Athletes' game lights up thanks to ETU

At the ETU biennial Divisional Branch Conference, delegates were moved by an address by Ben Fawcett – an Australian Gold Medallist in wheelchair rugby from the most recent Paralympic games.

Ben explained how sports like wheelchair rugby were changing lives – giving those with disabilities the opportunity to get active across the full range of codes fully able Australians enjoy without even thinking.

Conference delegates told leadership they wanted to support more people getting these opportunities – that if the union was interested in fairness for all, we ought to do our bit.

And so this year the union is sponsoring our first disabled sports team – with male and female players. The ETU Sparx are based in Victoria and compete across a range of states, doing battle with the handful of other wheelchair rugby sides out there.

ETU Secretary Troy Gray says the sponsorship is important for the union.

“Our union sponsors a whole range of sports activities and teams in Melbourne and across the state. As a progressive movement we believe that everyone should have access to a good life. Good work, good rest, good recreation.”

“We support our members who have children and relatives participating in a number of different sports throughout Victoria, and the support for the ETU Sparx is an extension of this. It’s an extension of our values.”

Support the ETU Sparx!

Members can support the ETU Sparx by attending Sparx matches and seeing what a great job wheelchair rugby is doing for its participants. As details of matches are known we will make these available to our members on our Facebook page and hope that they follow the lead of the ETU and support wheelchair rugby.