Mr GUNNER - 2009-08-17
Could you advise the House what actions the government has taken to ensure Territory basketball fans continue to see the best basketball sports stars in action?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his very good question. The Labor government, as we all know in this House, is committed to bringing the best national and international events to Darwin and to the Territory. Due to changes in the NBL season outside of our control for this year, the Perth Wildcats advised us that they were unable to play in Darwin. On hearing this bad news, we were committed to continuing to bring NBL games here and we did not want to disappoint our basketball fans throughout the Territory.
Immediately, I had my department conduct negotiations with the NBL, and with the Perth Wildcats, and a new, exciting format was organised. Due to these negotiations, local basketball fans will now be able to see all eight teams in the NBL playing in a round robin format in Darwin early in September this year. Olympic players, such as Shawn Redhage, Chris Anstey, Mark Worthington, C J Bruton and Glen Saville will be playing for their respective teams throughout the basketball blitz. All the teams will visit children at the hospital and various schools around Darwin. There is also an Indigenous carnival planned, with four teams competing, and these teams will be the curtain raisers to the NBL teams during the blitz.
This is an exciting four days of national basketball and, as the member for Fannie Bay said, we will be seeing the best basketballers in the country in Darwin. I am looking forward to that and I encourage all members to watch the games.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his very good question. The Labor government, as we all know in this House, is committed to bringing the best national and international events to Darwin and to the Territory. Due to changes in the NBL season outside of our control for this year, the Perth Wildcats advised us that they were unable to play in Darwin. On hearing this bad news, we were committed to continuing to bring NBL games here and we did not want to disappoint our basketball fans throughout the Territory.
Immediately, I had my department conduct negotiations with the NBL, and with the Perth Wildcats, and a new, exciting format was organised. Due to these negotiations, local basketball fans will now be able to see all eight teams in the NBL playing in a round robin format in Darwin early in September this year. Olympic players, such as Shawn Redhage, Chris Anstey, Mark Worthington, C J Bruton and Glen Saville will be playing for their respective teams throughout the basketball blitz. All the teams will visit children at the hospital and various schools around Darwin. There is also an Indigenous carnival planned, with four teams competing, and these teams will be the curtain raisers to the NBL teams during the blitz.
This is an exciting four days of national basketball and, as the member for Fannie Bay said, we will be seeing the best basketballers in the country in Darwin. I am looking forward to that and I encourage all members to watch the games.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016