Mr BONSON - 2004-08-17
Last year, you and the Chief Minister negotiated a three-year agreement between the AFL and the Northern Territory. Could you advise the House as to the progress in the first year of this agreement?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, thank the member for Millner for his question. The inclusion of the Northern Territory as a venue for pre-season and premiership matches is already showing positive benefits to the economy. The Western Bulldogs booked in excess of $250 000 in travel bookings for last weekend’s game in Darwin, with Qantas putting on two extra flights, with the week trip heavily promoted.
Indeed, I spoke to the travel agent working with the Bulldogs, who was incredibly impressed - and not just with the game and the wonderful Marrara Oval venue. He said that he thought Darwin and the Top End was fantastic and he would be encouraging far more Doggies supporters to come up to the games next year. He is looking to $1.1m in bookings for next year’s games. In addition to this, Port Adelaide supporters came up in significant numbers and are keen to come back again.
Wasn’t last Saturday night great? Thirteen thousand, two hundred and seventy-one people enjoyed it. It was a pity the Leader of the Opposition could not make it because, as he told Mix 104.9 FMlast Thursday, he had meetings in Canberra on Saturday with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence. Senator Hill attended the game, and passed a message through my staff today, to tell Territorians he had a great time at the footy at Marrara Oval. Isn’t it great that Australia’s Defence Minister recognises that the first AFL match in Darwin for competition points is an historic occasion and not to be missed?
Footy is bringing serious money into the Territory. In a climate of increasing numbers coming to the Territory for sports-related tourism such as the coming Alice Springs Masters Games, next year’s Arafura Games and the Wildcats/Sydney Kings NBL clash, our investments in Marrara and Traeger Park are reaping dividends for the economy and the jobs that will be sustained.
Our commitment to an agreement with the AFL over staging Wizard Cup challenge games, representative and All Star matches, and premiership games was always made with a view to promoting tourism opportunities for the Territory, but we did not expect the benefits to flow quite so quickly. Over 45 000 people attended this calendar year’s AFL games at Alice Springs’ Traeger Park and Darwin’s Marrara Oval. This compares more than favourably with events such as the V8s and international cricket.
In addition, the timing of the footy games contributes to lengthening our tourism season into August at one end, and back into February/March at the other. There are community benefits as well with community clinics, workshops for officials in other sporting codes, and community charity events.
The AFL will be putting a submission to the Territory government within the next two weeks proposing an increased schedule of games in the Top End. The current agreement allows an annual payment over three years of $250 000 to the AFL. The Territory government receives 25% of gross ticket receipts. The AFL, in turn, must spend $50 000 promoting the home and away games, and the Bulldogs must spend $50 000 promoting itself within the Northern Territory.
The agreement confirms for the Northern Territory a premiership game every season with the Western Bulldogs and another side, such as the first clash last Saturday in Round 20 with a night match against Port Adelaide; an annual Wizard Home Loans Cup match in Darwin, with a Wizard Home Loans regional challenge match in Alice Springs, similar to what we saw this year with Port Power and Collingwood; an annual community camp by an AFL premiership side to allow local players and officials to learn from national sides; a game between an AFL side with an Aboriginal All Stars team, ultimately starting 2005 through to at least 2007. In addition, there will be an alternate year game between an AFLNT representative side and an AFL side.
Sport is increasingly important to our economy, and I am pleased with the greatly increased support our government has been able to give a number of clubs over the last three years we have been in government.
I am sure members will join me in congratulating Greg Chan for the great work he has been able to do with Adam Vella winning a Bronze Olympic Medal in the Men’s Trap Shoot, and Suzanne Balogh for her Gold Medal in the Women’s Trap. The House acknowledges the excellent efforts of her coach, Greg Chan, a proud Territorian, even if he is somewhat modest.
Members: Hear, hear!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, thank the member for Millner for his question. The inclusion of the Northern Territory as a venue for pre-season and premiership matches is already showing positive benefits to the economy. The Western Bulldogs booked in excess of $250 000 in travel bookings for last weekend’s game in Darwin, with Qantas putting on two extra flights, with the week trip heavily promoted.
Indeed, I spoke to the travel agent working with the Bulldogs, who was incredibly impressed - and not just with the game and the wonderful Marrara Oval venue. He said that he thought Darwin and the Top End was fantastic and he would be encouraging far more Doggies supporters to come up to the games next year. He is looking to $1.1m in bookings for next year’s games. In addition to this, Port Adelaide supporters came up in significant numbers and are keen to come back again.
Wasn’t last Saturday night great? Thirteen thousand, two hundred and seventy-one people enjoyed it. It was a pity the Leader of the Opposition could not make it because, as he told Mix 104.9 FMlast Thursday, he had meetings in Canberra on Saturday with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence. Senator Hill attended the game, and passed a message through my staff today, to tell Territorians he had a great time at the footy at Marrara Oval. Isn’t it great that Australia’s Defence Minister recognises that the first AFL match in Darwin for competition points is an historic occasion and not to be missed?
Footy is bringing serious money into the Territory. In a climate of increasing numbers coming to the Territory for sports-related tourism such as the coming Alice Springs Masters Games, next year’s Arafura Games and the Wildcats/Sydney Kings NBL clash, our investments in Marrara and Traeger Park are reaping dividends for the economy and the jobs that will be sustained.
Our commitment to an agreement with the AFL over staging Wizard Cup challenge games, representative and All Star matches, and premiership games was always made with a view to promoting tourism opportunities for the Territory, but we did not expect the benefits to flow quite so quickly. Over 45 000 people attended this calendar year’s AFL games at Alice Springs’ Traeger Park and Darwin’s Marrara Oval. This compares more than favourably with events such as the V8s and international cricket.
In addition, the timing of the footy games contributes to lengthening our tourism season into August at one end, and back into February/March at the other. There are community benefits as well with community clinics, workshops for officials in other sporting codes, and community charity events.
The AFL will be putting a submission to the Territory government within the next two weeks proposing an increased schedule of games in the Top End. The current agreement allows an annual payment over three years of $250 000 to the AFL. The Territory government receives 25% of gross ticket receipts. The AFL, in turn, must spend $50 000 promoting the home and away games, and the Bulldogs must spend $50 000 promoting itself within the Northern Territory.
The agreement confirms for the Northern Territory a premiership game every season with the Western Bulldogs and another side, such as the first clash last Saturday in Round 20 with a night match against Port Adelaide; an annual Wizard Home Loans Cup match in Darwin, with a Wizard Home Loans regional challenge match in Alice Springs, similar to what we saw this year with Port Power and Collingwood; an annual community camp by an AFL premiership side to allow local players and officials to learn from national sides; a game between an AFL side with an Aboriginal All Stars team, ultimately starting 2005 through to at least 2007. In addition, there will be an alternate year game between an AFLNT representative side and an AFL side.
Sport is increasingly important to our economy, and I am pleased with the greatly increased support our government has been able to give a number of clubs over the last three years we have been in government.
I am sure members will join me in congratulating Greg Chan for the great work he has been able to do with Adam Vella winning a Bronze Olympic Medal in the Men’s Trap Shoot, and Suzanne Balogh for her Gold Medal in the Women’s Trap. The House acknowledges the excellent efforts of her coach, Greg Chan, a proud Territorian, even if he is somewhat modest.
Members: Hear, hear!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016