; Andrea Meehan; Guy Vincent; Kelsey Walker; Amanda Whittle; Elliott Appleton; Nathan Curd; Andrew Foley; Saara Goodwin; Susan Johnson; Isabella Kay; Brett Petersons, who is a good mate of mine; Ashelly Powell; Mia Feltham; Brendan Borger; Tim Callander-Lewis; Jett Chamberlain-Clark; Mitchell Seeto; Shaun Coyte; Eoin Gibson, who I recently met in my office in his capacity as an ambassador for Down Syndrome Australia; Lachlan Mackay; Dylan Neil; Chelsea Stebbing; Samuel Sturton; Emily Taylor; Alison Wright; Natasha Hull; and William Evans.

These athletes embody determination and resilience and are the very best of community spirit. I know the entire Redlands community will be cheering them on as they head to Melbourne for these important national games which will mark five decades of Special Olympics Australia. I want to congratulate everyone who's been involved in the Special Olympics movement over the course of the last 50 years, all the volunteers who give their time so generously and, of course, all the athletes and their families, who help inspire everyone across our community and demonstrate what can be achieved when you give people the opportunity to enjoy their time in the community and achieve what they can at their level.

It's wonderful.