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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3309 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Only the other day I encountered a young person putting some material under the windscreen wipers out in our car park. I suggested that it was a bit pointless distributing the same material week in and week out - members will know what I am referring to - from one organisation, because the same cars are there every week. The young person concerned just ignored me and kept going.

Ms McRae: Because it is his pocket-money, for heaven's sake. Because he is earning money. It is a job, mate.

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, as Ms McRae points out, he is earning some money. I am not sure whether there is much I could do about it. I would be very happy to talk to members about whether they feel any steps could be taken. I am not sure what could be done, but I agree that it is most offensive on occasions to have that there, and perhaps distributors should be asked to pay the cost of cleaning it up.

MS McRAE: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Stefaniak in his capacity as Minister for Sport. Minister, during the last sitting you told Mr Osborne in question time that the request for financial support from the New South Wales/ACT Rams was still being considered. Since then their request for a grant of about $50,000 has been rejected. Can you explain why you are not willing to support the ACT Rams, who develop and support young AFL footballers not only in the ACT but also in the region?

MR STEFANIAK: Yes, I have written to the Rams and advised them. Whilst it would be lovely if we were able to support every single request, there are financial constraints. Point No. 1 is that we do not have the money - not in Sport, at least, Ms McRae - but I will come back to a few other points which might assist them. The second point is that they are a body under ACTAFL, and their peak body is funded. I think you are well aware that the ACT Bureau of Sport, Recreation and Racing has a grants program of about $2.1m each year. Under that program there are a number of categories, including grants for peak sporting bodies in the Territory.

ACTAFL is one of those organisations. It gets triennial grants and it uses that money as it sees fit. It might use it towards paying its development officer. It might use it towards putting money into its junior organisation. It can do with its triennial grant whatever it desires, to assist the promotion of the sport of Australian football in the Territory. I understand that ACTAFL was not consulted in relation to the Rams' request. ACTAFL really would be the body which should distribute any government moneys to the Rams in the normal course of events.

That being said, the Government is very keen to do whatever it can in relation to the Rams. Whilst there is not $50,000, or anything like it, to assist them in terms of any financial assistance they might need from the sport budget, there are a number of other avenues, which I pointed out to them in my letter, including several other government agencies, where they might like to make a case and could well receive some assistance.

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