Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (2 July) . . Page.. 2140 ..

Research into Recreation Facilities

MR RUGENDYKE: My question is to the Chief Minister. In March I asked for details to be provided on a study being conducted by the Los Angeles firm Economic Research Associates on the feasibility of establishing a theme park in the ACT. In your reply you indicated that a representative of your department assisted in obtaining data for the research being conducted. Could you please advise the Assembly whether the report has been completed and whether your department is still assisting the consultancy firm?

MS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Rugendyke. I understand that discussions with regard to that research are continuing with the company involved with the proposed theme park for Australia. These discussions will take a significant amount of time. The company believes that a very fast train would be essential for Canberra to be the site for a theme park. I think we have always made the comment that it would be impossible for just Canberra, with 300,000 people, to support a major theme park. It is based upon improved transport connections to Sydney. Of course, we do not have a final decision yet on whether the fast train will go ahead. We are certainly doing everything in our power to ensure that that is the case. That is one of the issues involved.

It will take a lot of time, a lot of assessment, to determine whether this major investment will go ahead. I suppose there are two stages. One is to convince the company that Australia is the place rather than somewhere in South-East Asia, and the other is to convince them that if they decide to come to Australia Canberra is by far the best destination. We are doing our absolute best to ensure that is the case.

MR RUGENDYKE: I ask a supplementary question. Chief Minister, could you confirm or deny whether the chain being represented is Legoland?

MS CARNELL: I can neither confirm nor deny whether it is that particular entity. I think it probably would be in the best interests of ongoing discussions for me to neither confirm nor deny that. There are confidentiality agreements involved, and I think it would be in the best interests of the ongoing discussions for my answer to stop there.

Tender for Event Management Services

MR HARGREAVES: My question is to the Minister for Urban Services, who spoke yesterday about tender T99091. Can the Minister tell the Assembly whether it is likely that that tender for the supply of event management services for New Year's Eve will be awarded? When is it likely that the contract will be awarded?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, I do not have the exact details. Once the tender is closed it will be assessed as per guidelines and then awarded. It would need to be awarded fairly quickly, given the approach of the end of the year.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .