STATE AQUATIC CENTRE

Ms FOX (Bright) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Can the minister inform the house as to the progress of the government's commitment to build the state aquatic centre at Marion?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:32): I thank the member for Bright for her question and for her strong interest in this area. Iconic names such as Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould, Kieran Perkins, Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett have made swimming an integral part not only of our sporting culture but also of our national identity. For South Australian athletes to be given the best possible chance to achieve at the highest level they need world class training facilities, and for South Australia to attract elite competitions to the state we need these facilities to be at FINA standard. With the building of the state aquatic centre at Marion both these objectives will be achieved.

I am pleased to announce today that the state government has awarded a contract to build the state aquatic centre to a South Australian construction company, Candetti Constructions. The project is the highest ranked recreation and sport project in the South Australian Infrastructure Plan, and this government is delivering on its commitments and priorities. The government is delighted to be working with a South Australian company to deliver the people of this state an international sporting venue, whilst also generating 300 jobs in the process.

The state aquatic centre will support and preserve the future of the aquatic sports of swimming, diving and water polo at the elite level in a facility that will be FINA compliant and world class. The centre will include one 50 metre pool comprising 10 lanes of three metres depth with a boom, and a diving/water polo pool of 55 metres with a boom and a depth of five metres at the diving end and three metres for water polo. This new facility also means that South Australia will be in an excellent position to bid for national and international swimming, diving and water polo events.

The development of the state aquatic centre will put South Australia at the forefront of facilities for these sports and offer benefits not only to elite sport but also to the wider community. The government has also ensured that the design includes approximately 1,000 square metres of leisure and recreational training space so that all members of the community will be able to enjoy this new centre. The development will increase the quality of the training and competition environment for our athletes and all pool users, and will help keep South Australian talent here in South Australia. The state government will now work with Candetti Constructions, the City of Marion, and aquatic architects Peddle Thorp to complete the final design of the state aquatic centre.