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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-02-26 Daily Xml
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AAMI STADIUM

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:47): What work has the Premier carried out to determine how much it will cost to deliver on his promise made last Sunday to bring the West Lakes AAMI Stadium to FIFA World Cup standards, and what program of work will be required?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:47): A lot less than the billion dollar announcement made by the Leader of the Opposition, in addition to $33 billion pledge to get rid of all the Stobie poles. I will be delighted if the Leader of the Opposition supports me in the bid for Australia to host the World Cup.

Mr Hamilton-Smith: What work have you done?

The Hon. M.D. RANN: He asks what work I have done. Well, maybe I could just track back six years when, in fact, there were very few of us in Australia who believed it was possible to mount a bid for the 2018 World Cup. Members would be aware that former premier Carr from New South Wales asked me to sit on a committee about the bid for the World Cup. Members would be aware that I was the Premier who went to Zurich to meet with FIFA to discuss how we could mount a World Cup bid. I was also the Premier who had the issue discussed at COAG and, in fact, raised it with the Prime Minister and other premiers. At least I, unlike the Leader of the Opposition, understand the offside rule. In fact, I would challenge him now to explain the offside rule.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: No, he doesn't want to. It is a bit like where the mall's balls are or where Andamooka is.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: Or Seaforth.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Or Seaforth; the word 'Seaforth' at this time and place, to friend and foe alike. Several weeks ago I was in Sydney with Frank Lowy discussing how a bid could be arranged; how every state would be involved in the bid; and it being on the agenda of the next COAG meeting. I look forward—as the soccer Premier, as well as the green Premier and the rev-head and cycling Premier—to leading the charge to not only help secure a World Cup for Australia but also to guarantee that there are games in South Australia as well as international teams locating here with their base camps.

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