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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 2924 ..

MR STEFANIAK: Firstly, Mr Osborne mentions reconsidering a decision in relation to $50,000 that they have asked for. I am well aware that they have asked for that, but I do not think they have got my response. As far as the Bureau of Sport, Recreation and Racing is concerned, we ourselves simply do not have that kind of funding. In fact, we fund peak bodies, as a matter of policy, and the previous Government did too. The peak body we fund is ACTAFL. Of course, ACTAFL can do with that funding what they wish in terms of their own code. That, in itself, probably would not be of huge assistance to the Rams. That funding is $50,000 and they use that for other things as well, but there is that possibility.

However, Mr Osborne, I am well aware of the contribution that that team makes. The bureau itself cannot do anything; but I am happy, as the Minister responsible for sport, to ensure it makes its services available to assist the Rams in terms of liaising with other agencies of government. There are a number of other schemes. You mentioned the Health Promotion Fund. In fact, I think there is a letter sitting on my desk where I mention that. There are also some other schemes as well from which they might well achieve money, such as the business incentive scheme. Indeed, I would invite them to make an application under that as well. There are other avenues of government, apart from what the bureau does, to which they can make an application.

In that letter which they will be getting very soon I think I also suggested that the bureau and other agencies of government might give them some assistance in terms of pursuing other avenues of sponsorship as well. So there are a number of other avenues, Mr Osborne, even though the bureau itself does not have that kind of money to assist. I am happy to make the services of my officers available to assist this team, which has done exceptionally well in its first year of operation. I think reaching the final in its first year of operation was fantastic, and, as you say, there are six young players from that team who have been drafted to AFL clubs.

This Government, I think, is very mindful of the historic contribution to sport Australian football has made in the Territory. We are certainly doing all we can to ensure that the sport has a very bright future, as is evidenced by our commitment in relation to the study going on now in relation to Manuka and Phillip and the efforts I and other members of this Government are making to obtain top-quality AFL matches for Canberra in the not too distant future. But it is important, Mr Osborne, to look after the talented young players and there are a number of avenues which can be pursued by the Rams, which I have set out in a letter which I think I have on my desk.

MR WOOD: My question is to the Minister for Health and is about the audit, and in this case the comments about the imaging department. The audit found that the substantial decline in the imaging department's salaried specialists hospital clinic activities occurred at the same time as some imaging department salaried specialists opened a private practice clinic away from the hospital. The audit findings show that the private practice work of the salaried medical officers had a negative impact on the imaging department and led

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