MOUNT GAMBIER HARNESS RACING CLUB

Mr PEGLER (Mount Gambier) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Can the minister inform the house about the action taken by the state government to assist harness racing in Mount Gambier?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister Assisting the Premier with South Australia's Strategic Plan, Minister Assisting the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education) (14:33): Happily, I can, and I know the member for Mount Gambier is a very keen advocate on behalf of the harness racing club down at Mount Gambier and, as a result of that advocacy, we were able to find $100,000 to provide to them to wire in their digital video network.

Now they are able to broadcast digitally into the Sky network every race. Previously they had to have a van there that cost them about $7,000 a race. With $30,000 from the club and $100,000 from the state government, they will be able to provide that footage to Sky and it will save them having to raise $7,000 before a person has even walked in the gate. Through our decision to reallocate SATAB wagering tax returns to the three codes, the state government has also ensured a further ongoing revenue stream—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: —for the racing industry with an estimated $8 million expected to be injected into the racing codes in 2011-12.

I can also say that, during my trip down to the South-East, we visited the Kongorong Sportsmen's Club and I have to say that the member for Mount Gambier is somewhat of a rock star at the Kongorong Sportsmen's Club. The kids all know him as 'Pegs'; the school was out, the school was there, and their love of Pegs is second only to their love of all the chocolate biscuits and cake in the area, which was wolfed down very quickly. It was a great afternoon. We gave $45,000 to Kongorong, to the sportsmen's club, and also managed to visit the South Gambier Netball Club and get a cheque to them for $40,000 for the rebuilding of a clubhouse facility down there. There is advocacy everywhere, all over the place by the member for Mount Gambier, and as a result we have been able to go down and present some cheques. It was a great day and I thank the member for Mount Gambier for his hospitality on the day.