Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Commonwealth Games

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:40): (183) My question is again to the Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy.

Harriet Shing: What a day! I feel so seen.

Joe McCRACKEN: We see you and we hear you. Minister, in PAEC last week you said that a dedicated events platform for Mars Stadium could not be built because of a factor of time. If that is the case about the proposed –

Harriet Shing interjected.

Joe McCRACKEN: I think it was you.

Harriet Shing: You might want to check that.

Joe McCRACKEN: Okay. If that is the case about the proposed platform, how do you then plan to remediate the entire Ballarat saleyards site as a site and build an athletes village given the factor of time is much more significant?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (12:41): Thank you, Mr McCracken, for that question. I am just having a quick squiz at the transcript from last week, and that question was in fact asked of the Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery. I am very happy to take that on notice and perhaps seek an answer from the minister in accordance with the standing orders.

Joe McCracken: On a point of order, President, I think it does relate to the legacy of the project, and that is why it is relevant to the minister’s portfolio.

The PRESIDENT: If a question is put to a minister and the minister’s response is that it is not their responsibility within the executive, that is a response. I take it that it is a response that the minister has given.

David Davis: Further on the point of order, President, the legacy portfolio relates to what is left. A stadium will either be built or it will not be built. The legacy will either be there or it will not be there. The member’s question is directed to eliciting what the position is with respect to the legacy.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis, on your point of order, it is not for me to direct the minister how to answer a question. If the minister’s answer is that it is not their responsibility and it was not their quote and so forth, that is the answer.

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:43): That is fine, thank you. I appreciate it might have been someone else, but it is still a legacy project. Can the minister please tell us exactly when the Ballarat saleyards site will be remediated and at what cost?

Members interjecting.

Joe McCRACKEN: I said in the substantive question that, if it was a factor of time for Mars Stadium, then obviously the factor of time for the Ballarat saleyards is more significant. That is what I asked.

The PRESIDENT: That was the question in a nutshell.

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (12:44): Thanks, Mr McCracken. We have moved from one part of the Commonwealth Games delivery, which sits very squarely with the Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery, into a discussion about the work on the Ballarat saleyards and athletes village accommodation. I think that you were talking then about the factor of time and the way in which construction, remediation and decontamination might occur on that site in asking your earlier question. I have said that geotech works have been completed and that ongoing discussions are continuing with the EPA, government, local council and the community, and that consultation continues. Of course if there are questions that go between both portfolios, Mr McCracken, I am really happy to engage with you. But the first question is very, very squarely on Mars Stadium and the factor of time, which the Deputy Premier addressed at page 8 of the PAEC transcript from last week.