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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 12 Hansard (25 November) . . Page.. 3704 ..

MS CARNELL: No. Mr Speaker, I am making the comment that the upgrade was made under the lease provisions that existed at the time, through to 2009. Mr Speaker, are we going to get back to stupid interjections or not?

MR SPEAKER: No, we are not.

Mr Stanhope: Certainly not. We can vouch for that. They are not stupid.

MR SPEAKER: Then be quiet, Mr Stanhope.

MS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. If those opposite are suggesting that there is something unusual about the upgrade that we have done on Bruce Stadium under the lease arrangements, then the same must have been the case for the upgrade that they did. Obviously, Mr Speaker, this is simply those opposite playing politics as usual. Now, with Bruce Stadium and with the upgrade, what we have got is one of the best football stadiums in Australia. If you compare the Bruce Stadium upgrade with other stadium upgrades for the Olympics around Australia, such as the Hindmarsh Stadium, as Mr Osborne mentioned yesterday, you will see that we have got very, very good value for money.

Mr Stanhope: Says who?

MS CARNELL: I think you just have to look at the two stadiums. Hindmarsh Stadium is of significantly lower quality, has cost more than Bruce Stadium, and, guess what, Mr Speaker, it is used for soccer and soccer alone because South Australia unfortunately does not have a Super 12 team and has lost its rugby league team. What does that say about the approach that the ACT Government has taken which means that we have got a Super 12 team, one of the best, we have got a rugby league team, one of the best, we have got a soccer team that is doing really well this season, Mr Speaker, and we have got Olympic soccer, all of which are really good outcomes for the ACT. It is about time that those opposite realised that Bruce Stadium is something that we on this side of the house are extraordinarily proud of, and many Canberrans are extraordinarily proud of. Those opposite just look like silly fools, Mr Speaker.

MR KAINE: My question is to the Treasurer. Minister, on 17 September of this year the Gambling and Racing Control Act 1999 was gazetted and that required amongst other things the establishment of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission. Could you tell the Assembly when you intend to appoint the five members of the commission as required under section 12 of that Act?

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I have, I think in the last few days, written to an Assembly committee - I assume it is the committee chaired by Mr Quinlan - to advise the names of two proposed members of the commission. I do not recall their names but they have been supplied to the relevant committee pursuant to the Statutory Appointments Act. Those two appointments will constitute the commission legally from 1 December when the legislation - - -

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