Hansard debates

We  are  very  supportive of the entire Commonwealth Games program and  will  do
anything we can to cooperate with  any move  that the Bracks government makes to
strengthen the initiative and to make  it the best Commonwealth Games on record,
and we have certainly done so to date.
However, in  a  nutshell this bill  which makes certain changes  to arrangements
governing land at  the Melbourne Sports  and  Aquatic Centre  consolidates  four
parcels of land in Albert Park as the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre land.
The parcels  are the existing  Melbourne Sports and Aquatic  Centre (MSAC) land,
the former Distance Education Centre land, which was added to the MSAC land as a
temporary  reservation  in  2001,  the  gravel  car  park adjoining  the  former
education centre land, which  is  currently reserved as part of Albert Park, and
about 517 square metres of land, which has been referred to as  a sliver of land
in this debate -- --

  Hon. D. K. Drum interjected.

  Hon. A. P. OLEXANDER  -- That is the way,  Mr Drum, it is referred  to  in the
second-reading  speech,  but  it  is  517 square metres, and it is  between  the
existing MSAC parcel of land and  Canterbury  Road  in  Middle  Park.  The  bill
repeals  the  existing  temporary  reservations  and  creates a new consolidated
permanent  reservation for the  new  MSAC land,  it  designates the State  Sport
Centres Trust  as the manager of  the consolidation and  it  makes consequential
amendments  to  allow for  the  continuity  of  existing  leases  and commercial
arrangements over that land.
The  Australian  Grands  Prix  Act 1994 is also amended to enable the Australian
Grand Prix Corporation  to deal  with both Parks Victoria as the land manager at
Albert Park and the State Sport Centres Trust as land manager of the MSAC land.

The  bill  also  removes  'gaming'  as  a function  of  the  trust  and  inserts
'education', which is entirely appropriate.
All  of these initiatives are supported by the  opposition. It is disappointing,
however, to  note that  despite the  spirit of  goodwill in  this chamber  -- as
breaks out from time to time when the opposition supports bills  that deal  with
important  changes  brought forward  by  the government --  the  minister who is
responsible for this legislation has not been in  the chamber  at all during any
of this debate.
  Hon. J. H. Eren interjected.

  Hon. A. P. OLEXANDER -- He should, Mr Eren. Mr Eren said he is busy getting on
with the job.

I respond directly  to that interjection, because one of the most important jobs
of this minister is  the  stewardship in this place of legislation which impacts
on the Commonwealth Games. One of the most important jobs a minister can have is
to  inform himself  or herself  of the  arguments that  have been raised  in the
Parliament  by the representatives of the people from both sides of the  chamber
and to  take them  into account  in his stewardship of the legislation, or,  for
that matter, of any regulation which  may arise to underpin this legislation. It
is extremely  important for the minister to  be here for this  debate. If he had
the same commitment to his portfolio as Mr Rich-Phillips obviously  does  to his
shadow portfolio, he would be here to participate in this debate.
I have a long association with the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, and even
before that  I was  one of  the more  prominent badminton  players  at  the  old
badminton centre. There  were  two centres  on  that land before  the  Melbourne
Sports and Aquatic Centre was built. One of them was a basketball centre.

Mr Baillieu in the  other  place was a  frequent  and  regular user of  the  old
basketball  centre. On  the other  hand, I  was a  badminton boy! I enjoyed that
sport enormously.
  Hon. T. C. Theophanous -- I can imagine you in shorts!

  Hon. A. P. OLEXANDER -- I was there, Mr Theophanous, in my shorts and T-shirt!
I  had my little badminton racquet  and my packet of  shuttle cocks! I would hit
those shuttle cocks over that  net!  I would do that on a regular  basis,  and I
became very good -- --

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  Hon. Kaye Darveniza interjected.

  Hon. A. P.  OLEXANDER  -- I became very good, Ms Darveniza.  I  was one of the
more  respected badminton  players. I am sure members have read about it  in the
state's media!