Mrs AAGAARD - 2005-03-23
The government has a strong commitment to improving sporting facilities across the Territory. Will you please advise the House of the latest improvements to Traeger Park?
Mr Elferink: Can you do it without reading it, minister?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would like to cut a deal with members on my right. If they do not provoke me, I will try and be quick.
I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. At the beginning of the Martin Labor government’s term in office, we promised the people of Alice Springs $5m in improvements to their premier sporting facility, Traeger Park. This recognised the importance of sport to the lifestyle of the people of Central Australia, as well as the contribution sport makes to health and wellbeing, economic development and the tourist industry.
It is a promise we not only have kept, but I have pleasure in informing the House that Cabinet recently approved a further $500 000 towards Stage 1 of the grandstand at Traeger Park. This means a total allocation of $5.5m to Traeger Park, and includes the $800 000 already spent on upgrading the hockey pitch and $1.75m for the new lighting system. The $2.9m now allocated to Stage 1 of the grandstand will provide player facilities such as changing rooms, ablutions, first aid, and physiotherapy rooms at ground level, as well as seating for about 200 VIP patrons. A lift for mobility access and a ramp access adjacent to Mona’s Lounge on Level 1 will also be provided. There will also be a large open concrete players areas behind the seating on Level 1. In the next stage, this will be enclosed and will become corporate facilities, bar, kiosk and toilets. A second bare concrete floor area will be provided on Level 2 which, in the final stage, will be enclosed to become rooms for officials such as scorers, timekeepers, coaches, media and umpires, depending on the requirements for the particular event.
In the past month or so, I have had the pleasure of attending major sporting events at Traeger Park including the annual Imparja Cup and Alice Springs second Wizard Cup challenge round between Richmond and Freemantle. Both these events saw a national sporting focus on Alice Springs and, from both sporting codes, I heard nothing but praise for Traeger Park as a first-class sporting venue. With the increased resources we are putting in to Traeger Park it will only get better in the future. This follows use of Traeger Park by many sectors of the Central Australian sporting community, not to mention through national events such as the Alice Springs Masters Games, which last year celebrated its 10th games as the nation’s longest running Masters with record participation levels. Next year, we will once again be celebrating the Masters Games in Alice Springs and, indeed, it will be the 22nd anniversary of the use by the games of sporting facilities such as …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: I thought he was about to finish.
Mr AH KIT: I just getting there.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: I know what you are going to say. Minister, please finish quickly.
Mr AH KIT: If you did not jump I would have been finished by now; however, you cannot help yourself. The Masters Games are, indeed, the 22nd anniversary of the use by the games of sporting facilities such as Traeger Park, facilities which this government is dedicated to improving. As a dual Masters Games darts team silver medallist and an Alice Springs born and bred lad, I am more than proud of the gold medal winning efforts of this government to improve facilities in my home town.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you forgot to tell us what you got it in. Goodness! The gallery is setting a precedent by applauding the minister twice. That is a bit of a worry.
Mr Elferink: Can you do it without reading it, minister?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would like to cut a deal with members on my right. If they do not provoke me, I will try and be quick.
I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. At the beginning of the Martin Labor government’s term in office, we promised the people of Alice Springs $5m in improvements to their premier sporting facility, Traeger Park. This recognised the importance of sport to the lifestyle of the people of Central Australia, as well as the contribution sport makes to health and wellbeing, economic development and the tourist industry.
It is a promise we not only have kept, but I have pleasure in informing the House that Cabinet recently approved a further $500 000 towards Stage 1 of the grandstand at Traeger Park. This means a total allocation of $5.5m to Traeger Park, and includes the $800 000 already spent on upgrading the hockey pitch and $1.75m for the new lighting system. The $2.9m now allocated to Stage 1 of the grandstand will provide player facilities such as changing rooms, ablutions, first aid, and physiotherapy rooms at ground level, as well as seating for about 200 VIP patrons. A lift for mobility access and a ramp access adjacent to Mona’s Lounge on Level 1 will also be provided. There will also be a large open concrete players areas behind the seating on Level 1. In the next stage, this will be enclosed and will become corporate facilities, bar, kiosk and toilets. A second bare concrete floor area will be provided on Level 2 which, in the final stage, will be enclosed to become rooms for officials such as scorers, timekeepers, coaches, media and umpires, depending on the requirements for the particular event.
In the past month or so, I have had the pleasure of attending major sporting events at Traeger Park including the annual Imparja Cup and Alice Springs second Wizard Cup challenge round between Richmond and Freemantle. Both these events saw a national sporting focus on Alice Springs and, from both sporting codes, I heard nothing but praise for Traeger Park as a first-class sporting venue. With the increased resources we are putting in to Traeger Park it will only get better in the future. This follows use of Traeger Park by many sectors of the Central Australian sporting community, not to mention through national events such as the Alice Springs Masters Games, which last year celebrated its 10th games as the nation’s longest running Masters with record participation levels. Next year, we will once again be celebrating the Masters Games in Alice Springs and, indeed, it will be the 22nd anniversary of the use by the games of sporting facilities such as …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: I thought he was about to finish.
Mr AH KIT: I just getting there.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: I know what you are going to say. Minister, please finish quickly.
Mr AH KIT: If you did not jump I would have been finished by now; however, you cannot help yourself. The Masters Games are, indeed, the 22nd anniversary of the use by the games of sporting facilities such as Traeger Park, facilities which this government is dedicated to improving. As a dual Masters Games darts team silver medallist and an Alice Springs born and bred lad, I am more than proud of the gold medal winning efforts of this government to improve facilities in my home town.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you forgot to tell us what you got it in. Goodness! The gallery is setting a precedent by applauding the minister twice. That is a bit of a worry.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016