Mr LLOYD (5:33 PM) —When preparing for this grievance debate, gathering some ideas some three months ago, my original intention was to highlight my concerns about the lack of publicity and lack of community involvement in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Since that time, many of my fears have been allayed by an extensive community involvement program and a great deal more publicity for the Paralympics—but there is still much that has to be done. A great deal more community involvement is needed to ensure that the Paralympics are a great success.

Most Australians would know that the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games will start on Friday, 15 September. This is an exciting and challenging time for New South Wales and for all of Australia. The Olympic Games provides a showcase, unlike any other throughout the world, to allow the rest of the world to see what Australia can do and what Australia is all about. Some 10,200 athletes will be at the Olympic Games, with 5,000 officials and coaches. Between 198 and 200 countries will be participating in 28 different sports. An incredible number of media people will be involved in the Olympics—some 15,000—and the expected number of spectators is 5.5 million. More importantly, the Sydney Olympics will be viewed by a worldwide TV audience of 3.5 billion people.

Anyone driving past the Olympics site at the moment would see that building is now nearing completion and the final preparations are well in hand for a very successful Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. But in reality the Sydney 2000 Games are really just a preparation, a trial run, for the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Obviously, if everything runs well and runs smoothly for the Olympics—as we know it will—we will know that everything will then run well at the Paralympic Games.

It is vital that the Paralympic Games are as successful and as well attended as the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games because it is the Paralympic Games that will leave the final impression on the world. The closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games is in fact the closing ceremony of the Olympic celebrations for Sydney and for Australia. Some 4,000 athletes, 2,000 officials and coaches and 125 countries in 18 sports, 14 of which are full Olympic sports, will be participating in the Paralympics. Between 1,300 and 2,000 members of the media will be there. It is anticipated that there will be over one million spectators at the Paralympic Games.

The Paralympic Games are the next largest sporting event—in terms of the number of countries involved—after the Olympic Games. With the 120 countries involved, they are bigger than the Nagano Winter Olympic Games and the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. They will be bigger than the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games and the 1998 Soccer World Cup. They will even be bigger than the 1956 Olympic Games that were held in Melbourne.

The federal government has also played its part in assisting with the Paralympic Games. This assistance includes legislative protection of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games words and symbols and assistance with environmental issues, drug testing, revenue forgone through the GST exemption, security, immigration, customs, quarantine, health care—including access to Medicare—production of commemorative coins, communications, international air transport and promotion of Australia overseas.

The Australian Sports Commission has funded the Paralympic preparation program for athletes to undertake high level training. Australian Paralympians are among the best in the world, and I am sure that all Australians will remember that they came second in the world at the Atlanta Paralympics, second only to the US. In addition to that, on 28 July the Prime Minister announced that the Commonwealth government is contributing a guarantee—of up to $25 million—of half the expected operating deficit, providing almost $5.5 million towards the preparations of Paralympic athletes and meeting the GST liability on the Paralympic ticket sales—an estimated cost of $1.6 million. I am also personally delighted that the Prime Minister has accepted the invitation to officially open the Sydney Paralympic Games on 18 October next year. I should remember that date because it is the day after my 25th wedding anniversary. I have no excuse.

The Paralympic torch relay route was announced by the Prime Minister on 28 July at Parliament House. I urge all Australians, particularly those in New South Wales—and elsewhere throughout Australia, as I now know that the Paralympic torch is visiting not only New South Wales but also other states of Australia—to find out where the Paralympic torch is visiting to ensure that they support and encourage the Paralympians by cheering on the passage of the Paralympic torch. In my own area on the central coast, there was some concern, which I supported, that while the Paralympic torch was visiting Gosford—and in fact staying overnight at the new Grahame Park Stadium—it was not visiting the Woy Woy peninsula area of my electorate, which because of its geographical isolation often misses out on major events. I am pleased to note that the Paralympic torch will be going through the Woy Woy peninsula area and it is a fantastic opportunity for all those residents of the peninsula area to become personally involved and to become part of the Olympic story by supporting the Paralympic torch.

The challenge now is not the organisation of the Paralympic Games. The challenge for all Australians is to support and attend the Paralympic Games. I have no doubt that every seat for the Olympic Games will be sold, every seat will be filled. But I want to see every seat at the Paralympic Games filled as well, because the Paralympic athletes are truly remarkable people. The Australians who will be competing in those games have in many cases overcome what to many of us would be insurmountable obstacles to reach the pinnacle of their sporting careers. They are truly great Australians and each and every one of them deserves our full and wholehearted support, which we can show by attending these games.

There are people like Sue-Ellen Lovett, whom I have known for most of my life. She is a blind equestrian who has dedicated the last 10 years of her life to fundraising, not only for the Paralympic Games. She has recently completed another epic ride from Brisbane to Sydney. Last year she rode from Melbourne to Sydney—and called in to Canberra—through some atrocious weather conditions to highlight the Paralympic Games and to raise funds for the athletes.

There are people like Louise Sauvage, world No. 1 track and road racer who recently raced into the hearts and minds of Australians during April with her third consecutive win in the Boston marathon. There are athletes who are sometimes less well known, such as Melissa Wilson, an 18-year-old person who suffered traumatic brain injury after being hit by a car. Despite those injuries she has become a world-class swimmer. Melissa was only 11 when she was knocked from her bike while crossing at an intersection, and she was in a coma for over four months. She had to learn to do everything again. Her rehabilitation is a continuous process and she recently spoke as an ambassador for the Paralympics at the Mingara Club on the central coast of New South Wales, accompanied by Lois Appleby. Melissa's story, which she related to us at Mingara on that night, basically made sure that there was not a dry eye amongst the audience. From being able to float in water five years ago, Melissa now swims 25 kilometres a week and has racked up a formidable national and international record. She also speaks on behalf of the Motor Accident Authority as one of their athlete ambassadors.

Just a small quote from Melissa sums up, I am sure, the attitude of every Paralympian in Australia. She said on that night:

I promise to swim the race of my life and I would love to look up after my race and see you all in the stands cheering me on.

That, I am sure, is the wish of every Paralympian, to be able to look up in the stands and see those stands full of cheering Australians, proud of the magnificent efforts of the Australian Paralympians.

There is no excuse whatsoever for those stands not being full. The Paralympic organising committee have organised a unique Paralympic day pass. Just one ticket is valid for up to 14 different sports on any one day. The cost of that ticket is just $15, or only $8 for a school child or a concession ticket. That $15 includes free entertainment, festivities, cultural events and exhibitions to make it a day out you will never forget. I know there are thousands of organisations and groups throughout New South Wales and Australia that are always looking for days out at reasonable value. I challenge all those groups—the pensioner groups, Rotary groups, Lions Clubs, school groups, P&Cs, social clubs, bridge players, sporting groups—to organise a coach to come down to the Paralympics. There are group advance purchase forms. If you purchase more than 100 tickets you will get the benefit of an extra 10 tickets for no cost.

I congratulate the Prime Minister and the federal Minister for Sport and Tourism for the government's initiative in providing specialist assistance to ensure the attendance of a large number of school children from all over Australia. That will mean that up to 40,000 school children will receive assistance to come to the Paralympics. I challenge each federal member to ensure that they publicise the Paralympics and get as many people, particularly from New South Wales, as they can to come and see what the Paralympians can do. It is a marvellous sporting event. It is something that the Paralympians deserve. They deserve our support and I am sure everyone will be there.