Page 4902 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 25 October 2011
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Road Transport (General) Act—Road Transport (General) (Segway Exemption) Determination 2011 (No 2)—Disallowable Instrument DI2011-263 (LR, 30 September 2011).
Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Act—Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Regular Route Services Maximum Fares Determination 2011 (No 1)—Disallowable Instrument DI2011-275 (LR, 6 October 2011).
Utilities Act—Utilities (Emergency Planning Code) Determination 2011—Disallowable Instrument DI2011-274 (LR, 11 October 2011).
Community sport
Discussion of matter of public importance
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): Mr Speaker has received letters from Dr Bourke, Ms Bresnan, Mr Coe, Mr Doszpot, Mrs Dunne, Mr Hanson, Mr Hargreaves, Ms Hunter, Ms Le Couteur, Ms Porter, Mr Seselja and Mr Smyth proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Mr Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Mr Doszpot be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of supporting community sport.
MR DOSZPOT (Brindabella) (3.32): I have great pleasure in presenting this matter of public importance today, the importance of supporting community sport, because I believe there are few things in life that are more important than ensuring the best for our children. Indeed, community sport is part of providing the best for our children.
In Canberra we can be very proud of the fact that over 87.8 per cent of Canberrans are participating in some form of exercise, recreation or sport. It is even more pleasing that this participation has increased from 83.4 per cent in 2001 and that it is 5.5 per cent higher in Canberra than the national average. That means about 300,000 Canberrans are engaged in some form of sporting activity on a regular basis.
The government has been quick to highlight the development of such programs as the minister’s physical activity challenge, now known as the active kids challenge, to help primary school age children to be active at school and to develop the habits that will help them to become active and healthy adults. It is a good initiative and it is an important one. I understand that over 19,500 children have taken up the challenge. I know that the minister has even joined in a game with some of the students at Harrison and Mother Teresa schools earlier this year.
Young Canberrans are particularly fortunate to have a wide choice of sports and they are backed by a very large contingent of volunteers, parents and others who offer to manage teams, coach, referee games, and act as linesmen or trainers. Football—soccer—is played for nearly 31,000 hours a year, Rugby League for 6,000 hours, softball for over 4,000 hours, Australian Rules for over 5,200 hours and cricket for over 8,000 hours.
Our ovals and playing fields have nearly 81,000 hours of booked sport usage a year, and that does not take into consideration the number of swimming pools in which
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