❓ The Minister for Tourism updates the house on the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series community program in Port Hedland and the Esperance tennis tournament, both supported by royalties for regions funding. The Minister highlights the benefits of these events for tourism and community engagement.
AnsweredQoN 548Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM PROJECTS — PORT HEDLAND AND
ESPERANCE
548. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Tourism:
I understand that the minister recently visited Port Hedland
to launch the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series community program and just
today announced the Esperance tennis tournament in my electorate. Could the
minister please update the house on these exciting projects?
ESPERANCE
548. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Tourism:
I understand that the minister recently visited Port Hedland
to launch the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series community program and just
today announced the Esperance tennis tournament in my electorate. Could the
minister please update the house on these exciting projects?
AnswerView source ↗
I would love to talk about these two projects and their
bonds, in one case with the government through its royalties for regions fund,
partnering with BHP, and the second, again a royalties-funded event, down in
the member's electorate in Esperance. The concept of the BHP Billiton
Aquatic Super Series started following discussions between me and BHP. It was
initiated by Tourism WA, which put forward this exciting concept of a major
swimming tournament in January. The full Australian swimming team will be
pitted against the Chinese and the South Africans. I am told that all three
countries participating are sending their top swimmers to compete. There will
also be a water polo tournament, with male and female teams. A team from
Croatia, with whom we have a great rivalry in water polo, is coming to that
event. There will also be a long-distance open water swim up the river that
will include a mass participation swim. All I will need to do is dodge the
jellyfish. It will be a fantastic event.
BHP Billiton was very keen to use its funds to include a
regional component to this event. In doing that, it takes some of the elite
swimmers—past and present—to remote communities to get them
involved in training and mentoring young children who are keen on swimming and
water polo. People such as Eamon Sullivan, Blair Evans, Michael Klim, Nicole
Livingstone, Matt Welsh and some of our senior people involved in water polo
will also attend. We were there for the launch of that event in Port Hedland
last week. The kids were so excited. Other kids, some Indigenous kids in
particular, came from some of the remote areas just for the launch of that
event. Five regions will be targeted, including the Kimberley, Port Hedland,
Kalgoorlie and the south west. Over the next three years that will extend to
the Peel region, the midwest and the great southern, making sure that all
children in those areas will have the opportunity to participate. I am trying
to organise a competition in which the best of those swimmers—the
children from those regions—get to come and participate in the main
international event at Challenge Stadium, just to give a great reward for those
who are successful in those regional events.
Today we re-announced the Esperance tennis tournament for the
fourth year running. Who would have thought that a place such as Esperance, a
long way from the heart of the metropolitan area, could put up a tennis
tournament of this quality? It is part of the Australian pro tennis circuit. It
is a major event that gives players accreditation to participate in other
senior events around Australia such as the Australian Open. It attracts 64
internationally ranked tennis players. While the players competing this time
are not international names—in fact, the Association of Tennis
Professionals ranking for men is in the three-hundreds—Ben Mitchell
from Queensland, who is ranked number nine in Australia, is participating. The
women are all ranked around the one-hundreds. Julia Cohen from the United
States of America, with an international ranking of 100, is participating. In
the past people such as Alicia Molik, Casey Dellacqua and Luke Saville, all
well-known names, started their careers participating in these tournaments. It
is great for the local region. It brings in about $250 000 to the Esperance
region, which is a great boost for tourism down in Esperance. I congratulate
the local member and the Esperance community for initiating and running such a
fantastic event.
bonds, in one case with the government through its royalties for regions fund,
partnering with BHP, and the second, again a royalties-funded event, down in
the member's electorate in Esperance. The concept of the BHP Billiton
Aquatic Super Series started following discussions between me and BHP. It was
initiated by Tourism WA, which put forward this exciting concept of a major
swimming tournament in January. The full Australian swimming team will be
pitted against the Chinese and the South Africans. I am told that all three
countries participating are sending their top swimmers to compete. There will
also be a water polo tournament, with male and female teams. A team from
Croatia, with whom we have a great rivalry in water polo, is coming to that
event. There will also be a long-distance open water swim up the river that
will include a mass participation swim. All I will need to do is dodge the
jellyfish. It will be a fantastic event.
BHP Billiton was very keen to use its funds to include a
regional component to this event. In doing that, it takes some of the elite
swimmers—past and present—to remote communities to get them
involved in training and mentoring young children who are keen on swimming and
water polo. People such as Eamon Sullivan, Blair Evans, Michael Klim, Nicole
Livingstone, Matt Welsh and some of our senior people involved in water polo
will also attend. We were there for the launch of that event in Port Hedland
last week. The kids were so excited. Other kids, some Indigenous kids in
particular, came from some of the remote areas just for the launch of that
event. Five regions will be targeted, including the Kimberley, Port Hedland,
Kalgoorlie and the south west. Over the next three years that will extend to
the Peel region, the midwest and the great southern, making sure that all
children in those areas will have the opportunity to participate. I am trying
to organise a competition in which the best of those swimmers—the
children from those regions—get to come and participate in the main
international event at Challenge Stadium, just to give a great reward for those
who are successful in those regional events.
Today we re-announced the Esperance tennis tournament for the
fourth year running. Who would have thought that a place such as Esperance, a
long way from the heart of the metropolitan area, could put up a tennis
tournament of this quality? It is part of the Australian pro tennis circuit. It
is a major event that gives players accreditation to participate in other
senior events around Australia such as the Australian Open. It attracts 64
internationally ranked tennis players. While the players competing this time
are not international names—in fact, the Association of Tennis
Professionals ranking for men is in the three-hundreds—Ben Mitchell
from Queensland, who is ranked number nine in Australia, is participating. The
women are all ranked around the one-hundreds. Julia Cohen from the United
States of America, with an international ranking of 100, is participating. In
the past people such as Alicia Molik, Casey Dellacqua and Luke Saville, all
well-known names, started their careers participating in these tournaments. It
is great for the local region. It brings in about $250 000 to the Esperance
region, which is a great boost for tourism down in Esperance. I congratulate
the local member and the Esperance community for initiating and running such a
fantastic event.
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