Page 4635 - Week 15 - Thursday, 21 November 1991
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This Government maintains that the principles of social justice must be applied as much in cultural activities as in other areas of community and government activity. In stark contrast with some activities in this Assembly and the different opinions opposite, we maintain a genuine commitment to the principle and practice of consultation with the community on all aspects of government affecting the life of the community.
The opportunity exists now for the Government of the ACT to make a lasting and beneficial impression on the development of arts and culture in our city-State. Concurrently, the opportunity also exists to remove some of the administrative inefficiencies which we inherited with self- government.
Of the 74 committee recommendations, the key one is that a broad community-based cultural advisory council should be established. The Follett Government intends to create immediately just such an ACT cultural council. This landmark initiative fulfils an ACT Labor Party pledge to the arts community of Canberra and to the community as a whole. The 15, or thereabouts, members of the new ACT cultural council will provide advice to the Government on a range of cultural issues and specific advice on strategic directions for the development of cultural activities and facilities throughout the Territory.
This new peak advisory body will have wide ranging terms of reference. It will be expected to foster and encourage excellence and achievement in the arts and cultural activities. It will be expected to promote the development and continued growth of a creative, diverse and dynamic cultural sector in the ACT, with appropriate input from the community. It will encourage both public and private sectors to support cultural activities in the ACT, and promote the social and economic benefits of the arts. And the ACT cultural council will be expected to maintain effective relationships with the Australia Council and regional bodies, the universities and cultural societies and enterprises.
Lest anyone fear that the ACT cultural council might become a haven for vested interests, I wish to stress to the Assembly that its members will reflect broad rather than specific cultural interests and will not represent, as of right, any particular organisation or institution. I stress also that the Government's commitments to gender equity and to community consultation and representation will be observed.
Mr Speaker, as I mentioned a few moments ago, concurrent with the establishment of a new cultural advisory body, the opportunity also exists to rid ourselves of some of the administrative inefficiencies which we inherited with self-government. This Government believes that, in order to achieve better administrative effectiveness and efficiency, many arts and cultural functions presently located
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