Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Kemp. Will the minister update the Senate on the results of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games drug testing regime? Will he also outline the government’s initiatives to stamp out drugs in sport in Australia? Is the minister aware of any alternative policy?

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGauran, my colleague, for that very important question. It is very important that colleagues take an interest in sport, and I encourage the shadow minister to also take a very active interest in this area. I have gone through the many achievements of the Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games, by every measure, were an outstanding success.

One point I did not make yesterday was that another significant achievement of the 2006 Commonwealth Games was the antidoping program conducted by the Commonwealth Games Federation. The CGF undertook the toughest antidoping program ever undertaken at a Commonwealth Games.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr interjecting—

George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is boring repetition.

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Campbell, you might be bored by it, but a lot of Australians are very interested. That is another example of the Labor Party being out of touch. According to the CGF, the games’ antidoping program met its target of conducting some 1,000 tests, substantially more than the number of tests conducted at the Manchester games. Mr President, as you know, Australia is regarded as a world leader in the fight against doping in sport—

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How much did it cost to dope the National Party?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Carr, you are continually interjecting in this answer, and I ask you to come to order.

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was trying to say over the rowdiness of the Labor Party, in the lead-up to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, I announced the creation of a new antidoping body, ASADA, which underscored Australia’s absolute commitment to maintaining its fight against drugs in sport. ASADA, I am pleased to say, is open for business, and I thank those opposite for their support of the legislation which enabled ASADA to open for business throughout the Commonwealth Games. ASADA is the focal point for Australia’s antidoping activities, which include testing, investigation, presentation of cases, research and education. Those who know the Black report will recall that in 1990 Senator John Black, a Labor Party senator, proposed a similar body. Regrettably, the Labor Party in that period failed to take up that proposal from Senator John Black, but I am very pleased to be the sports minister that has brought in this new, very important antidoping body.

It is important that I bring to the attention of the Senate the reaction of other important bodies to the creation of ASADA. David Howman, Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said that ASADA is the model for the rest of the world. He also said that he will be promoting the ASADA model—the model that Australia has created—to a world antidoping conference which will be held in June this year. All Australians can be proud of our international name for achieving great sporting success without the use of drugs. The establishment of ASADA will continue to further the reputation of Australia in leading the fight against antidoping in sport.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.