Referred petitions—Committee decision not to inquire

Statement pursuant to Standing Order 246A

Madam/Mr Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Economics, Industry and Recreation relating to recently referred petitions.

Since the start of this year, the following petitions about ACT sporting infrastructure and facilities have been referred to the Committee:

• Petitions No 3-26 and 18-26 – Diving and deep water facilities in new aquatic centre in Commonwealth Park
• Petitions No 80-25 and 21-26 – Deliver an Ice Sports Venue in Tuggeranong
• Petitions No 84-25 and 31-26 – Closure of Kaleen Indoor Sports Centre; and
• Petitions No 8-26 and 30-26 – Hawker Tennis Centre.

The Committee has resolved not to inquire into the diving and deep water facilities at Commonwealth Park or the Tuggeranong Ice Sports Venue. The petitions into the Hawker Tennis Centre have been re-referred to the Standing Committee on Environment and Planning, at their request. At this stage, it is unlikely that we will launch a sperate inquiry into the Kaleen Sports Centre.

However, we wish to reassure the community that these petitions have influenced the Committee’s considerations during our current inquiry into barriers and opportunities for participation in community sports in the ACT. The provision of sports facilities was extensively canvassed in the evidence we received in this inquiry, and it will be addressed in our report.