Page 3773 - Week 14 - Thursday, 10 December 1992
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Thursday, 10 December 1992
__________________________
MADAM SPEAKER (Ms McRae) took the chair at 10.30 am and read the prayer.
PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE -
STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on Casino Premium
MR LAMONT (10.31): It is with much pleasure that, pursuant to order, I present the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure's report No. 9, "Inquiry Into the Possible Use of the $19m Casino Premium", together with extracts of the minutes of proceedings. I move:
That the report be noted.
The investigation of the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure into the possible uses of the casino premium had to consider the report of the Select Committee on Cultural Activities and Facilities of June 1991 and the ACT Government's stated objective to commit the funds to cultural and heritage facilities. This committee examined the select committee's report in great detail in relation to possible uses of the casino premium, and a summary of each submission to that committee is provided as an appendix in our report.
The committee acknowledged that certain developments have occurred since the select committee reported, altering the perspective of the casino premium inquiry. Firstly, the casino has been sited away from section 19, Civic, thereby removing the focus the casino was to originally provide for the cultural centre proposed for section 19. Secondly, a new community theatre is under construction at the corner of Childers Street and University Avenue, providing an alternative axis for the development of cultural facilities. Thirdly, the Legislative Assembly has decided to site its permanent home in South Building on section 19. Finally, the Cultural Council has been established to advise the ACT Government on cultural matters.
The committee was certainly not short of suggestions from the community on how to spend the casino premium, and the committee thanks the 68 groups and individuals who made submissions. The committee believed that it was important to summarise the key elements of each submission within the body of the report, and this is done in chapter 2. The committee believes that this summary will assist the community to understand the diversity and range of cultural pursuits that exist in the ACT.
The committee adopted a very broad definition of the term "culture" to look beyond the fine arts and to examine culture at all levels. The community also took a broad interpretation of the committee's terms of reference, including requests for funding of correctional facilities, public housing and expanding concessions for low income earners.
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