Cricket World Cup

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:08): I've been hurt today, sir. My question is to the Minister for Tourism. Can the minister inform the house about the expected economic benefits and wider impact of the India versus Pakistan ICC Cricket World Cup match?

The SPEAKER: Ah, the night watchman. Minister.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (15:08): I thank the member for Colton for his question. The International Cricket Council World Cup matches, four of which will be played in Adelaide, will bring about $31 million into the state's economy, but there will be many more benefits that we'll be reaping for years to come because of the relationships that we built out of having the biggest game in world cricket here at the Adelaide Oval on 15 February. It was terrific to have 35,000 people from interstate and overseas come to Adelaide to see our brand-new Adelaide Oval and to see that beamed out to 1.2 billion people around the world.

I had a text message from Vinod Advani, a gentleman in Mumbai who does so much great work for the South Australian Tourism Commission. He sent me a text during the match saying that Mumbai had fallen eerily silent as everyone went indoors to watch the game between India and Pakistan being played out at the Adelaide Oval. I was talking to some of the business people at the Adelaide Oval. One gentleman has invested $150 million in New South Wales and he wants to make a similar investment here in South Australia.

I know the Premier, the Deputy Premier, the Treasurer and the Minister for Trade were all down at the Adelaide Oval that day and the day before talking to these business leaders from India and really trying to let them know that the door of South Australia (just like our logo suggests) is wide open for business. Some of the people I met had come from the US, from Singapore, from all parts of the world. Many had come out from the UK, expat Indians who love their cricket, and it was that match that drew them here.

I think we should place on the record our thanks to Rik Morris. When we were working out which games we would go after about two or three years ago, it was Rik who was working in the South Australian Tourism Commission who identified Pakistan-India for being a great game not only in terms of drawing a crowd but in terms of building on our economic credibility and our economic opportunities. I know there were some people opposite who whinged that we did not get an Australia pool game—

Mr Whetstone: Rightfully so.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Yes, we could have got Australia versus Bangladesh. Now, how many tourists would that have brought in?

Mr Whetstone: Well, you should have negotiated it.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: We didn't want to get Australia versus Bangladesh. The member for Chaffey wanted Australia versus Bangladesh. We got the biggest game in world cricket with a television audience of 1.2 billion. We had around 35,000 people here from interstate and overseas and those opposite wanted us to get Australia versus Bangladesh, which would have drawn a crowd of about 10,000. As it turned out it was in Brisbane—

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Mr GARDNER: The minister is now debating.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The game did not progress up there, but we have got Australia—

The SPEAKER: The minister must not debate a Dorothy Dix.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Never, sir. We do have Australia coming here. The game that we guaranteed was Australia in the quarter final, provided Australia makes the quarter final. I think, the way they dealt with England the other day, they probably will make the quarter final, which is what we were putting our money on. I think that is a great win for South Australia and for the Adelaide Oval.

Again, thank you to Hitaf Rasheed and all the team at Events SA and the South Australian Tourism Commission, to the Consulate General of India and to everyone else who was involved. Brian Hayes QC, who is on the board of the South Australian Tourism Commission as well as being our Special Envoy to India, did a remarkable job. There was a lot of work that went into this match in the year or so leading up to it. It has been interesting to hear in the last six or seven months from our sources around Australia that people like the Queensland Cricket Association were going, 'How come South Australia got India versus Pakistan?' The reason we got it was that someone identified it, they sold it to the Premier and the rest of cabinet, they agreed on it and it was a great outcome for South Australia.