CENTRAL OVAL, PORT AUGUSTA

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (16:47): I rise today to speak quite passionately about the oval, and by 'the oval' I mean the Central Oval in Port Augusta, a very important oval for not only Port Augusta but for a large part of the Upper Spencer Gulf, the outback, the West Coast and the Mid North as well. It supports that entire region, so it is a very important sporting precinct for not just Port Augusta, and one of the many important ovals in South Australia.

Leading up to the last election, the Liberal Party made a promise of $5 million to contribute towards a revitalisation of the entire precinct that works with grassroots sports, all the way through to the elite. It is not just about the oval and not just about football, but bringing in netball and basketball, and helping lots of other sports. When we made that promise, I said to my colleagues and people in Port Augusta, lots of people that I dealt with, 'I hope that the government, I hope that the Labor Party makes the same commitment and matches that commitment,' and to its credit it did, which is great, because even back then before the election, when none of us knew what the result would be, we all knew that Port Augusta would get $5 million towards that project. So, I congratulate both sides of the house on supporting that project.

What I would like to talk about is the fact that the other oval down here in Adelaide, which has turned into a real disaster for lots of reasons, but certainly most importantly with regard to the financial management of the program: $300 million dedicated to that program to begin with, not a cent more; $450 million dedicated to that program, not a cent more; now we are up to $535 million dedicated to the upgrade of the Adelaide Oval, not a cent more.

What I want to do today is to challenge the government to increase the funding that it has promised to the Central Oval at Port Augusta. To Port Augusta and the surrounding region, the outback, the Upper Spencer Gulf, the Mid North and parts of the West Coast, that oval is just as important as the Adelaide Oval is to Adelaide and surrounding districts.

The last increase in funding that came from the government was $85 million, a 19 per cent increase from the previous $450 million that was promised, and I challenge the government to provide a 19 per cent increase to the funding that it has on offer for the Port Augusta project. That would take $5 million up to $6 million; a drop in the bucket as far as the state's finances are concerned but very important for the Upper Spencer Gulf region. It would be a huge increase for this project which, as I said before, is just as important to our region as the Adelaide Oval is to the southern region.

Another very important aspect of this 19 per cent increase—or, rounded off, a 20 per cent increase—is that the whole increase would go to the project; all the money would be put towards the project, including the additional money. It would go towards this development, not to anyone else's debt, as is the case with the Adelaide Oval. So, there is a challenge there for the government. I think it is very fair to ask this, and I believe it would behove the government to do it. I think the government would be considered in a very good light if it did; I think it would be extremely fair and show that the government considers all the people of South Australia to be just as important as each other.

It is true to say that just as people from the country come down to Adelaide, people from the city would come up to use this improved Port Augusta Central Oval sporting precinct. This project will get the Central Oval in Port Augusta up to a standard that would enable it to have pre-season matches for the Crows or the Power held up there; lots of sporting events at the state level, and potentially some at the national level, could be held at this oval, and people from Adelaide would then travel to Port Augusta to participate in those events.

As I said before, this oval is not just about football. It includes volleyball and basketball, with the very important desire of bringing in netball so that netball and football can run coincidentally together—which, I hope most people know, is a very important step to take in country sports. It also works with grassroots sports all the way through to elite sports; men and women, young and old. I challenge the government to make that change and show support for the region.