Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Sport. Will the Minister for Sport update the House on global developments to tackle drugs in sport?

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Youth and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Franklin for the question. In answering the question I acknowledge from the outset that both sides of this House have worked hard for a very long period of time to ensure that Australia is at the forefront of the battle against doping in sport. I think that we as a nation can be very proud of where we stand in this regard. We know that it is important that sport is fair and that it is clean and drug free, and of course we need sport to be a healthy activity, one that makes a positive contribution in our community, one that we want to encourage our children to take part in, not one that becomes a race between those who can get the best access and who can best disguise performance-enhancing drugs. As a very passionate sporting country we need to ensure that the integrity of sport is maintained. Whether through ASDA, or now ASADA, Australia has worked to pursue this at home, and I particularly know that one of the former ministers for sport, Rod Kemp, was very passionate about this issue.

We have also provided leadership at an international level, most notably of course with the election of the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, John Fahey, someone that I know that many members opposite are very proud of. Indeed all Australians should be very proud of the fine job that he is doing in that role.

Earlier this week I attended meetings of WADA in Montreal and I can advise the House on developments in terms of both Australia’s representation on this global body and, indeed, new steps which have been adopted in order to tighten the net on drug cheats. Mr Speaker, whilst you would know that I am certainly not one for shameless self-promotion, I can inform the House that Australia will now have a seat on the WADA executive committee from 1 January 2009.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members—Hear, hear!

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Youth and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I think it is significant to note that, along with President Fahey, Australians will now hold two out of just six government positions worldwide on this executive committee, the highest international antidoping body. I would also like to acknowledge the role of the former New Zealand Minister for Sport, the Hon. Clayton Cosgrove, from whom we will take over the role in representing Oceania.

It is also significant to note that a memorandum of understanding has now been finalised between WADA and Interpol in order to provide a framework for cooperation between these two bodies to gather evidence and share information. Because we know the pursuit of drug cheats has to be broadened from just testing and detection, drug cheats will now be actively investigated with the assistance of these new arrangements. This is a model which we have had in place in Australia and ASADA has been working on but which will now be strengthened by the international movement. Our government here is committed to upholding our strong reputation when it comes to being ahead of the game and fighting drugs in sport and I am happy to inform the House of these new developments.

If I can just take another 20 seconds of the parliament’s time whilst I am here, I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute Peter Bartels, who has just ended his term as the chair of the Australian Sports Commission. Peter has served for a long period of time and he is passionate about Australian sport. He has been very professional and I have enjoyed working with him. I wish him the best of luck in the future.