Page 1701 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 3 May 2011
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government and the economy in our community, most particularly health, education, tourism and planning.
The value of sport and recreation to preventative health is estimated at more than $80 million per annum. A healthy lifestyle is at the forefront of the fight against childhood obesity and future chronic health issues. Obviously, there are many other benefits that are derived from participation in sport and recreation. These include fair play, teamwork, healthy competition and individual achievement, and these exist within the multitude of sport and recreation activities that are undertaken in this city each and every day, and most particularly on very busy weekends around Canberra.
The Hawke review has taken place in parallel with our development of this strategy and with the review of events and festivals. It is important to align these in one directorate, which we see through the economic development directorate. Territory venues and events and sport and recreation services will be moving into this new directorate. We are, of course, securing major sporting events for the city as part of our centenary year.
MS BRESNAN: Supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, does this strategy include progressing a multipurpose indoor sports centre for the Tuggeranong area?
MR BARR: I would indeed advise the member for Brindabella to listen closely to the Treasurer’s speech in a matter of moments.
Water—prices
MR SMYTH: My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water. Minister, in the 10 years of the ACT Labor government, the cost of water charges in the ACT has risen by over 200 per cent. ACT families currently pay the highest charges for water in Australia. Minister, why has your government allowed this heavy burden on the cost of living for Canberra families?
MR CORBELL: We know the serious burden that Canberra families do share in relation to this matter, and that is that if there are water restrictions, if there are prolonged periods of time where there are restrictions on the use of water, there are very significant social, environmental and economic impacts that come from those restrictions. This government has responded to that issue by investing in measures that will provide long-term water security for our city. That should be the obligation and the responsibility of any responsible government.
It is, of course, one that those on the other side of the chamber squibbed on back in the early period of this decade, when they decided that their solution to water security—let us not forget it—was to build a dam in a permanent rain shadow. That was their policy. Who can forget the promise the day after the 2004 election that the bulldozers would be moving into the Naas Valley and building the dam! Indeed, it was Mrs Dunne—
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