Page 4992 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I know, as the former Minister, that there were as many headaches over allocation of resources in the arts area as there were in some respects in areas of education and health, and that will not go away, of course. But that is a healthy sign. I would rather have an intensely competitive arts scene in the ACT than one where the Government was needing to use a cattle prod, figuratively speaking, to get action and innovation. That certainly is not a problem in our Territory. We should be pleased about that and we should welcome the efforts made by the Government to make sure that that dynamic scenario continues.
Of course, there is also funding in this budget for capital works, including the construction, I assume, of the new replacement small theatre. That is very welcome news. The ACT's need for that small theatre was very great. I strongly urge the Minister to progress that particular initiative as quickly as he can, as fast as he can, and as far as he can.
DR KINLOCH (11.40): May I also include Ms Maher in my list of people who fought for those schools. Thank you, Ms Maher.
I would like to endorse Mr Humphries' comments. Particularly, I would like to thank Mr Wood, not only for leading the committee which produced the report on the arts, but then, after becoming Minister, immediately setting about trying to see that some of those recommendations are going to be carried into practice.
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (11.41): Mr Speaker, I thank members for their complimentary remarks. We probably have a fairly bipartisan approach to the arts. I think the ACT community, and it is reflected in this Assembly, recognises the enormous benefit of the arts to the Territory; the great role they can play in drawing it together, in giving us a better feel for life, and doing so much more for people, individually and collectively. I thank you for your remarks. I indicate that I hope to be doing a great deal more yet.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
Department of Health
Proposed expenditure - Division 260 - Hospital Services, $169,839,100
MR HUMPHRIES (11.42): Mr Speaker, we have had plenty of discussion also on the question of health and hospital services in recent weeks. There is probably not much that I can profitably say at 11.45 pm, but I think it is worth reflecting once more - - -
Ms Follett: It has been said before.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .