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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 9 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 3194 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

At the same time, yes, we are fully aware of the importance of sportsgrounds to the community. We're still exploring a range of options, but it is likely that a priority system will be implemented. This will probably mean a greater emphasis on sportsgrounds over parklands, with a further priority rating within those two categories.

At the same time, to take your point, Mr Stefaniak, CUPP is looking assiduously to maintain its leadership in water use and is looking at other options-how it may refine its systems to get maximum benefit from the water it uses. Yes, indeed, we'll pay attention to what you've said and to Mr McIntyre's comments, and I'll pass those on. That will also form part of that consideration about the most efficient use of the water that we use.

Depending on rainfall over the next few months, this reduction could have a substantial effect on some lower status sportsgrounds. There is a possibility that some grounds may need to be withdrawn from formal sporting use in the short term. I don't want to make too much of that, but I do want to mention it. I also want to point out very strongly that I'm not a weather forecaster and there's still an element of speculation about all this.

We do, indeed, know the cost of returning sportsgrounds to their former condition. We know that, but we believe this is a step that we must take. Consultation with ACTSPORT and individual affected sports is being undertaken, but I'm confident that any disruption can be managed through cooperation between the government and the relevant sporting groups.

When conditions improve, every effort will be made to reinstate affected grounds, if there are any that are affected, through cooperation between the government and those groups-as soon as that happens, as conditions permit and the resources allow us to do that.

It's not a happy path to take, but I think it is the responsible way to go, showing leadership to the ACT community, and that's the one that we will undertake.

MS TUCKER (4.12): I'll contribute briefly to this. I think it's an important issue that Mr Stefaniak has raised, and I think everyone in this place would agree that Canberra sports ovals serve a great social need. In fact, I was watching my nephew play soccer two weeks ago and was accosted by a man-as happens to one when one is a politician-on the oval who shouted at me, "Are you going to make sure you can keep coming and watching whatever you're doing here?"It was my nephew playing soccer. "Are you going to make sure the government keeps watering this field? You seem to think it matters; you're here."It was quite interesting, really. And I had a chat to him.

I know that it is really important for the community to have the capacity for community sports, in particular, and schools ovals play a very important role. I don't think anyone in this place would disagree with that. I think we have to look at the priorities.

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