Fed: Australia Post named Commonwealth Games sponsor

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2005
Fed: Australia Post named Commonwealth Games sponsor

By Sharon Mathieson and Shelley Markham

CANBERRA, April 17 AAP - Australia Post has been named as a major sponsor of the Melbourne
2006 Commonwealth Games as well as the official courier of Games tickets.

Melbourne 2006 Games chief executive John Harnden welcomed Australia Post's commitment
to the event and urged Australians to enter the ticket ballot by Friday to be in the race
to get the best tickets.

"We look forward to working closely with Australia Post to efficiently deliver the
Games tickets," he said in a statement.

"We also encourage everyone to enter the ticket ballot online by 22 April, 2005, to
ensure they have a chance to get the best tickets to the best events at Games time."

Australia Post managing director Graeme John said the company was proud to support
the Australian team and to be part of the Melbourne Games.

"We look forward to lending our support to the Games and continuing our ongoing commitment
to major community initiatives and supporting Australian athletes competing at the world's
premier sporting events," he said.

With less than a week to go until the ticket ballot closes, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth
Games Corporation said today that 80 per cent of the applications it had received so far
were from Victoria.

Mr Harnden said at today's sponsorship announcement the tickets in highest demand were
those for events such as track cycling, swimming, gymnastics and basketball.

"Ticketing's going fantastically well, we're very pleased, we've had applications coming
in at a rate of over 100,000 a week ... and that's starting to ramp up more as we get
closer to the ballot closing," Mr Harnden said.

Victorian Swimmer Giaan Rooney and diver Loudy Tourky said their families had applied
for tickets to the games.

"They've applied for the opening and closing ceremonies, and of course my diving events,"

Tourky said.

"I think Melbourne will do the Commonwealth Games really well, and mum and dad as well
as my grandma will see me compete for the first time internationally," Rooney said.

The Commonwealth Games will run from March 15 to 26 next year.

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KEYWORD: COM06 POST NIGHTLEAD

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