Page 1456 - Week 04 - Thursday, 26 March 2009
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Mr Smyth: An excellent submission.
MS BURCH: Indeed, and he says that he wants to put on the record his support for that submission, but I think I need to note that he must indeed be playing a very slow record, because two weeks ago I was on the record, both on radio and in the Chronicle, as saying that I too had received that and that indeed it had merit. I was recognising that proposal and that other community and sporting groups had also approached me with similar proposals. Instead of just picking one and rushing off in a dash to the end line, I am proposing to call on this government to say, “Let’s do a scoping study,” so that we can have a good discussion and a good look at what the community and sporting groups need in the area, so we can have a sensible approach and look at suitable planning, so that we can do informed planning and suchlike in the area.
Mr Hanson: An audit? Do you support an audit?
MS BURCH: A scoping study to be informed. At least I was out there, before today, doing this.
Whilst there are hundreds of sporting facilities across the territory being run with the assistance of ACT government sporting grants and general assistance, I would like now to acknowledge a few of our elite sporting facilities run by this government. The ACT government runs Canberra Stadium, Manuka Oval and the Stromlo Forest Park, through Territory Venues and Events. Whilst these three venues are elite venues, they are also open to the community, and many Canberrans have the opportunity to train and perform in these facilities.
Canberra Stadium plays host to the famous CA Brumbies and the Canberra Raiders. With a seating capacity of over 25,000, it also hosts a number of community events as well as providing conference and function facilities. Manuka Oval is Canberra’s original cricket ground and is host to the national AFL matches as well as the Prime Minister’s XI. It also offers one of Canberra’s most unique function and event centres with the Bradman Room overlooking the historic field. The oval also hosts local cricket and AFL games on most weekends. The Stromlo Forest Park is a one-of-a-kind community facility with exceptional infrastructure for a variety of uses, with a purpose-built event pavilion, cycling circuit, grass cross-country running track and mountain bike tracks to suit every level of rider. This facility has also played host to a number of major events, and every day of the week it is, and can be, used by local Canberrans and their family.
These facilities not only provide our elite teams with a home ground advantage; they also bring people into the territory and increase our tourism opportunities. These venues have recently hosted the Prime Minister’s XI v New Zealand, the Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide, the Canberra running festival, the 2009 cross-country selection trials, the Westfield Matildas v Italy, the Socceroos v Kuwait and, of course, Raiders games.
We are all aware that we are currently in the grip of a drought. This drought has affected our sporting facilities. However, it is worth noting that the ACT is a national
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