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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Friday, 14 May 2004) . . Page.. 2029 ..

might have to do a bit more of a longitudinal study to see whether some patterns emerge so that they can get a better basis for this expenditure. I suspect that Mrs Burke will have a little bit to say about that in a few minutes, so I will leave it there.

In the main, the bill provides for an appropriation of $100 million, approximately $60 million off the bottom line. It is quite ironic that we sent the budget to the estimates committee before we passed the third appropriation bill for this year. I go back to the point that you have to question why so much money is required at such a late time in the year, knowing full well that the estimates process was going to take a couple of months. But with all that said, there are some worthy projects in here. There are some projects that we will keep very close attention on. With that, the opposition will be supporting the third appropriation bill.

MR CORBELL (Minister for Health and Minister for Planning) (8.57): Mr Speaker, I would just like to respond to some of the issues relating to the Estimates Committee’s report on the third appropriation. Mr Speaker, in its report the select committee made three recommendations in relation to Phillip oval. During the presentation of the report to the Assembly, a number of members made statements accusing me of misleading the committee and withholding information. Mr Speaker, I want to assure the Assembly that I did in fact fully provide the information that the committee requested.

Recommendation 8 of the committee report requests that I present to the Assembly all the documents and correspondence relating to the proposed purchase of the Phillip oval and that the Assembly review the issue on receiving this information. Mr Speaker, the government has outlined in its response to the committee’s report a long history to the transfer and surrender of the lease for Football Park, Phillip. The government will provide any documentation in relation to these matters as requested by the Assembly, with the obvious exception of commercial or cabinet-in-confidence documents.

Subsequent to that chronology, I have this week written to ACTAFL advising them of the government’s response to their requirements and attaching a draft deal for them to consider. I am advised that at least that proposal has been well received and that it will be formally considered by ACTAFL soon. Such offers are of course dependent on the passing of this appropriation.

Since the beginning of this government’s term, ACTAFL have discussed options to hand over the management of Football Park, Phillip, initially as a surrender of the lease for compensation and later seeking ministerial consent to transfer the lease to a potential purchaser. This was later advised by ACTAFL to be the Koundouris Group.

This proposal involves a significant reduction in the recreational potential of the oval, including aged-care facilities on the oval, and training facilities for a major sporting team provided for the retention of a rugby group. The government determined that the community-benefit test that applied to dealings with concessional leases was not satisfied. It also determined that it was important to maintain an AFL ground on the site.

The proposal by the Koundouris Group was raised at a meeting of the Woden Community Council. The parties were informed about the government’s position on Phillip Oval and the position put forward by the Koundouris Group.

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