South-Eastern Metropolitan Region
David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:07): (966) My question is for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events and is rather appropriate considering that today is the inauguration of the parliamentary friends of motorsport. Getting a drivers licence is a big moment for many young people in Victoria. Unfortunately, some young drivers get a little too excited about this and eventually get pulled over by highway patrol for speeding or erratic driving. When this happens highway patrol sometimes exercise leniency and let the driver off with a warning, saying, ‘Save the racing for track day.’ This brings me to the matter of Sandown Raceway. This area has recently been rezoned to prepare for the racing complex to be converted to much-needed housing. Whilst I welcome this move for more housing close to public transport, my motorsport enthusiast constituents are wondering where they will be able to practice these track days, which they have come to prefer over street racing and hooning. My question for the minister is: does the government have a plan for facilitating motorsport events previously hosted by Sandown Park at another suitable and preferably nearby location?