AFL Peace Team

Last Tuesday night more than 20 members from both houses attended a function here in Parliament House to farewell the AFL Peace Team delegation as they headed off to Israel this week. The Peace Team brings together young men and women from Israeli and Palestinian backgrounds with different faiths to play this great Australian Rules game. We heard from team coach Robert 'Dipper' DiPierdomenico as well as key organisers Tanya Oziel and Henry Jolson, QC.

I was pleased to facilitate this groundbreaking event this week along with my Parliamentary colleagues. This is the first time the parliamentary friendship groups of Palestine and Israel have come together in the name of peace in the Middle East.

I would like to acknowledge the great work the peace team does and thank the members of the Friends of Palestine and Friends of Israel groups for convening this event and showing this Parliament's support for the peace process. I also thank the Speaker for hosting the event.