Page 421 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 21 February 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Schools Authority Act - ACT Schools Authority - Report 1988-89
and move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Debate (on motion by Mr Wood) adjourned.
SPORTS POLICY
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MR SPEAKER: I have received a letter from Mr Whalan proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The failure of the Kaine Government to produce a sports policy for the ACT.
MR WHALAN (3.26): It is pretty obvious to us all that interest and participation in sport in Australia distinguishes it from the rest of the world. We have noticed from time to time that some less charitable foreign commentators on Australia have referred to our interest in sport as being almost the ultimate demonstration of our hedonism, but all of us here certainly would not agree with that.
It is quite interesting that sport and the leisure industries have a major impact. Sport and recreation nationally account for approximately 20 per cent of total private consumption and 10 per cent of gross domestic product. Given the very high sports participation rate and higher levels of disposal income in the ACT, the benefits to the ACT economy from sport and recreation are probably even higher than the national percentages. For some, sport is a private and personal thing; for others, the important elements are competition and achievement; and for a lot of others their enjoyment is rather vicarious in that they like to observe others doing it; they are the voyeurs of sport.
Sport has ramifications for lifestyle, health, personal satisfaction and self-esteem. Throughout Australia, almost to a citizen, people have a deep and abiding interest in sport; they wish to be in some way identified with sport; hardly a person who has been exposed to the "Life Be in it" campaigns would want to be a Norm. Who in this chamber would want to be a Norm?
In the ACT there is particular interest in sport. We have 120,000 registered participants in sport, of a population of in excess of 270,000. The 120,000 registered participants in sport do not include casual activities such as tennis, golf and jogging. It is a very important area of activity.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .