Page 631 - Week 02 - Thursday, 20 March 2014
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business case. They then submitted, under the annual sports grants application process, an application. Following their business case being developed, that demonstrated that it was a viable project, they then submitted an application through the independent sports grants process.
It is worth noting, for the interest of Assembly members, that Volleyball ACT are themselves contributing $250,000 to the project. The government, over two fiscal years, will be providing $250,000 in each of those fiscal years under the sports grants program. It was an independently assessed program, as it is every year. Volleyball ACT have in fact been through three years of development for this particular project and it is a worthy project for Volleyball ACT and the 3,700 registered players of the sport in the territory.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, what evidence does the government have that this facility will have sufficient players to justify the investment of $500,000 of government funds when other sports are crying out for funds?
MR BARR: It obviously pays to listen to the answer to the first question before you ask the follow-up. This particular project went through a two-stage process. Volleyball ACT undertook a detailed business case and feasibility study before submitting their grant application. They assessed, together with a number of other potential users of the facility, the viability of such a facility.
It is worth noting that similar facilities operate all around Australia in locations that are not necessarily by the side of a beach. Sand courts can be utilised for a number of different sports. Similar facilities that operate in Melbourne, Brisbane and a number of other locations around Australia are utilised by sports such as netball, touch football, volleyball itself and for a range of other sport and recreation activities that require sand-based training. These facilities have multiple users in addition to the primary purpose in relation to volleyball. That is noting, of course, that volleyball, the particular sport, is an Olympic sport for which Australia has won gold medals, I understand, most recently in the Sydney Olympics.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Gentleman.
MR GENTLEMAN: Minister, what is the importance of assisting sporting groups in the ACT and what recent support have you been able to facilitate?
MADAM SPEAKER: I will accept the question on the basis, Mr Barr, that you stick to volleyball, because it was a question about volleyball and not about general sports grants.
MR BARR: The government supports volleyball through the national league team program and the Canberra teams, the Heat, that participate in national volleyball championships. We have also supported volleyball facilities in partnership with a number of other sports. There are a number of shared volleyball facilitates, indoor courts in particular at Lyneham where we have provided funding assistance to Hockey ACT which then subleases areas within the indoor centre for volleyball use.
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