Page 4477 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 1993
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10c a year when the evidence supported by Treasury shows a high income potential? How a ministerial proposal, utilising the unselfish input of the citizens of the ACT and set to benefit the whole community, could have been sidetracked needs to be investigated and ultimately set right. I ask that the Labor Government see that this is done. The TITC submission and the suggestion of a peppercorn leasing seem unreasonable in the context of the proposal of the Motorsport Council and the Road Safety Council. I have no objection to their making the submission. Anyone can make a submission, including any details. However, the question remains: Why was it accepted and why is the community in the ACT not gaining considerable financial income from the Sutton Park facility?
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (3.29): Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Stevenson has gone through a volume of reports from various places and of variable status. Let me make this clear: The ACT community is fortunate that this facility has been retained and is being effectively used for the same purpose for which it was built - a driver training facility. We should be very pleased about that. The Sutton Park Driver Training Complex was intended for and constructed as a driver training facility for the ACT Federal Police. It was never meant to be used as a motor sport facility. That matter was not mentioned in Mr Stevenson's speech. It was never meant to be used as a motor sport facility and it cannot be used as a racing facility. It has very limited use as a motor sport facility generally.
The site was transferred to the ACT Government from the Commonwealth. That has been said. After consideration of options it was decided to hand over the management of the facility to a transport industry training body. This would enable the industry and the community to access this valuable training facility. This has been done without the Government having to provide the funds for the ongoing maintenance required. Mr Stevenson mentioned that we had lost revenue. I think we have a bonus. We are not having to maintain what is, in fact, a fairly expensive facility to maintain. The signing of the lease to the Transport Training Council confirms that education and training are the primary purpose of that site. It also allows for other uses such as vehicle safety testing, some motor vehicle and motorcycle club events, and limited motor sport events.
Since the lease was signed in 1992 the centre has been very active. It has been fulfilling the purpose for which it was constructed in the first place. Between February and October this year the centre has been used for 182 days of training and on 20 days for other uses. The Training Council has attracted $345,000 in cash from the Commonwealth to build a skills centre which will be valued at over $700,000. The balance of the funds will be provided by local industry. If Mr Stevenson is concerned about losing revenue, we are attracting revenue in the form of capital funds to that site. Indeed, the training that goes on is a positive benefit to the ACT community, both in training terms and in financial terms. The centre I have mentioned will be built by early next year and will include a simulated freight depot for training in furniture removal, dangerous goods handling and truck maintenance. It is clearly working very well.
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