Mr MITCHELL - 1995-08-22
What benefits will accrue from the Australian Universities Games to be staged in Darwin next month?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for the question. The 1995 Australian Universities Games will prove to be Darwin's, and possibly the Northern Territory's, largest sporting event ever. The Schweppes SPORTplus Australian Universities Games will be held in Darwin from 24 to 30 September 1995.
The Australian Universities Games are the latest in a long list of major sporting events to be held in the Northern Territory in recent years. They are part of a developing program with my Department of Sport and Recreation to provide not only the opportunity for competition through sport and recreation but also an important component of what is becoming known as `sport and recreation tourism'. I refer to events such as the Honda Central Australian Masters Games which have proven a great economic boon as well as a great event in Alice Springs. In January this year, they will be supplemented by the Lasseter Indoor Challenge, which focuses more on recreation. We have had the Pacific School Games and the Arafura Games in Darwin. All of these events have provided a significant economic boost.
In relation to the Australian Universities Games, it is anticipated that in excess of 4000 students will travel to Darwin for the September event. Once again, this marks our city as the sporting capital of the region. Counting Darwin officials and volunteers, more than 4500 people will be involved in the games. That is on a par with the 2 previous games held in Brisbane and Wollongong. The student games general manager, Stuart Gibson, was even more optimistic in the Campus Review of 27 July. He is expecting around 5000 student competitors and supporters from 50 campuses around Australia to attend these games. I am advised also that a small number of competitors from Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand and Indonesia will also participate. Competitors will participate in 23 sports, varying from aerobics through to water polo. An extraordinary array of games will be represented.
It is a great honour indeed for the Territory to be only the third city to host the games. The organisers, Northern Territory University together with the Australian University Sports Federation and the Department of Sport and Recreation, deserve high praise. The member for Araluen should receive a significant pat on the back for his efforts also. He conceived the
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original idea to host the games when he was Minister for Sport and Recreation, and he also suggested the concept of the Lasseter Indoor Challenge. I am sure that both these events will prove great long-term successes for the Northern Territory. I understand that representatives from Northern Territory University approached the minister for funding assistance for students to attend the first games in Brisbane in 1993. Although he was unable to support the trip financially, I believe that the minister asked immediately why the games were not being held in Darwin. It was then that the concept for this year's games was born.
It should be remembered that some of Australia's greatest sporting heroes are also university students and, although the top names have not yet been confirmed, organisers remain confident that the standard of competition will be second to none. Already, sensational Australian swimming star, Chris Fidler, is heading to Darwin for the event, doubtless with more to follow.
Darwin has proven its capacity to host 3 major sporting events. One of the major contributing factors to our success is the standard of our sporting facilities. That is not only the case in Darwin, with the Arafura Games, but in Alice Springs as well with the Honda Masters Games. We rely on top-class facilities to attract participants. Top-class officials and support through the various sporting organisations in the Northern Territory make the very professional organisation of such events at venues in the Northern Territory the success that they have tended to be. In some cases, these facilities are of world-class standard and the Northern Territory government, through its pro-active program in the community, is breaking ground where others have failed.
The 1995 Australian Universities Games are shaping up to be an outstanding success. I am sure all members will join me in congratulating Northern Territory University, the Australian University Sports Federation, and the Department of Sport and Recreation for their work on this exciting program. My department has supported the games with cash sponsorship of $50 000 and additional in-kind sponsorship of $50 000, with some contingency funds to ensure that the games go well. I am sure this will prove to be money very well spent, and a great boon to the Territory and to our university students.
Page 748
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for the question. The 1995 Australian Universities Games will prove to be Darwin's, and possibly the Northern Territory's, largest sporting event ever. The Schweppes SPORTplus Australian Universities Games will be held in Darwin from 24 to 30 September 1995.
The Australian Universities Games are the latest in a long list of major sporting events to be held in the Northern Territory in recent years. They are part of a developing program with my Department of Sport and Recreation to provide not only the opportunity for competition through sport and recreation but also an important component of what is becoming known as `sport and recreation tourism'. I refer to events such as the Honda Central Australian Masters Games which have proven a great economic boon as well as a great event in Alice Springs. In January this year, they will be supplemented by the Lasseter Indoor Challenge, which focuses more on recreation. We have had the Pacific School Games and the Arafura Games in Darwin. All of these events have provided a significant economic boost.
In relation to the Australian Universities Games, it is anticipated that in excess of 4000 students will travel to Darwin for the September event. Once again, this marks our city as the sporting capital of the region. Counting Darwin officials and volunteers, more than 4500 people will be involved in the games. That is on a par with the 2 previous games held in Brisbane and Wollongong. The student games general manager, Stuart Gibson, was even more optimistic in the Campus Review of 27 July. He is expecting around 5000 student competitors and supporters from 50 campuses around Australia to attend these games. I am advised also that a small number of competitors from Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand and Indonesia will also participate. Competitors will participate in 23 sports, varying from aerobics through to water polo. An extraordinary array of games will be represented.
It is a great honour indeed for the Territory to be only the third city to host the games. The organisers, Northern Territory University together with the Australian University Sports Federation and the Department of Sport and Recreation, deserve high praise. The member for Araluen should receive a significant pat on the back for his efforts also. He conceived the
Page 747
original idea to host the games when he was Minister for Sport and Recreation, and he also suggested the concept of the Lasseter Indoor Challenge. I am sure that both these events will prove great long-term successes for the Northern Territory. I understand that representatives from Northern Territory University approached the minister for funding assistance for students to attend the first games in Brisbane in 1993. Although he was unable to support the trip financially, I believe that the minister asked immediately why the games were not being held in Darwin. It was then that the concept for this year's games was born.
It should be remembered that some of Australia's greatest sporting heroes are also university students and, although the top names have not yet been confirmed, organisers remain confident that the standard of competition will be second to none. Already, sensational Australian swimming star, Chris Fidler, is heading to Darwin for the event, doubtless with more to follow.
Darwin has proven its capacity to host 3 major sporting events. One of the major contributing factors to our success is the standard of our sporting facilities. That is not only the case in Darwin, with the Arafura Games, but in Alice Springs as well with the Honda Masters Games. We rely on top-class facilities to attract participants. Top-class officials and support through the various sporting organisations in the Northern Territory make the very professional organisation of such events at venues in the Northern Territory the success that they have tended to be. In some cases, these facilities are of world-class standard and the Northern Territory government, through its pro-active program in the community, is breaking ground where others have failed.
The 1995 Australian Universities Games are shaping up to be an outstanding success. I am sure all members will join me in congratulating Northern Territory University, the Australian University Sports Federation, and the Department of Sport and Recreation for their work on this exciting program. My department has supported the games with cash sponsorship of $50 000 and additional in-kind sponsorship of $50 000, with some contingency funds to ensure that the games go well. I am sure this will prove to be money very well spent, and a great boon to the Territory and to our university students.
Page 748
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016