Mr ADAMSON - 1994-10-13
With the Honda Masters Games due to start in a few days time, will the minister advise details of this year's event and indicate the benefits that will be forthcoming for the community of Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his Question. Let me say very simply that this event in Alice Springs is the good news story of the year for the Northern Territory. The 1994 Honda Masters Games, which start on Saturday, will set a record and become the largest sporting event ever held in the Northern Territory. At this point, probably more than 5000 competitors will contest 30 sports at the games. That has surpassed all expectations of the numbers of people who would come to Alice Springs to participate.
We have had an increase in real terms of about 500 sport nominations even in a year when the World Masters Games, which have just ended, were held in Brisbane. Last year, when we were talking about the World Masters Games taking place in Brisbane, some people thought that that would be to the detriment of the Honda Masters Games in Alice Springs, but the effect has been exactly the opposite. The event in Brisbane attracted some 24 000 entries, a huge number of people. To increase our numbers when our event follows that event is quite remarkable. From all reports, hundreds of competitors have been arriving in Alice Springs every day for the past couple of weeks. A taxi driver to whom one of my staff spoke the other day said that all he had done in the last week or so was transport people who are in Alice Springs to attend the Honda Masters Games. Certainly, they are moving around the community to see all the sights and attractions of Alice Springs.
A light point of concern about these Honda Masters Games in Alice Springs was whether or not we would be able to accommodate all our visitors. Even though the event is the biggest drawcard on the Northern Territory's sporting calendar, it amazes me that some people continue to be negative about it. However, we have fitted everybody in and, to date, I understand that only a few people have been placed on the accommodation waiting list and the organisers believe that even those people will be accommodated.
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Overseas interest has grown substantially from the 1992 Masters Games, with entries being received from some 14 countries. Inquiries are still being received from overseas, with a group from Moscow advising that it will be represented by a group of swimmers. I have no doubt that this year's Honda Masters Games will be much more successful than those held in 1992, and will be of incredible economic benefit to Alice Springs and the Northern Territory. It must be remembered that we did a comprehensive evaluation of the 1992 games. The report of that evaluation indicated that more than $5m was pumped into the local economy. With the increase in the number of participants and visitors, this should rise again. Hopefully, we will be looking at expenditure in excess of some $5m for these games. The economic impact of the games exceeds government expenditure by a ratio of approximately 10:1. I can guarantee that no other government-initiated major sporting event in Australia could boast that level of success. Of course, I recognise that probably the upward trend will begin to flatten out at some stage. We cannot continue to maintain such increases or we will end up having to accommodate people at Ayers Rock and fly them in to participate in the sporting events.
I am extremely proud of the Northern Territory's achievement with the Honda Masters Games, and I am extremely proud of the organisers. Basically, that is John Dermody and his team at the Department of Sport and Recreation in Alice Springs. I am extremely proud of the citizens of Alice Springs. Those who take part as officials and volunteers spend virtually the whole week donating their time to squiring people around the town, time-keeping for events, transporting people from place to place and doing the things that have to be done by the community to support an event such as this.
Ours was the first government in Australia to take the plunge when we hosted the Australian Masters Games in 1986. We are envied now by all the states. The reputation of the Honda Masters Games as the 'friendly games' is a reputation that will stand us in good stead over the coming years when we hold this biennial event. Certainly, many people are attracted to these games, not only for their competitiveness but also because they are the friendly games. I look forward to enjoying Saturday's opening ceremony, at which the Chief Minister will officiate. I am sure that everyone who sees it will agree that it is an exciting spectacle. We will start the proceedings with our Commonwealth Games athletes entering the arena. Unfortunately, Brendan Tennant will be unable to attend because of illness, but Christine and James will both be there with their medals and they will give the good people of Alice Springs and participants in the Honda Masters Game the opportunity to see the pride we take in our sporting prowess in the Northern Territory. I suggest to any members who are not planning to attend any of the events that they should do so. I urge them to go to Alice Springs and enjoy not only the sporting action, but also the festivities that will occur undoubtedly with the event.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his Question. Let me say very simply that this event in Alice Springs is the good news story of the year for the Northern Territory. The 1994 Honda Masters Games, which start on Saturday, will set a record and become the largest sporting event ever held in the Northern Territory. At this point, probably more than 5000 competitors will contest 30 sports at the games. That has surpassed all expectations of the numbers of people who would come to Alice Springs to participate.
We have had an increase in real terms of about 500 sport nominations even in a year when the World Masters Games, which have just ended, were held in Brisbane. Last year, when we were talking about the World Masters Games taking place in Brisbane, some people thought that that would be to the detriment of the Honda Masters Games in Alice Springs, but the effect has been exactly the opposite. The event in Brisbane attracted some 24 000 entries, a huge number of people. To increase our numbers when our event follows that event is quite remarkable. From all reports, hundreds of competitors have been arriving in Alice Springs every day for the past couple of weeks. A taxi driver to whom one of my staff spoke the other day said that all he had done in the last week or so was transport people who are in Alice Springs to attend the Honda Masters Games. Certainly, they are moving around the community to see all the sights and attractions of Alice Springs.
A light point of concern about these Honda Masters Games in Alice Springs was whether or not we would be able to accommodate all our visitors. Even though the event is the biggest drawcard on the Northern Territory's sporting calendar, it amazes me that some people continue to be negative about it. However, we have fitted everybody in and, to date, I understand that only a few people have been placed on the accommodation waiting list and the organisers believe that even those people will be accommodated.
Page 251
Overseas interest has grown substantially from the 1992 Masters Games, with entries being received from some 14 countries. Inquiries are still being received from overseas, with a group from Moscow advising that it will be represented by a group of swimmers. I have no doubt that this year's Honda Masters Games will be much more successful than those held in 1992, and will be of incredible economic benefit to Alice Springs and the Northern Territory. It must be remembered that we did a comprehensive evaluation of the 1992 games. The report of that evaluation indicated that more than $5m was pumped into the local economy. With the increase in the number of participants and visitors, this should rise again. Hopefully, we will be looking at expenditure in excess of some $5m for these games. The economic impact of the games exceeds government expenditure by a ratio of approximately 10:1. I can guarantee that no other government-initiated major sporting event in Australia could boast that level of success. Of course, I recognise that probably the upward trend will begin to flatten out at some stage. We cannot continue to maintain such increases or we will end up having to accommodate people at Ayers Rock and fly them in to participate in the sporting events.
I am extremely proud of the Northern Territory's achievement with the Honda Masters Games, and I am extremely proud of the organisers. Basically, that is John Dermody and his team at the Department of Sport and Recreation in Alice Springs. I am extremely proud of the citizens of Alice Springs. Those who take part as officials and volunteers spend virtually the whole week donating their time to squiring people around the town, time-keeping for events, transporting people from place to place and doing the things that have to be done by the community to support an event such as this.
Ours was the first government in Australia to take the plunge when we hosted the Australian Masters Games in 1986. We are envied now by all the states. The reputation of the Honda Masters Games as the 'friendly games' is a reputation that will stand us in good stead over the coming years when we hold this biennial event. Certainly, many people are attracted to these games, not only for their competitiveness but also because they are the friendly games. I look forward to enjoying Saturday's opening ceremony, at which the Chief Minister will officiate. I am sure that everyone who sees it will agree that it is an exciting spectacle. We will start the proceedings with our Commonwealth Games athletes entering the arena. Unfortunately, Brendan Tennant will be unable to attend because of illness, but Christine and James will both be there with their medals and they will give the good people of Alice Springs and participants in the Honda Masters Game the opportunity to see the pride we take in our sporting prowess in the Northern Territory. I suggest to any members who are not planning to attend any of the events that they should do so. I urge them to go to Alice Springs and enjoy not only the sporting action, but also the festivities that will occur undoubtedly with the event.
Page 252
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016