Page 2924 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 15 August 2018
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and sponsorship. Consequently, we strenuously oppose the changes that are being proposed.”
And let me give a final quote from Rhys, from the Ginninderra Cricket Club, which I think really hits the nail on the head. Rhys says:
You must understand that the funding we receive directly reduces the costs to members, young people and our families for their children to participate in our sport. Without this funding our registration fees will have to increase and we know that we have members and families who will not be able to afford this. This is especially concerning given we are trying to keep fees at a minimum to retain the female players recruited as part of our women’s team that was established last season. The outcome will be fewer participants across age groups and genders in an activity that keeps them healthy, teaches teamwork and social skills, provides them a community and network that is important for social and mental wellbeing. The benefits to society of having people active in sports is well documented and we are extremely concerned and upset that this is now at risk.
The current model is not broken—
says Rhys, who is a voter in the Ginninderra electorate—
If our local club … is unable to support us then who will? We are too small to be on the radar of the Minister’s proposed charity and we will simply end up with less funding and a reduced ability to offer our sport to many families in our area. This will lead to reduced participation numbers and more problems in other areas of our community.
Can you please reconsider this approach to funding community organisations such as ours that are already stretched and are operating off limited resources.
I understand that we have an amendment coming which trashes the original motion almost as much as it trashes the community contributions scheme. It completely changes it and basically puts the government’s agenda on it. Please, Labor and Greens MLAs, let it be known that I am asking that you listen to the voters in your electorates. All I am asking is that you do what you were elected to do, and that is to represent your constituents. They could not have made themselves any clearer.
When we get to the vote on the amendment—which obviously is going to be the crucial vote, because by the time we get to that amended motion it is not going to resemble anything at the start—we will divide. We will divide, and I can guarantee that your vote on this motion will be recorded and I will highlight it at every possible moment. If you are not comfortable with that, grow a backbone and listen to the people who voted for you.
MR RAMSAY (Ginninderra—Attorney-General, Minister for Regulatory Services, Minister for the Arts and Community Events and Minister for Veterans and Seniors) (10.59): The ACT Liberals will certainly not be supporting a motion that is based on scare campaigns, as has been actively stated today. So I move the amendment to the motion that has been circulated in my name:
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