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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (23 June) . . Page.. 817 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

and a larger squad of 80 athletes and officials using the ACT for a team camp in November 1999. It was pleasing to note, Mr Speaker, that we also became the first training base for a Paralympic team when the Netherlands announced planning to send 150 athletes and officials to Canberra in October 2000.

In simple terms, Mr Speaker, what this means already is that we can expect to see at least 600 of the world's top athletes in our national capital prior to the Olympics and Paralympics. I think that is a job very well done. It also means that we will see increased economic benefits and enormous international exposure, with up to 15,000 bed-nights already committed as a result of teams coming to Canberra for training. On top of this, the Project 2000 team is currently negotiating with at least two other countries, France and Germany.

Mr Berry: Do not forget to tell them about the lumps on the track. A bubble jumping gold medal!

MS CARNELL: The Germans were here last week. They visited Canberra and I did not see Mr Berry out there welcoming them. Again, he is just interjecting. So, more than two years out from the Olympics, what do we have? We have at least three teams locked in, more likely to be locked in, the redevelopment of Bruce Stadium proceeding on schedule, and the selection of Canberra as a host venue for Olympic soccer. So much for failing to attract Olympic involvement for Canberra.

I use this opportunity to thank the many people who have been responsible for these achievements. Mr Speaker, I will not thank Mr Berry or the Labor Party, because they have done everything in their power to stop it happening. To the team at Project 2000, to the AIS, to the Bureau of Sport and Recreation and to the embassies in Canberra, a big thankyou. To the Labor Party, and particularly its public face on this issue, Mr Berry, a big thanks for nothing. When the Government released the draft capital works program just over a month ago we were - - -

Mr Osborne: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I will be happy for the Chief Minister to table her answer because we have only another 15 minutes until question time is over, and a number of members would like to ask a question.

MR SPEAKER: We have 20 minutes, actually.

Mr Osborne: Just table it.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I am interested that Mr Osborne is not interested in sport. I would have thought he was very interested in sport. Mr Speaker, barely two weeks ago Mr Berry had the absolute hide to come out and demand that we spend another $5.8m on another athletics track from the current budget. The sheer hypocrisy of this is amazing. Those opposite, and others, were saying things like, "We are spending too much money on sport". Is it too much or too little, Mr Speaker? Who would know with those opposite? The fact is that we are delivering in the area of sport and the Olympics, and it will mean huge benefits for the people of Canberra.

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