Sale Tennis Club has been recognised for its ongoing program in support of Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers with a nomination for a prestigious Newcombe Medal at the Australian Tennis Awards in the category of Most Outstanding Inclusion Initiative.  

In December 2024, the Sale Tennis Club established a social tennis program for the 80 PALM workers living in central Gippsland, after recognising their limited social and recreational options here.

Most of the workers are away from their families for long periods, so it was decided to provide an ongoing opportunity for them to enjoy tennis and the warm hospitality of our broader club community at one of the most special times of the year.

Afte meeting one-on-one with workers to introduce the concept, the club conducted welcome days and arranged for a permanent stock of racquets, balls and drink bottles to be available onsite so that the workers can play at any time, giving them an easily accessible recreation option and the ability to build relationships within the local community. 

The PALM workers are from Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu and Indonesia. As each country has their own language, communication is difficult but tennis has an amazing role to play in breaking down social and language barriers and helping to introduce new arrivals to our town to all that our local community has to offer.  

This initiative is not based on potential tennis pathways but on providing a meaningful outlet for an otherwise socially-isolated and exceptionally disadvantaged group. The workers are generally in Australia for 9 months continuously before they must return home.  Most return to Australia after the minimum 3-month break that their work visas require. As each group returns they have the opportunity to return to enjoy the hospitality and warm welcome of our club. 

In effect our “open door policy” is passed on from group to group as the workers come and go.

The club came up with creative ways to advertise the program in spite of language barriers. We created posters that included the flags of the various countries so that those without English skills could identify their country and understand that the welcome was intended for them. This strategy was particularly effective.     

The workers are away from their families and villages during the special Christmas season so the absolute highlight of the program was sharing a traditional Christmas lunch with the PALM workers. The Club undertook to make sure the PALM workers felt welcome in our community by providing some social tennis activities with a large group of club volunteers on court and in the kitchen assisting. For many of the workers it was their first ever experience at tennis.  It was especially pleasing to see many junior club members on court helping the workers learn the ropes of the game.  

The tennis was followed by a full traditional Christmas lunch complete with all of the trimmings served by club volunteers.  This Christmas lunch is on again in 2025 with the feast to be shared on December 21 at the club. Perhaps a tradition in the making.

Then to make sure that nobody missed out on the joy of Christmas each worker received a hamper of homemade treats and essential items to help them celebrate an Australian Christmas. The club has successfully engaged with some of the least privileged members of our community and made them welcome on an ongoing basis.  The amazing difference that each of these workers makes to their families and entire village in their home countries is difficult to fully appreciate.   Many are funding education for all of the children in their village with literacy and numeracy skills creating opportunities that could not otherwise be dreamt of. 

As an extension of our ongoing support of the seasonal workers, Sale Tennis Club has undertaken to provide support to Tavuna Village School on the island of Pentecost in Vanuatu.  The school is in the village where local PALM worker Uri Moli’s wife was born and raised. Uri has been most excited to provide the initial contact details and to get the program started.

The club is actively collecting donations of goods suitable for use in the school and surrounding village.  This is an opportunity for the club to make a significant difference to a group of people who are far less fortunate than ourselves. 

The winner of the Newcombe Medal for the Most Outstanding Inclusion Initiative will be announced at a gala event at Crown Casino on December 8.