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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 2571 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

here because we are part of not just a national but an international movement which is hosting Olympic events in this city for the first time in history and the requirements on us in doing so are that we impose a number of restrictions on the way in which these sorts of events are conducted at our sporting arena, namely, Bruce Stadium, which we would not normally-

Mr Kaine: Rubbish! We are imposing these conditions, not SOCOG. This is our legislation, not SOCOG's legislation.

MR HUMPHRIES: I will come back to that issue in a moment. The fact is that we have to make compromises for the fact that we are hosting an Olympic event here. This is not an event that the ACT is putting on because we think it is a good idea to host a number of soccer matches in the ACT and have teams from China, Cameroon, Japan, the United States and a number of other countries come and play soccer matches in this city. That is not the case.

We are here because we have successfully competed with other Australian cities to host Olympic football events in this city and the events being held here are events being held on the basis of our being part of that national-indeed, international-movement, so we have an obligation to fit within the requirements of other people, and in particular of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.

I want to quote from an article which has been taken off the net-in fact, I think it is from the official Olympic site-which describes some of the issues pertaining to security at the Sydney venues for the Olympic Games. It makes clear, for example, that police and local government rangers authorised by the OCA- I forget exactly what the acronym stands for; it has something to do with the Olympic events legislation-can throw out spectators and ban from the Homebush Bay stadium for up to 12 months those who run onto playing fields, as well as take photos of alleged offenders and demand names and addresses.

Drivers parked illegally last weekend in Olympic designated zones could be fined up to $348, five times the usual fine for unauthorised parking in special event zones. Parking in the new Olympic lanes will incur a $300 fine plus $126 for having had your vehicle towed away.

Mr Kaine: Are we going to do that, too?

MR HUMPHRIES: Not as far as I am aware. A number of other restrictions are also in place in respect of the games here. The government in New South Wales has been defending the provisions there, which certainly go a very long way. As far as I can tell, they very closely replicate what is contained in the ACT legislation before the house today. I am not aware of any substantial difference between what has been passed as law in New South Wales and what is proposed to be passed by the Assembly today. I am also told that similar provisions are in place in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, where other Olympic events are taking place.

Mr Kaine raised the question whether this is actually our requirement or SOCOG's requirement. It is quite true, of course, that there has been some lack of clarity about that matter. Members will be aware that in February this year I wrote to the Olympics

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