Page 1338 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 16 April 1991
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The minutes also clearly reflect that the fence was to be demountable, not permanent. Despite this, the debate on Stage '88 has been consistently sidetracked into an argument about the impact of a permanent fence - even tonight. Quite rightly, the then National Capital Development Commission and, later, the National Capital Planning Authority voiced opposition to permanent fencing in the park. Both planning bodies did agree to demountable fencing, plus a small amount of permanent fencing in areas that would not impede movement. In February 1988 the NCDC wrote:
The Commission still maintains the view that temporary fencing is the preferred solution but recognises that this would prove impracticable along certain sections of the perimeter due to sloping ground and existing plantings.
Furthermore, on 30 October 1989, the new NCPA agreed to a mix of some permanent but mainly temporary fencing. Chief Executive Lindsay Neilsen wrote:
Stage '88 is an important asset to the enjoyment of the performing arts in Canberra; in order for it to pay for itself and to continue successfully, there is a recognised need to introduce some form of crowd control.
In November 1990 the NCPA reaffirmed its support for the project. The issue of the Stage '88 fence and the unexpended funds was brought to my attention as Minister for the Arts early last year. In March 1990 I referred the matter to the chairman of the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure for advice. After consideration, the committee decided to adopt the issue of the fence as a formal reference and released its report in June 1990.
The Government is most appreciative of the work that the committee did on this matter. The committee heard submissions from government officers and called for written submissions from interested members of the public. The Government agrees fully with the committee's understanding of the arguments in favour of the fence; that is, firstly, that:
The fence was a unit of the original proposal for the music bowl in Commonwealth Park as the Commonwealth's bicentenary gift to the people of the ACT.
I refer members once again to the debate on 11 February 1986 in the then House of Assembly when the fence was incontrovertibly linked to the original decision to proceed with Stage '88. The committee found that the second argument in favour of the fence was:
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