Page 231 - Week 01 - Thursday, 13 February 2020
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given that so many local clubs play their sport on ACT government owned and managed assets.
That brings me to the last point I wish to raise, relating to local sport and recreation infrastructure. Outdoor events were not the only ones impacted by air quality; indoor venues were also affected, with many needing to review conditions on an hourly basis to confirm if they could remain open.
It being 45 minutes after the commencement of crossbench executive members’ business, the debate was interrupted in accordance with standing order 77. Ordered that the time allotted to crossbench executive members’ business be extended by 30 minutes.
MR MILLIGAN: Local pools were a place of respite for many Canberrans, to stay cool or just to give the kids on school holidays a chance to get out and be active. So too were indoor courts and gyms, many of which would start the day open but would then be forced to close.
A report released in September last year by the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment raised several issues for consideration when it comes to sport in Canberra. Focused mainly on heat, there was some great advice given about the construction of future indoor facilities. Here again we need to think about how we build and plan for these community assets in the future, as well as how they are managed during extreme weather events or emergency situations such as what occurred this summer.
So I ask Mr Rattenbury to ensure that the focus is not just on sporting events. We need to include local grassroots activities that so many of our community enjoy doing over the summer months. When thinking about this, we need to factor in both indoor and outdoor sports so that local infrastructure is given adequate consideration. Where guidelines or information are provided as part of this strategy, they must cover the impact on local facilities.
There are national and ACT-wide associations that are very knowledgeable and connected to their members. These bodies often need some support and guidance and then they can crack on with what they do best: offering fantastic opportunities for the community to participate and to reap the benefits of being fit and healthy. I sincerely hope that these bodies are properly consulted as part of this process to get a local and grassroots perspective.
I thank Mr Rattenbury for bringing this motion forward so that we can discuss the ways government should respond and support the community during weather events such as this. I look forward to the update in June to ensure that local sport and recreation is included in a meaningful and proactive way.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Sport and
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