Page 3539 - Week 13 - Thursday, 26 November 1992
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The risks are negligible if the structure of this bid is developed on the principle that, if we lose, we win. Our support of the Sydney 2000 Olympic bid is vital; I agree with Mr Lamont and the Government. We can even use the Sydney Olympic bid to develop our own chances. By dovetailing into Sydney's plans, we can attract favourable events here and demonstrate our ability to organise, coordinate and run smooth, well-planned sporting events. Sydney's plans to decentralise the Olympic Games will fall into our laps and boost our chances. Canberra can learn from Sydney's experiences in running such an event, to ensure that the Commonwealth Games 2002 are run effectively.
Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games have been run in many countries at a profit. In doing so, these events have contributed significantly to the economies and infrastructures of those countries. We need to be flexible and adaptable in our approach to the future of tourism in Canberra, and one part of this process is taking up opportunities as they offer. Our support of Sydney's Olympic bid will help Sydney while it also helps us.
Finally, let me say a word about politics, which Mr Lamont brought into this debate. I am disappointed to see that politics has entered the debate on the Commonwealth Games 2002 bid or the Sydney Olympics bid, or any other international sporting event that might come to Canberra from time to time. Nothing else can explain the Government's reluctance to take up a feasibility study. Mr Lamont was present when the Committee on Tourism and ACT Promotion took evidence. Mr Lamont well knows that the Canberra Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce and the tourism industry and everybody else who came into that committee agreed that Canberra should have a go and put in for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
If Mr Lamont went around to sporting groups, as I do from time to time, and asked those sporting groups for their opinion, they would also say to Mr Lamont that we should have a go, we should go for it. If Kuala Lumpur can do it, if Brisbane can do it, if Perth can do it, if Auckland can do it, certainly Canberra can. Canberra can do it; Canberra will do it, if these people opposite get off their backsides, stop sitting on their hands, and have a go for Canberra. For Mr Lamont to come into this house and try to play politics with something as important as the Commonwealth Games bid is sheer and utter humbug.
It seems that the only person that agrees with Mr Lamont, if the truth be known, happens to be the member for Canberra, Mrs Kelly, who in one fell swoop on radio during the Olympic Games seemed to pooh-pooh Canberra's bid for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Mrs Kelly should have taken advice from some of the sporting groups around this town, who have said to me and to others, "Why shouldn't we have a go? Even if we are not successful, there will be enormous benefits to the people of the ACT and to Canberra in the way it promotes itself on the international stage".
Mr Deputy Speaker, let it not be said by Mr Lamont because it is not true. This Liberal Party supports the Sydney bid for the 2000 Olympics. When members of this political party travel overseas from time to time, we actively see what we can do to help that bid; we have done so and will continue to do so. We will continue to support that bid, as we will continue to defend the right of Canberra to put in a bid for the Commonwealth Games of 2002.
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