Page 2980 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 August 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Sports Ministers Conference
MRS NOLAN: Mr Speaker, my question also is directed to the Minister for Housing and Community Services - in this case, as Minister for sport. Can he inform the house whether he will be attending the ministerial sports conference in New Zealand? If so, what are some of the matters that are on the agenda and what is he going to discuss?
MR COLLAERY: I thank Mrs Nolan for the question. Yes, I will be going. I will get the last plane out. The Leader of the Opposition interjected this morning. She thought I was leaving during the luncheon break, which I was scheduled to do; but one does not turn one's back too easily on the Opposition at the moment. Mr Speaker, that ANZAC Conference of Sports Ministers is very important. The agenda will cover a range of important issues, including sports sponsorship and tobacco advertising; our national fitness strategy - - -
Mr Berry: You cannot go anywhere, Bernard.
MR COLLAERY: It will also cover support for elite athletes - I know that Mr Berry would not be interested in that - support for the Australian 1998 Commonwealth Games bid, and the highly important issue relating to recreation for people with disabilities.
Members interjected.
MR COLLAERY: This is relevant to those interjecting - the council will be focusing on the important issue of compulsory drug testing of sportsmen and sportswomen. I will be raising the sensitive issues relating to balancing legal principles to do with compulsory drug testing of sportspersons against issues of civil liberties. As everyone in this house knows, at the moment there is compulsory drug testing of professional footballers, and there have been occasions when the results of those tests have been publicly revealed. That raises the question of whether those test results can be used to support investigations or prosecutions. No other section of the community, to my knowledge, is compulsorily obliged to provide evidence that could be used against its members. There are serious concerns there, and I will be addressing them with the Ministers tomorrow in Wellington.
Ms Follett: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I have given written notice that I believe Mr Collaery is in breach of privilege by divulging unpublished evidence to the Public Accounts Committee.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms Follett. I will take that on board.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .