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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 6 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1547 ..

MR QUINLAN: During the lead-up to the election, we had AIS athletes coming to public meetings saying, "Please put it on a western alignment because the AIS is where we run and train."

Mrs Dunne: We want their names and addresses.

MR QUINLAN: Sorry? You want their names? Quite frankly, I do believe that the way the AIS have thought about this is somewhat high-handed, and the discussions I have been involved in also smacked a little of high-handedness and a "you don't matter" lack of compromise.

Rugby world cup

MS MacDONALD: My question is to the minister for sport. Is the minister aware that members of the opposition, notably, Mr Pratt and Mrs Dunne, have been agitating about the absurd possibility that construction of the long-awaited Gungahlin Drive could threaten the staging of the rugby world cup games at Canberra Stadium? Is he aware, for instance, that these two were handing out flyers advancing their claims to patrons at last Friday night's Brumbies match?

MR QUINLAN: Thank you, Ms MacDonald, for the question. It highlights, if you like, the Yin and Yang of politics. I have behind me the positive side, Ms MacDonald, who is out trying to get the Wallabies to come here and play during the world cup because we deserve them. On the other hand, we have the negative side. The rugby world cup has become the ultimate political football.

Mr Smyth: Who writes this rubbish? Who wrote this?

MR QUINLAN: I wrote that one. I quite enjoyed that.

Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: let the record show Mr Quinlan claims ownership for writing this drivel.

MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Smyth!

MR QUINLAN: Note that addition, Mr Smyth. I have to say that the act of being out there playing the negative political role was very disappointing. I understand from most observers that it did not go down too well with the rugby fans anyway-your beating this issue up. First of all, be aware that the government has had discussions with the ACT Rugby Union and the Stadiums Authority. I have actually had a chat with the president of the Australian Rugby Union. There is not a concern there-not yet.

Mr Smyth: There's the Canberra Times headline! "Quinlan admits concerns will arise."

MR QUINLAN: Well, the draw will be out shortly.

If you worked really hard, you could actually create some form of negative environment in which the final decisions as to the draw are taken, but it would seem purely for political point-scoring that you want to take a negative approach to the world cup in Canberra. We want the best result for Canberra out of this world cup, as demonstrated by

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