Mr Latham asked the Minister for Finance and Administration, upon notice, on 22 June 1998:

(1) Does he support Commonwealth financing of the proposed redevelopment of Campbelltown sports ground for the benefit of the Western Suburbs Rugby League Football Club and other sporting organisations in the Macarthur district.

(2) Will the Government match the financial contributions to the project made by the NSW Government and Campbelltown City Council.

(3) What efforts has he made to secure Commonwealth funding of this project from the Centenary of Federation fund.

(4) Did he support the recent use of the Centenary of Federation fund to help finance the redevelopment of the Gosford sports ground for the benefit of the North Sydney Rugby League Football Club; if so, what are the details.

Mr Fahey (Finance and Administration) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

As Member for Macarthur, I wrote to the Prime Minister on 20 April in relation to a proposal for redevelopment of a regional sporting complex that would include an upgrade of the Campbelltown Sports Stadium. I supported the proposal as I felt it would be of considerable social and economic benefit to the South West area of Sydney. On 29 June I supported a submission by the Campbelltown City Council to Senator the Hon Richard Alston, Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts, for funding under the Federation Cultural and Heritage programme.

The issue of matching financial contributions to projects is one for Government consideration. There are numerous projects of merit lodged for consideration.

As I have already indicated, I have written to the Prime Minister in support of the project. I will continue to actively and strongly highlight the merits of the project.

I support projects that will provide considerable social and economic benefit to the community. On 30 May 1998, the Government announced inclusion of the redevelopment of Grahame Park, Gosford to a regional recreational complex as a project that would receive assistance under the Federation Fund.