Well thank you very much Rod, Ron Walker, ladies and gentlemen.
Melbourne will host the Commonwealth Games in the year 2006 and this will be the fourth occasion, starting with Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982 and now Melbourne in 2006, that Australia will have been host for the Commonwealth Games. And I venture to say that there is no city in the world that has more dedicated, loyal and regularly attending sporting crowds than does the city of Melbourne. And the Melbourne Cricket Ground I've long regarded as Australia's premier sports arena and it's a city that has built an enviable record for its loyalty to and support the sporting events.
The Commonwealth Games brings together the various member counties of the Commonwealth every four years in between the Olympic Games and I'm delighted that Melbourne is once again to be host to a major international sporting event. And many people still remember, of course, the wonderful Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 - the first occasion that Australia hosted the Olympic Games. The Commonwealth Games are, of course, a partnership between different levels of Government and different parts of the community. The Commonwealth Government is already providing assistance in many ways, including, of course, in relation to security and other related matters, we provided a very large amount each year which provides direct assistance to elite sportsmen and women in Australia and that represents a very important adjunct to our Commonwealth Games effort.
The organising committee for the Commonwealth Games is, of course, led and directed by my friend Ron Walker, who has been a remarkable Australian and a very dedicated Victorian who's given a great deal back to his country and to his state in organising major events so many years on so many occasions. I keep out of these interstate arguments, he occasionally encourages a sporting event from one part of Australia to another. I'm neutral, it's like State of Origin. As long as the event comes to Australia I'm happy. I don't know whereabouts... I don't mind whereabouts in Australia it's going to be.
But Ron, thank you, good luck and I know that the energetic Minister and Carlton supporter, Rod Kemp, will continue to keep me very very well informed on what is happening in relation to the Commonwealth Games. But I have no doubt that under Ron's stewardship and with the natural enthusiasm of the people of Melbourne it will be a huge success.
And with that in mind, I thank you for coming. I know you'll support the event when it arrives and I have great pleasure in commencing the ticking of the countdown clock.
Thank you.
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