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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (30 August) . . Page.. 2631 ..

Amendment No 2 (Ms Tucker's ) agreed to.

MR RUGENDYKE (12.25): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move my amendments together.

Leave granted.

MR RUGENDYKE: I move:

I believe that it is important to support Mr Corbell's motion because of the benefits that the drag-racing industry and motor racing in general bring to the ACT. I share the sentiments of Mr Corbell and others about the problems that have been experienced by the drag-racing industry and I do believe that it is important that the rest of the industry not be let down.

My first amendment seeks to include other representatives of the motor racing industry in the ACT in negotiations for a site for motor racing. I think that Mr Henry of Summernats would be interested in being included in those discussions. It might be applicable to other specialty areas of the motor racing industry, such as motorcycle racing, go carts and hill climbs, as well as drag-racing. Mr Speaker, I think it is important to include those.

I seem to recall that a report has been done on identifying an appropriate site for motor racing. As I recall, the report was done by the Bureau of Sport, Recreation and Racing in about 1991 and it did identify a site in the ACT directly north of the airport and south of the old police driver training unit and the secret squirrel sheds there.

Mr Kaine: Right in the middle of the artillery range. You will have to dodge the shells.

MR RUGENDYKE: It was to be south of the artillery range, Mr Kaine. If I had a vision for motor racing in the ACT, it would be that a whole range of motor sports could be amalgamated in one area, dovetailing together in one large area. If that could be arranged, I believe that the failure of the Eastern Creek racetrack could be gazumped by the ACT and the ACT would be able to host many magnificent motor racing sports here, drag-racing included.

Mr Speaker, my second amendment seeks to take the word "drag" out of the motion and substitute "motor". I think that is also appropriate for my vision, if there is one, to have a permanent venue for motor racing as a whole in the ACT. It may be difficult for agreement to be reached on a suitable permanent site, but I would certainly hope that that could be achieved. Mr Speaker, I commend my amendments to the house and thank others for their support.

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