Page 1792 - Week 05 - Thursday, 10 May 2018
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MS LAWDER: Minister, on how many occasions had a dog or dogs been seized from the house?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will take the question on notice.
MISS C BURCH: Minister, were all the dogs seized from the house subsequently returned?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will take the question on notice.
Sport—international fixtures
MR PETTERSSON: My question is to the Minister for Sport and Recreation. Minister, can you outline the significance of Canberra hosting its first international cricket test match next February?
MS BERRY: I thank Mr Pettersson for his question and his interest in cricket in the ACT. The historic nature of the test match will shine a spotlight on Manuka Oval and Canberra as a new venue for international test cricket. This event and, we hope, more tests in the future will build Canberra’s growing reputation as a host city for significant national and international sporting events and add to Canberra’s major events calendar.
For Canberra cricket fans this will allow the pinnacle of test cricket in Canberra for the first time. For aspiring young cricketers it will be a great opportunity to get close to the best in world cricket. This historic match will generate extensive national and international media coverage and remind everyone of Canberra’s credentials as a leading city for sport, tourism and events.
Importantly, Canberra’s successful involvement with elite cricket aligns neatly with its passionate fan base. This was highlighted during the Women’s Ashes T20 matches played at Manuka Oval in November 2017, which attracted the highest attendances for the series. A more recent demonstration was during January’s Big Bash League, which saw a crowd of 11,319 on hand for Sydney Thunder versus the Melbourne Renegades.
MR PETTERSSON: What benefits will this event bring for the ACT?
MS BERRY: As I said this match will generate extensive national and international coverage, which can only serve to further enhance Canberra’s reputation. It builds on the Chief Minister’s success in attracting international flights and record tourism growth by adding to Canberra’s major events calendar and the government’s major events strategy.
From that perspective, the opportunity for Canberra to host its first-ever test match in February 2019 is a significant development that reinforces Canberra’s standing as a world-class events host. Visitors from interstate and overseas will obviously spend on local hospitality, and we expect that they will leave with knowledge of what Canberra offers.
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