Adelaide 500

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:07): Given the quoted financial benefit of being first, what is that financial benefit in both income and ticket sales?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:08): Being the first event of the year always is the best. Certainly, the most recent one, the 2018 event, we had some 273,500 people visit it, which is an 11 per cent increase.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Thanks Labor.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thanks to the Liberal Party that actually started the event. You forget whose idea it was in the first place. You have such a short memory. Of course, you were still at school in the time, I suspect.

The PRESIDENT: Through me, the Hon. Mr Ridgway.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: They were large numbers. The economic benefit was $41.94 million to the South Australian economy. That is what we got from last year's event. It was the first event—

The Hon. T.A. Franks: What is the impact of being first rather than mid-season?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The start of any season is important, unless it is a footy season when the grand final brings the whole season to an end. The first race of the year is the one with new cars, new models, new excitement, new drivers, new engines. It is where all the excitement comes with the first one. It's the excitement around it. You can see huge numbers—a quarter of a million people and nearly a $42 million economic benefit. Clearly, the first event of the year is much better. It is the biggest in the nation.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Mr President, they keep interjecting. I don't know why they can't help themselves.

The PRESIDENT: You were responding to the interjections, the Hon. Mr Ridgway. You were responding to them and therefore you are encouraging them.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: It is the biggest event on the motor sport calendar. Clearly, it's the first one; if the others were more important there would be more people attending the other events.

The PRESIDENT: I will go to the Hon. Mr Pangallo for his supplementary and then I will go to the Hon. Ms Scriven.