Riverbank Arena

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): Supplementary.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway is not helping me. The Leader of the Opposition has the call.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Treasurer, what part has your well-known love of, if not lack of ability in, basketball played in your support for the new basketball stadium?

The PRESIDENT: I don't see that as being part of the original answer but if the Treasurer wishes to respond he may.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:29): I am very happy to, Mr President. I am very happy to acknowledge my lack of ability in terms of basketball but, nevertheless, I played through to the age of 63, and I invite the Leader of the Opposition to continue playing right through to that particular age.

Whilst that was part of his question, the answer to the question is that what drives the value of this particular arena project is not basketball games, it's the attraction of conventions and conferences. It is also the ability to be able to attract big name, world-class artists who, for example, are unable or unwilling to perform at our current Entertainment Centre because the size of the audience there doesn't allow the revenue generated to justify those big acts coming to Adelaide.

With a sit-down capacity seating arrangement for up to 15,000 people in the new Riverbank arena, not only will it be good for those sorts of world-class concerts but it will also mean, in relation to the plenary sessions for conferences and conventions, up to 15,000 delegates—

The Hon. E.S. Bourke interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bourke!

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: —can also be seated, whereas I am advised, under the current Convention Centre—even with the various redevelopments that have been done over recent decades—the plenary session seating capacity at any one time is about 3,000.