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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1992 ..
MR STEFANIAK
(continuing):Perhaps, Mr Hargreaves, if one of the crossbenchers or even one of the members of my party moved to delete that, it would be a different story. It's perhaps a little bit rich coming from a government member. I think your motion doesn't really suffer without that self-congratulation. If my amendment was accepted it still gets the point across very effectively. It thanks the people who actually provided the sponsorship and congratulates this excellent women's AFL team.
More can be done. I note that the Cannons leaving the scene, sadly-and the sponsorship that they received, which I think was $100,000-does open up some further possibilities without increasing government funding from other sources. There are several teams deserving of some assistance in national league competitions. I wonder if the government is actually assisting, for example, a netball team that plays in a national competition.
I was talking earlier of the Canberra Eclipse. It's good to see that they have received some funding. That is very important indeed. The sad demise of other teams opens up funding for others. It's great to see the Eclipse, who have won a national championship, receive $40,000. I was talking to Heather Reid not all that long ago. They clearly could do with some additional assistance. Indeed, a figure of $20,000 was mentioned there. They travel all across the country representing the ACT in that very excellent national competition that they play in. I thoroughly enjoy going to Eclipse games. I am thoroughly impressed with the incredibly high standard of games of the girls, a number of whom of course are Australian national players. You might like to take that on board, Mr Hargreaves. The sports minister can too.
Whilst it's not so much a women's sport-it did have a female manager-another team which I think is deserving of funding to the tune of $20,000 would be the Belconnen Blue Devils who play in the league competition in New South Wales, very similar to the ACT Rams, except they have a senior team plus an under-19 team. They also do a lot of travelling. They are fine ambassadors for the game of soccer, albeit in a men's competition. They are our senior men's team now in terms of a Canberra side in a major national competition. Again, it is a very similar situation to the Rams which, I think, I prevailed upon the Chief Minister back in about 1997 to fund. So perhaps you'll take that on board, Mr Hargreaves.
The opposition is certainly happy to support this motion. I commend my amendment. I do not think it is necessary for the government to congratulate itself. There is obviously still more that needs to be done. I think that way it is a far better motion; it congratulates the people who really do deserve it, the team itself together with the Labor Club for its sponsorship.
MR SPEAKER
: Mr Stefaniak, you've circulated an amendment. Not much is going to happen to it until you move it.MR STEFANIAK
: I formally move the amendment circulated in my name, Mr Speaker. I don't propose to speak to it again. I think I've said enough on that. I move:Omit all words after "Club".
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