Mr BONSON - 2005-08-16
Can you inform the House of the government’s plan to bring Australian Rugby League games to the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is indeed fantastic news for Rugby League fans right throughout the Northern Territory. The government has signed a deal with the ARL and we are going to see, on 11 February at Anzac Oval in Alice Springs next year, two superb NRL teams - Newcastle Knights will take on Penrith Panthers. I encourage members to get along to that game and embrace a fantastic package of entertainment around the game in Alice Springs.
This follows on from commitments delivered by the government in the last term to bring elite sports to the Territory. It is important for our young sports players to see their role models, their heroes, running around and showing the high level of skill that they can in their particular sport. The agreement is for an expenditure of $73 000 by the government. We believe that, with the three or four days the players are going to spend in Alice Springs, with clinics at primary and high schools, visits to hospitals, visits to nearby communities, as well as, importantly, the game itself, we will really be seeing value for dollar. We are going to test that, because we are hoping to bring the Newcastle Knights and the Panthers back to the Territory in 2007 to play a game in Darwin.
I know there are members in the Chamber who are mad Newcastle Knights supporters, as I am, who are really looking forward to that. It is a real boon for Rugby League in the Northern Territory. This is a four way partnership – the Australian Rugby League, the NRL, the NTRL and the Northern Territory government – joining together to deliver a fantastic game of Rugby League in Alice Springs on 11 February.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is indeed fantastic news for Rugby League fans right throughout the Northern Territory. The government has signed a deal with the ARL and we are going to see, on 11 February at Anzac Oval in Alice Springs next year, two superb NRL teams - Newcastle Knights will take on Penrith Panthers. I encourage members to get along to that game and embrace a fantastic package of entertainment around the game in Alice Springs.
This follows on from commitments delivered by the government in the last term to bring elite sports to the Territory. It is important for our young sports players to see their role models, their heroes, running around and showing the high level of skill that they can in their particular sport. The agreement is for an expenditure of $73 000 by the government. We believe that, with the three or four days the players are going to spend in Alice Springs, with clinics at primary and high schools, visits to hospitals, visits to nearby communities, as well as, importantly, the game itself, we will really be seeing value for dollar. We are going to test that, because we are hoping to bring the Newcastle Knights and the Panthers back to the Territory in 2007 to play a game in Darwin.
I know there are members in the Chamber who are mad Newcastle Knights supporters, as I am, who are really looking forward to that. It is a real boon for Rugby League in the Northern Territory. This is a four way partnership – the Australian Rugby League, the NRL, the NTRL and the Northern Territory government – joining together to deliver a fantastic game of Rugby League in Alice Springs on 11 February.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016