Page 3118 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992
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MS ELLIS: Members may recall that a few months ago there was some debate over the funding or otherwise of the festival this year. As a result of some discussions that were held with the Minister, Mr Wood, it was decided that the funding would go ahead. I can assure Mr Wood that, on the response of the community in the Tuggeranong Valley last weekend, not only was that a very good decision, but also he is going to have to make an even harder one next year, and that is to consider increasing that funding slightly on the basis of the success of the festival. The festival went for five days, from 11 to 15 November. It involved a very wide range of activities aimed at almost every sector of the community. That range of activities included things like a fun run, dragon boat races, art shows, clowns and Punch and Judy for the children. Local school bands participated. There was a film gala night. Chamber music concerts were given. There were drama productions, sporting events as part of the normal local sporting competitions in the valley, rock-and-roll dances, and country music. Everything was there.
The main theme of the festival was on the Sunday, last Sunday being family day. I do not think I would be exaggerating to say that thousands of people attended. It was held around the lake and the foreshores of the award winning Tuggeranong Town Centre. There is a particular reason for drawing attention to that. We are fortunate in the valley that we have a perfect facility in which to hold such a thing as a community festival. Not only do we have that facility, but also the community helped us use it. I think it is very good for government to see that you can create these environments, but it is very rewarding to see them so well utilised. The weekend finished on Sunday evening with a concert. I think it was by Elton John, but people tell me that it was someone called Elton Jack. You could not get near that place for people. At the end of that there was a fireworks display for 15 minutes over the other side of the lake. I would like to commend to all members of the Assembly the people listed on this document for their participation. In standing here and commending the committee, I do so acknowledging that my part was very minimal and that the hard work was done by the rest of the committee and the sponsors and the backers on the day, particularly on Sunday. They are the people we should applaud, and I do that.
Tuggeranong Community Festival
MR DE DOMENICO (10.44): Madam Speaker, I rise very briefly to endorse the comments made by Ms Ellis as a fellow Tuggeranong resident and someone who did participate with my wife and children on Sunday, in particular. I was delighted to hear a little band called Double Jeopardy, for example, that played old fifties and sixties rock-and-roll, and country and western music. I think that Ms Ellis does not do herself justice by minimising the work that she has done on this committee. She has been on this committee for a couple of years now. She has worked very hard, as have all the other members on the committee. There ought to be a lot more occasions when we can stand up in a bipartisan way and congratulate someone for a job well done. Quite honestly, the best gauge of the success of things like a community festival is to see the smiles and the happy faces of those who participated. I commend the committee for its work. May Mr Wood listen very hard to the recommendation made to him by Ms Ellis. Hopefully the Tuggeranong festival will be bigger and better next year because of the extra government funds that will be provided to make sure that the community enjoy themselves.
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