Page 4755 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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He has got a fair old nag by the name of Winx who has won a number of races in a row. He has had many runners compete at Thoroughbred Park here in Canberra, including in our premier events, the Black Opal and the Canberra Cup.
Chris Waller was fined $30,000 last year after one of his horses tested positive to ice. On appeal, the fine was reduced, but the conviction remained. A number of harness racing trainers who participate in this region have also had a number of their runners test positive for banned substances. So perhaps we could work on 8 March 2019 as an end date for harness racing in the ACT.
The Essendon Football Club in the AFL were found guilty of widespread substance abuse. I am assuming that this would rule out any ongoing involvement with the GWS Giants. Indeed, perhaps we should work on a ban of AFL in the ACT. I might suggest that we go with October 2019, just so that they can get through their season. We would like them to get their grand finals all done.
I think it is absurd to be grabbing at straws in this fashion in a desperate attempt to produce any shred of evidence that this unjust ban on greyhound racing has any basis. I await someone from the parliamentary Labor Party finding some courage to stand up and voice their concerns to their colleagues about this forthcoming legislation.
Multicultural affairs—events
MR PETTERSSON (Yerrabi) (6.50): It was an immense privilege to attend the inauguration of a new Sefer Torah at Chabad ACT in Giralang just a couple of weeks ago. A Sefer Torah is a handwritten copy of the Torah, the holiest book in Judaism. I want to thank every member of the community, in particular Rabbi Shmueli Feldman, for welcoming me into their holy place for a festive evening to celebrate their amazing achievement in funding its completion. I want it on the public record that the food was delicious and the company marvellous. I apologise for my singing, which was a bit lacklustre. I am already looking forward to the next one.
Further, the Gungahlin mosque is finally open. I tell you what: the Canberra Muslim community can throw a party. It has been a long and trying journey to reach this point but what an amazing accomplishment it is. I was honoured to attend the opening of the newly minted mosque. I want to thank Mainul for inviting me, as always. It was a great day. It felt like half of Gungahlin was in attendance, and they were most definitely warmly welcomed. I want to congratulate the local community for this achievement.
Ginninderra electorate—school fetes
MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (6.51): It is fete season again. It often happens around autumn and spring. I particularly like the spring fete season. It means we have to fit in quite a lot of fetes over a weekend because lots of schools and other organisations hold fetes and twilight fetes. This past weekend was no exception with no less, and potentially more, than five fetes being held in the Ginninderra electorate. I was lucky enough to get along to four of them. I just want to put on the record what an enormous
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