1 L EMBARGO: 5.00pm
P I E M NSSTATL. lE R
FOR MEDIA SUNDAY, 10 OCTOBER 1982
ELECTORATE T'. LK
Now that the Conmmonwealth Games has finished, I want to thank
a great many people for what they havc done for Australia in
making the last 10 days so wonderfully. successful. The Games
brought out the best qualities in Au.:. ralians aind those
qualities came through clearly in th-efforts uand achiev we-: nts
of the thousands of competitors and organisers.. Thcy \ wor: ked
together many of them literally for years to bring off
a magnificent sporting occasion. . And in doing so, : they brought
together the entire Australian nation.
The opening ceremony will stay in the ninds of Australians
for a very long time. There was a friendly and light-hearted
atmosphere as the thousands of school children poured on to the
QEII sports ground tocreate that memorable display of the Plag
and the map of Australia which filled every Australian who saw
it with a feeling of pride in our country . that is difficult to
put into words. The children and the arrangers of the display
deserve great credit. So, too, do the dancers from the
cross-section of national backgrounds who performed at the
opening and who brought home to us the truly multi-cultural
nature of Australian society today.
So many people contributed to the. success of the Games. The
organisers and officials not only in Brisbane but throughout
Australia and the whole Commonwealth. The volunteers who gave
their time and effort willingly for their country, there
were thousands of them. The members of the Australian armed
forces, the ABC, for their exceptional TV coverage in Australia
and around the world. The people of Brisbane for being such good
hosts in the dynamic and colourful city of which they can be
very proud. And, of course, the competitors, our outstanding
Australian team and their dedicated, long suffering coaches,
families and other supporters.
I look back to 1976 when I visited the Australian team at the
Olympic Games in Montreal where we had not won a single gold
medal. The team were depressed; Australiansin general were
disappointed. Intensive training and coaching and a scientific
approach to sport in other countries meant that our athletes
were being left behind. The Government had to decide whether
we would let the world pass us by or whether we would give our
athletes the full-blooded support they needed to win world
victories.
\ ve established the Australian Institute of Snort, it has cost
$ 34 rmillion to build and equip so far, and it has contributed
significantly to Australia's 107 medals this year. Champions
like triple gold medal winner Lisa Curry and marathon winner
Robertde Castella came from the Institute. The Government
gave the Commonwealth Games Association $ 455,000 to help
prepare athletes and to provide them with the international.
competition thatis a vital part of their preparation.
Another $ 200,000 went towards the staging of the S. G. I. O.
Games in Brisbane last year as a warm-up for the Commonwealth
Games itself.
Now there are new targets in our sights. In 1984, the first
Biennial Australia Games is planned for Sydnc! y. Then, later
that year, comes the Los Angeles Olympics. The Government
is providing million to the Australian Olympiic
Federation for the preparation of our athletes.
At the same time this is on top of the continued furicling of
dozens of national sporting organisatiions through the Sports
Development Program and, of course, the Australian Institute
of Sport will grow and develop. Australia's athletes deserve
the support of this nation. In the last 10 day2 they provided
the hard evidence of a dramatic revival of Australia's sporting
ability. They also set a wjonderful exampAle, displaying good
sportsmanship whhther Lhey won or lo! t, and I believe, : epresenting
the true co-operative spirit of the Commonwealth. Our representatives
took the nation with them in the intense national pride and
purpose they exhibited. For that we thank them greatly.
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