Page 1080 - Week 04 - Thursday, 22 April 2021
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MR GENTLEMAN: Madam Speaker, yes, I was in Belconnen long before Mr Cain came to Belconnen. I know it quite well. Certainly, I would be interested in visiting Belconnen again, as I do, almost every week, every now and again.
Arts—dementia-friendly access
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for the Arts. Minister, on 2 March 2021, I wrote to you regarding the need for better accessibility at the Canberra Museum and Gallery for people living with dementia, in particular the need to improve a ramp that leads to one of the gallery spaces. On 8 April 2021, you responded, saying that the feedback provided will allow CMAG to work with an access expert to explore ways of overcoming the depth perception issue and improving the functionality of the ramp. Minister, can you advise exactly when people living with dementia, their carers and their families can expect to be able to access CMAG without the danger of this low visibility ramp?
MS CHEYNE: I thank Ms Lawder for the question, and I thank her for writing to me and bringing this issue to my attention and to CMAG’s attention. I also note the very important debate that was had yesterday regarding what we can do right across the city to ensure that we are a dementia-friendly city, which we are committed to in the parliamentary and governing agreement.
I note that I responded to Ms Lawder, as she noted as well, on 8 April. I have since done another tour of CMAG, and I saw the ramp for myself. The latest advice that I have about that, noting that this is quite recent correspondence, in the last fortnight, is that CMAG is taking this issue very seriously and is looking at what it can do to improve this experience. When I have further details, I will report back to Ms Lawder and the Assembly.
MS LAWDER: A supplementary question. Minister, how many other ACT government art institutions are not dementia friendly?
MS CHEYNE: I thank Ms Lawder for the follow-up question. Generally, these institutions reflect the period that they were created or built in. I would have to take that question on notice to determine whether there are some other things that we can look at across our highly valued arts institutions. I am willing to take a deeper look and get back to Ms Lawder on some other improvements that might be able to be made, if they do, in fact, need to be made.
DR PATERSON: A supplementary. Minister, can you detail who is able to apply for the Amp It Up! grants?
Mrs Jones: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: what is the relationship to the question about dementia-friendly ramps at arts institutions?
DR PATERSON: It is to the Minister for the Arts.
Mrs Jones: Minister, the question—
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