I reiterate what I said when we had some debate about this several months ago in relation to the western route. I was very concerned that Labor supports the western route. I was amazed in some respects because I know the committee had the benefit of submissions from Mr James Ferguson, who was then director of the Australian Sports Commission, and some other people. I reiterate what I think I said in an earlier debate in relation to that; that there is a very distinct and real possibility that were the western route to go ahead we would lose the Australian Institute of Sport.

The institute employs hundreds of people. Lots of the younger athletes there go to our schools. It is of immense benefit to the territory. We were talking about economic benefits from the GMC400. I think those benefits would pale into insignificance compared with the sustained year-in year-out benefit we get from the Australian Institute of Sport, not to mention the magnificent sporting facilities there that territorians have the benefit of using. Also, I think there would be significant problems in terms of the use of things like Bruce Stadium, and we all know we have made a considerable investment in that. It is an excellent stadium.

There are just so many problems, I think, with that western route. I just want to reiterate to members that other states would love to have the Australian Institute of Sport, and there would be a real danger of that occurring were that western route to be picked. There has been a lot of angst over this matter and a lot of very genuine concern. There were some good reasons why the route down O'Connor ridge was problematic. Mr Humphries solved that by taking that out, back in October or November of last year.

I wanted to make those points, Mr Speaker, because I would hate to see this Assembly, or the next Assembly, make the wrong decision which would see the Australian Institute of Sport go to some other state capital.