Page 1217 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 August 1989
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but I have met them - about half a dozen famous women authors. They are in Canberra. What impact must it have across the nation that we have this clearly identified group of people working here in Canberra? Outside of the college of the arts, I am not sure that we have produced yet an artist, a painter, who has made a national reputation. Perhaps that is something that is not too far away. There is a lot out there in the arts world that I am sure we do not fully appreciate.
In particular, I want to look at the effect that the arts can have on the tourist industry. We were told on the casino inquiry that people will come to watch theatre, and they are promoting the Royal Theatre and the Theatre Centre within a radius of 100 or so miles and they are bringing parties to Canberra. The arts, in a variety of areas, may have a very considerable impact. What impact does Cuppacumbalong have on the tourist industry, on people coming into Canberra, and the other very fine arts outlets in the ACT? So these are two aspects, Mr Jensen, that I will be taking a particular interest in.
There is another area which is of continuing interest from the casino inquiry, and that is what is going to happen over the road on section 19. For me, as I said in my speech in the casino debate, the focus of section 19 is not that fairly ordinary thing - a casino - but the arts complex. To me, the arts complex is the major part of what happens over there, hence it is very important to see what we are going to get. I acknowledge that there appears to be very considerable difficulty in expecting we are going to have a library, an arts space, three theatres, a plaza and whatever else has been touted at various times. If that is the case, we have to look very, very carefully at what we are to do.
Do we build up a major lyric theatre, with 2,000 seats, that probably caters for a very broad section of the community and, as claimed, will bring in major productions, or do we provide for the smaller theatre spaces that may be the ones that will cater for the community theatre groups though maybe not take in so many people? What are our priorities there? If we are not to have three theatres, which theatres do we have?
The library must surely play a very significant part. It has been the longest on the drawing board when we have been talking about the benefits to be derived from the casino. We cannot ignore that. So I would see the committee as having a very important role in making recommendations to the Government about the types of arts facilities that we will finish up with on section 19.
I do not share the unbounded confidence of Murray Edmonds. We met the gentleman in Adelaide. He is a fine person and, I think, like all theatre people, someone filled with enthusiasm. I guess that sort of enthusiasm is needed if you are going to survive in the entertainment, theatre and
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