STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr FRENCH (Moore) (13:38): On Sunday morning, I had the privilege of joining more than a thousand members of my community at Sorrento Beach to remember Greg O'Neill. Greg tragically lost his life in a shark attack last month doing something he loved: swimming in the ocean. It was a terrible tragedy that deeply affected his family, his friends and our entire coastal community.

But what I witnessed on Sunday was pretty special: hundreds of people dressed in blue, families standing together on the sand, swimmers returning to the water and a community coming together to support one another. Greg's children, Bianca and Keelan, spoke with extraordinary courage. Their message was simple: embrace life, spend time with the people you love and keep doing the things that bring you happiness.

For so many people in Sorrento, the ocean isn't just somewhere to swim. It is where friendships are formed, where people connect and where community is built. I want to thank the Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club, the volunteers and everyone who helped bring the community together.

It is an enormous privilege to represent this community in our federal parliament, and Sunday reminded me of just how fortunate I am to do so. To Greg's family and friends, our thoughts remain with you. And to the Sorrento community, thank you for showing what it means to look after one another.