❓ Mr. Alban questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation about the Midvale SpeedDome upgrade announcement and the state's commitment to elite athlete facilities. The Minister confirms the $2.52 million investment to refurbish the track and roof, ensuring the facility remains world-class.
AnsweredQoN 555Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MIDVALE SPEEDDOME
555. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for
Sport and Recreation:
Can the minister update the house on
the recent Liberal–National government's announcement about the
Midvale SpeedDome, and the state's ongoing commitment to providing
world-class facilities for Western Australian athletes to train and complete?
555. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for
Sport and Recreation:
Can the minister update the house on
the recent Liberal–National government's announcement about the
Midvale SpeedDome, and the state's ongoing commitment to providing
world-class facilities for Western Australian athletes to train and complete?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Swan Hills
for the question. The SpeedDome in Midvale has been in existence for 27 years,
helping our elite athletes to reach the heights that we have seen over the past
two weeks in the Olympic Games. Two of these athletes were on stage in the
Olympics—Western Australians Sam Welsford and Melissa Hoskins. Melissa
suffered an injury just before she needed to compete, and we wish her all the
very best in her recovery. Sam was part of the team that won silver as part of
the men's pursuit. That was a great success, and we have had serious
success over the past 27 years as a result of having a facility such as the
SpeedDome.
The track has been refurbished over
a number of years, but has unfortunately reached the end of its useful life.
The roof has also reached the end of its useful life; it was leaking onto the
track. Earlier this month I was pleased to announce that the state government,
through the owner of the facility, VenuesWest, would invest $2.52 million to
upgrade the track and the roof, and to do some minor works so that we can
continue to support those athletes. A report done in 2015 by the Department of
Sport and Recreation identified all the upgrades that were required. At that
point we thought that the upgrade would be due in another couple of years, but
the deterioration of the track happened somewhat faster than we anticipated.
The management that VenuesWest has been able to provide means that we are able
to provide this funding now.
This will mean that the track will
remain classified so that we can host international events and attract
international competitors, and allow our athletes to train to the highest
levels. It will mean that people like the Darren Hills, the Sam Welsfords and
the Melissa Hoskinses of the world have somewhere to come back to and make sure
that they continue to pursue their Olympic and international dreams.
While I am on my feet, I would like
to very quickly congratulate Western Australian Institute of Sport athletes who
won medals at the Rio games: Taylor Worth won bronze in the men's
archery team; Maddison Keeney won bronze in the synchronised diving; Tamsin
Cook, at 16 years old, the youngest member of the swimming team, won silver in
the women's 4 x 200 metres freestyle relay; and Sam Welsford,
obviously, won a silver medal in the cycling men's pursuit. It is a great
news story for Western Australia, and the investment for all aspiring athletes
in Western Australia.
Mr
P.B. Watson : What about all the team members who didn't win medals?
Didn't they do their best?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, that is not necessary. I call you to order for
the first time.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I do not want to call you for the second time.
Are you finished, minister?
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : Just one more thing, Mr Speaker. I would have thought that the
shadow Minister for Sport would be very supportive of the successes we have had
as Western Australians. We have a small population, and we put a significant
number of athletes into the team. We fell a little bit short, but that is the
nature of sport and recreation. I wish everyone who competed from Western Australia
all the very best as they return. We are very proud of them, and I am sure that
the opposition joins me in saying exactly the same thing.
for the question. The SpeedDome in Midvale has been in existence for 27 years,
helping our elite athletes to reach the heights that we have seen over the past
two weeks in the Olympic Games. Two of these athletes were on stage in the
Olympics—Western Australians Sam Welsford and Melissa Hoskins. Melissa
suffered an injury just before she needed to compete, and we wish her all the
very best in her recovery. Sam was part of the team that won silver as part of
the men's pursuit. That was a great success, and we have had serious
success over the past 27 years as a result of having a facility such as the
SpeedDome.
The track has been refurbished over
a number of years, but has unfortunately reached the end of its useful life.
The roof has also reached the end of its useful life; it was leaking onto the
track. Earlier this month I was pleased to announce that the state government,
through the owner of the facility, VenuesWest, would invest $2.52 million to
upgrade the track and the roof, and to do some minor works so that we can
continue to support those athletes. A report done in 2015 by the Department of
Sport and Recreation identified all the upgrades that were required. At that
point we thought that the upgrade would be due in another couple of years, but
the deterioration of the track happened somewhat faster than we anticipated.
The management that VenuesWest has been able to provide means that we are able
to provide this funding now.
This will mean that the track will
remain classified so that we can host international events and attract
international competitors, and allow our athletes to train to the highest
levels. It will mean that people like the Darren Hills, the Sam Welsfords and
the Melissa Hoskinses of the world have somewhere to come back to and make sure
that they continue to pursue their Olympic and international dreams.
While I am on my feet, I would like
to very quickly congratulate Western Australian Institute of Sport athletes who
won medals at the Rio games: Taylor Worth won bronze in the men's
archery team; Maddison Keeney won bronze in the synchronised diving; Tamsin
Cook, at 16 years old, the youngest member of the swimming team, won silver in
the women's 4 x 200 metres freestyle relay; and Sam Welsford,
obviously, won a silver medal in the cycling men's pursuit. It is a great
news story for Western Australia, and the investment for all aspiring athletes
in Western Australia.
Mr
P.B. Watson : What about all the team members who didn't win medals?
Didn't they do their best?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, that is not necessary. I call you to order for
the first time.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I do not want to call you for the second time.
Are you finished, minister?
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : Just one more thing, Mr Speaker. I would have thought that the
shadow Minister for Sport would be very supportive of the successes we have had
as Western Australians. We have a small population, and we put a significant
number of athletes into the team. We fell a little bit short, but that is the
nature of sport and recreation. I wish everyone who competed from Western Australia
all the very best as they return. We are very proud of them, and I am sure that
the opposition joins me in saying exactly the same thing.
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