Mr DEAN ( Windermere ) - Madam President, I thank the honourable member for Rosevears for his nice words. I must admit it is good to be back but I have been struggling a bit with my health since I have been back. Hopefully, I will get on top of that shortly.

Launceston Aquatic Centre opened with great fanfare on Friday night, 22 May. The honourable members, Don Wing, Kerry Finch, Greg Hall and Tania Rattray Wagner were all there and experienced the event. It was very hot but it was an absolutely wonderful opening to that establishment.

The aquatic centre has already been hailed as Australia's best. It provides a new experience for the people of Tasmania and visitors to the State. It is a magnificent facility, Madam President. However, it did not come easily; it came with considerable opposition but, I must admit, the support was greater. It came with tears, emotions, highs and lows, applause, derision - it really had the lot. However, Ian Thorpe and Shane Gould have given their stamp of approval to this centre and a stamp of approval to those who fought so hard to get it at the end. Persistence, vision and the right will of a number of people saw this project come to fruition. While some lost years from their lives, many of those years were restored on Friday night with the grand opening.

Not all would know but in the critical council meeting when this was determined, the vote was in fact 7:4 and five against. There was one vote in that establishment being built or not being built. The Windmill Hill site is steeped in history, Madam President, and it has been a lot of things over a number of years, including a government site; an industrial area; Victoria Square; a colonial sports area; a memorial community centre, which it still is; and a swimming centre.

Mr Wilkinson - There was a lot of support from Swimming Tasmania, too, as you probably know.

Mr DEAN - Absolutely, they were right behind this project.

In June 1834 the erection of a telegraph was completed, a signal station provided for communication to Mount Direction, to George Town, and hence on to the Pilot Station at Low Head, Madam President. In 1857 electric telegraph made installation redundant. It was an agricultural site and went through the other phases I have referred to. On 27 April 1867 the first game of footy was played at Windmill Hill and that was later relocated to the NTCA Ground.

Mr Harriss - How did you go?

Mr DEAN - Richmond was probably there and probably lost.

The turn of the century in fact saw golf being played on this site as well. They would have had some distance to follow the wayward balls, I would have thought, down over the banks but it was played there. It became an important area following the Second World War. It became a living memorial for those who served in the Second World War. In December 1955 the decision was made to build the previous pool and to the day, 50 years on, the demolition started and the rebuilding of the new pool commenced, the Launceston Aquatic Centre. At a cost of $26.3 million, the State Government provided $5.3 million; the Federal Government, $6 million and the Launceston City Council, unfortunately, will have to fund the remainder, which is about $15 million and will be paid over a number of generations to recover that debt. It was built on time and on budget, and that was the wonderful thing about this whole thing.

I want to particularly recognise three main players in this whole thing - not the aldermen, not those other people but the General Manager, Frank Dixon, who played a pivotal role and was magnificent, Rod Sweetnam, the Director of Resident and Leisure Services, who played a big part in this pool moving forward and, of course, Chris Zidac who has been mentioned and referred to on a number of occasions, the city architect and project manager, who lived, worked and breathed this pool over a long period and hence the pool came to fruition.

Madam President, it offers everything - the pool, the play area, the centres, the swimming facilities, the lot. When I asked yesterday how the pool was performing, Chris Zidac said to me, 'It's chockers, Ivan, it's chockers'. And he said the licensed restaurant was doing magnificent business. So it is wonderful to see that happening. I congratulate all of those people who were involved in this pool moving forward. It will be a magnificent -

Mr Aird - And the State Government's contribution -

Mr DEAN - I mentioned that; obviously you were not listening. I mentioned the State Government's contribution and the Federal contribution and we are very thankful to the State for that.

Mr Wing - Also, the former mayor who pushed this very hard.

Madam PRESIDENT - And whose time is about up. Do not allow them to take you off track.

Mr DEAN - It is. Thank you, Madam President. I say to everybody in this Chamber, please make use of this pool, please visit the pool when you are in Launceston; you will be blown away by the experience that you will have.