Page 1211 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 August 1989
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performance or display of cultural works;
(b) the extent to which library facilities meet the needs of the community;
(c) priorities for determining the nature, size, funding and use of future cultural facilities, including the facilities proposed for Section 19, taking into account the level of activity and needs of the ACT cultural community;
(d) Commonwealth financial assistance for those facilities which fulfil national functions; and
(e) such other matters relating to cultural facilities within the ACT which the committee considers should be drawn to the attention of the Assembly;
(2) the committee shall report on the first sitting day after 30 April 1990;
(3) the committee shall consist of Mr Duby, Mr Humphries, Mr Moore and Mr Wood;
(4) the majority of members constitutes a quorum of the committee;
(5) additional staff, facilities and resources be provided to service this committee; and
(6) the foregoing provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.
Mr Speaker, whatever else can be said about it, the Government's proposal for the inclusion of a library and lyric theatre in the redevelopment of section 19 does show a commendable commitment to ensuring that Canberra's artistic and cultural communities are not left completely out in the cold. However, it is not as simple as that.
Often we look at past reports and recommendations, and only those of us without any real appreciation of the depth, complexity and vitality of a local cultural scene - I am sure there is no-one like that in this Assembly; I am sure that we are all fully aware of those aspects - could assume that a few new theatres, a library and perhaps a gallery might answer Canberra's growing cultural needs.
I do not wish, Mr Speaker, to argue against these kinds of additional facilities, whether they are planned for section 19 or anywhere else, but limiting our investment in that way reveals a very narrow view of what culture is, or at least what aspects of local culture we should be supporting. New theatres may help our local theatrical groups and industry. New theatres which may be too large or too expensive to run will be of no real use to local semi-professional or community groups. A gallery somewhere might help the more traditional sectors with visual arts, but what about the rest - the film-makers, the artists who work with video, the computer graphics people and so on who have different requirements for the way in which their work is to be displayed.
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