Page 1714 - Week 06 - Thursday, 3 June 2021
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Also, this is a good opportunity to remind the community that arts activities funding is available year round. That includes up to $5,000 for projects, which artists can apply for at any time during the year. In addition to that, there are two rounds of funding available for activities, of between $5,000 and $50,000. The round for that has just re-opened two days ago and closes at the end of July, and I strongly encourage artists and creatives from right across the community to engage with that.
I can also inform members that all details about funding and other opportunities are available on the artsACT website. I would strongly encourage anyone interested to look at the creative recovery and resilience program, which is providing a very wide range of innovative and new opportunities for artists particularly to engage with the city, with government directorates and with businesses in different ways, which is another opportunity too.
Planning—green waste
MR CAIN: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, I have received numerous calls and emails from constituents about the closure of the green waste facility in Belconnen at the end of this month—more engagement than any other issue that I have dealt with thus far. In a letter to you, the operators of the facility have proposed a number of potential solutions, such as extending the lease and alternative sites in Belconnen. The operators have also made it clear that their Mitchell green waste facility is almost at capacity. Minister, have you read the letter from the operators outlining alternative options to ensure this service can continue in Belconnen? If so, what is your response?
MR STEEL: I thank Mr Cain for his question. As I have stated, the ACT government is undertaking a review of the provision of waste facilities in the north of Canberra. We understand that this is a growing region and we are investigating what options might be available. We have not ruled out potentially providing the acceptance of green waste at the Mitchell Resource Management Centre, for example. There are currently drop-off points both at CSG on Vicars Street in Mitchell and at Weilwun Landscape Supplies on Morisset Road in Michell. Both of those have fees that apply.
What we have done in recent years is we have rolled out the green waste collection service to every household that wants a bin and we have committed also to extend that to food waste. That is an important service that did not exist before in Canberra. In the past, the only way you could get rid of your green waste was to go to a collection point. Things have changed dramatically, and we have taken that into account in our future planning. We have not ruled out potential additional drop-off sites on the north side, but we are waiting for the review to come in. There is the availability, we understand, at those sites that I have mentioned to drop off waste if people do not want to go to Mugga Lane and drop it off for free.
That is the process that we have been engaged with. The reason why we have had to stop this service is the longstanding commitment, as part of the work that is being undertaken to develop Ginninderry, that block 1586 will be turned into open space with parkland, a sports field and other suitable features, which are going to be fantastic recreational facilities for the whole north of Canberra to use. Of course, we
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