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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (16 February) . . Page.. 153 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

city for CHOGM in 2001. The indication that there was some problem with the hosting of CHOGM in Canberra is the issue that has most concerned the ACT community, and certainly concerns the ACT Government.

As the Chief Minister said, the relocation of the 2001 CHOGM meeting to Brisbane is a great disappointment to the ACT Government. It is also a great disappointment, I think, to the people of the ACT. CHOGM would have lifted Canberra's profile as Australia's national capital significantly in the eyes of the world, particularly in the year in which we celebrate our centenary of Federation.

As the Chief Minister has pointed out, there are many benefits arising from hosting a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in a city such as Canberra. The economic value of hosting CHOGM for the ACT was estimated to be greater than $10m. In addition to this direct economic benefit, it would have strengthened our reputation as a quality conference destination and trade relations would have been established, renewed and enhanced by having many people from other parts of the world visit the city. We would also have received international media exposure.

It is clear from the Durban meeting of CHOGM that international media coverage can have an enormous impact, providing the host city with the opportunity to showcase itself to potential international investors and make an immense contribution towards attracting more international visitors to the city - the kind of effect that we anticipate will be the case with the hosting of Olympic soccer in Canberra this year.

The Chief Minister has explained to us in detail the history of the process that led to Canberra being chosen as the host city of the 2001 CHOGM. She has explained how the ACT Government made its bid and how the Prime Minister announced Canberra as the host city for CHOGM, subject to suitable accommodation arrangements being found. She has also explained how the Prime Minister announced the decision to relocate CHOGM to Brisbane and issued a media release to this effect on New Year's Eve.

We have also heard the Chief Minister explain the two reasons given by the heads of the Commonwealth Government's CHOGM 2001 task force for relocating CHOGM to Brisbane. The reasons were the size of the event relative to the facilities in Canberra and the commitment of heads of government to streamlining the CHOGM format, particularly to minimise the disruption and time spent travelling to and from the retreat venue. I might say that I hardly need to tell anybody in this chamber that there are a significant number of extremely good sites available within the Canberra region for the hosting of a retreat by Commonwealth heads of government. We do not have to assert that as any kind of hypothetical or putative statement because CHOGM has previously conducted a retreat in this region, namely, at Bowral in about 1978. That was a very successful meeting, a very successful retreat, and there is no reason whatsoever why the Canberra region could not again host a retreat that would minimise the disruption and travel between the main meeting venue and the retreat venue.

In addition to the Federal Government's statement on this matter, the Chief Minister has tabled the submission to the Federal Government of the ACT business community. That submission further details the impact of the Federal Government's decision to relocate CHOGM. The ACT business community has stated clearly how the decision will impact

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