STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr GOSLING (Solomon) (13:31): Only in Darwin could you bring together Larrakia, Tiwi, Wadjigan, Ireland, New Zealand, Greece, Africa and the US Marines for an Aussie Rules competition. The sixth Darwin Nines was held on the weekend, bringing these teams together for a fast-paced version of our great Australian game. Congratulations to our champions, the Tiwi teams, who won both the division 1 men's and women's competitions.

Congrats also to Wadjigan, who were winners of the division 2 men's. Massive congratulations to the best on ground players: Tiwi Bombers' gun Taniesha Forrest; former St Kilda star Raph Clarke; and AFL NT legend Stanley Tipiloura. We've been championing footy nines for the Brisbane Olympics 2032 for some time, and the case is very strong.

Nine players a side, played on rectangular fields, means that our game can be played just about anywhere in the world. Australian Rules was a demonstration sport in the Melbourne Games of 1956—you remember those, Bob—and, 76 years later, its time has come again. The American NFL and its international federation worked together to get flag football on the Olympic program for LA in 2028, and we should do the same with Aussie Rules.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Claydon ): I remind members to refer to each other's proper titles in future.