I and my wife enjoyed ourselves immensely, we took great personal pleasure and pride in being there supporting the magnificent young men and women who so magnificently represented Australia. I said before that as I think a token of what and an earnest of what the Australian people think about our Olympic achievements and how important sport bulks in the life and the psyche and the sense of identity in the Australian people, the Government is reviewing the current level of support which is very significant for sport and we do intend to make a further contribution and we are going to increase funding. I hear an interjection from one of my Ministerial colleagues and he s fully supportive the Treasurer. It s absolutely true. But ladies and gentlemen I have asked the Olympic Committee and the Sports Commission to jointly put proposals to the Government.
Governments have all sorts of commitments and priorities.
We think sport does bulk very large and we think it important that although inevitably there would be a special effort made because the Games were being held in Australia, that there is a case for making additional provision over and above the very generous provision that was contained in the last Budget and we will have some further discussions with the representatives of the Olympic Committee and the Australian Sports Commission regarding that. So to all of you can I just say again how proud you ve made us. I think it is nice and appropriate symbolically so that the last of your many gatherings celebrating your magnificent success should be in a building that represents the aspirations of all of the Australian people. It is a building that itself sees many fierce competitive contests, all of them played in a particularly Australian way. You represented, you represented your country and you gave great credit to the nation that feels very proud of all of you.