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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2084 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The athletes named on the team so far are Sally McDermid and Joanne Brown in the softball team; Bruce Hick, Craig Jones, Kay Hick, Karina Weiland, Angela Holbeck and Stuart McRae in the rowing squad; Simon Baker in athletics; Myfanwy Matthews in archery; Brendan Todd in yachting; Narelle Hill and Brian Power in judo; Lisa and Trini Powell in the women's hockey squad; Alex Johnson in modern pentathlon; and Susan Hobson in athletics.

When it is considered that there was only one ACT Academy of Sport athlete in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic team, the impact and the effectiveness of the programs of the academy over the last four years can, by any account, be judged to have been extremely significant. It is interesting to note that the athletes selected have graduated both from the intensive training centre programs in sports such as hockey, rowing and softball and from the individual sponsorship program in sports such as archery, yachting and modern pentathlon. I think Canberrans can be very proud that the investment the ACT Government has made in the academy programs is really returning dividends and that we can confidently expect an even greater representation in Sydney in 2000.

Specifically, Mr Hird mentions the one per cent levy this Government has put on returns from gaming machines. That is certainly something the clubs are to be commended for. The athletes are trying to put something back into the clubs as well. That has shown incredible dividends in the year or so it has been operating.

As well as the academy-supported athletes, there are of course other Canberra-based athletes in the team, particularly a number based at the Australian Institute of Sport. We are also very well represented in the Paralympic team for 1996 which will compete in Atlanta following the summer Olympic Games. Our 11 ACT-based athletes in the Paralympic team are Damien Burroughs, Peter Dowling, John Eden, Lisa Llorens, Sharon Rackham and Frances Stanley in athletics, Richard Nicholson in powerlifting, Garry Crocker in rugby, James Nomarhas in shooting, and Gemma Dashwood and Judith Young in swimming. It should also be noted that a considerable number of ACT-based support staff are also part of the teams. The majority of these people are employed at the Australian Institute of Sport, and at last count there were some 26 Canberrans selected as part of the summer Olympic team as coaches, sports scientists, medical specialists and administrative support staff. On behalf of the ACT Government and, I am sure, all members of this Assembly and the broader ACT community, I would certainly wish all our Canberra athletes and officials every success in Atlanta, and we certainly look forward with confidence to them performing with distinction.

MS REILLY: My question is to Mr De Domenico as he is the Minister responsible for the introduction of the Trading Hours Bill.

Mr Moore: As shown on the notice paper.

MS REILLY: I checked the notice paper to ensure that when I spoke I was actually reporting it as it is in the notice paper.

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