Page 63 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


The intimacy of Manuka as a cricket venue was a delight for the players and that feedback was very clear from both the Australian and Sri Lankan teams. The undeniable atmosphere, energy and excitement around this fixture I think demonstrated the worth of Cricket ACT’s and the ACT government’s decade long work to make it possible. The attendance, I note at nearly 31,000, was nearly double that achieved by Tasmania at their most recent test match.

MS ORR: Chief Minister, what is next for Manuka Oval?

MR BARR: As we concluded the most successful summer of cricket Canberra has ever seen with another sell-out crowd for the Big Bash match on the weekend, between Sydney and Hobart, we now look to the future of the venue, with agreements to be struck between Cricket ACT, Cricket Australia and the ACT government, and the Giants and the AFL, to continue to host major sporting events at the venue in the years ahead. It may have taken over a decade of work and more than a century as a city to host our first test match, but it will not be a one-in-a-lifetime experience for most Canberrans.

We have made a decision in the budget review this year, as I have already announced, to invest further in the facility, to put more seats under cover and to upgrade the change-room facilities to make them more suitable for female athletes, as in 2020 we will be a major host city for the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup. This will be an important next step in the evolution of Manuka Oval as Australia’s best boutique cricket venue, and also one that can host Australian football.

We will commence discussions on and early planning for a new eastern grandstand with the major users, cricket and AFL. We will be seeking financial co-contributions from those sports and the Australian government as we proceed with the development of an eastern grandstand at Manuka Oval.

I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

Supplementary answers to questions without notice

Municipal services—trees

MR STEEL: I want to clarify the exact number of trees that were planted last year and this year. There were 608 trees planted in winter last year; 96 trees were planted in spring 2018; and 444 trees will be planted this year in autumn.

Education—curriculum

Homelessness—services

MS BERRY: Madam Speaker, in relation to the Australian curriculum that is being rolled out across our schools over a series of years, professional development programs, including the affiliated schools partnership with the University of Canberra, as well as Empowered Learning, totalling $5.4 million, will help to bed down the Australian curriculum with research-informed, evidence-based delivery methods for our teaching professionals.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video