Page 3782 - Week 14 - Thursday, 10 December 1992
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MS SZUTY (11.04): Madam Speaker, members will recall that on 22 October I moved a motion which asked the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure to investigate and report on recommendations to the Assembly on the possible uses of the $19m casino premium, having regard, as the chairman has stated, to the report of the Select Committee on Cultural Activities and Facilities, dated June 1991, and the ACT Government's stated objective to commit the funds to cultural and heritage facilities, and to report by this day, Thursday, 10 December 1992. I am delighted to confirm that the committee has completed its task in what has been an effective and efficient manner, with the assistance of the inquiry staff mentioned by all the other speakers - Mr Rod Power, Ms Karen Pearce and Ms Katrina Wilson. We have arrived at seven recommendations, as outlined by the chairman, regarding the expenditure of the $19m casino premium, and I would like to comment briefly on each of the recommendations in turn.
Recommendation No. 1 is that $2.5m of the casino premium be allocated to assist in the provision of an Aboriginal keeping place. There is no doubt that the committee afforded the highest priority to the provision of an Aboriginal keeping place proposed by both the Ngunnawal Aboriginal people and the Bogong Regional Council. It has been estimated that $3m will be needed to establish the keeping place, and the committee has been mindful that money for the project may be forthcoming from the Commonwealth. It is noted that 1993 is the International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples and that the ACT is one of the last remaining, if not the last remaining, States or Territories to establish a keeping place for its local Aboriginal community.
Recommendation No. 2 is that $2.75m of the casino premium be allocated to regional centres in the ACT for the development of cultural facilities and activities. Many of the people who appeared at the public hearing of the committee, both individuals and representatives from various groups and organisations, recommended that a trust fund be established to facilitate the growth of the arts, and that this growth should most appropriately occur within the regional centres of the ACT, particularly Belconnen, Woden-Weston and Tuggeranong, and, in the future, Gungahlin. It is recommended that $2.75m of the casino premium be set aside for this purpose of facilitating the growth of the arts throughout Canberra. The committee noted the many diverse requests for funding, and believes that a further consultative process will facilitate the appropriate distribution of these moneys, enabling all local community arts groups and organisations, including school groups, to apply for these funds.
Recommendation No. 3 is that $1.5m of the casino premium be devoted to the Natex site. The committee acknowledged the current poor condition of the Natex site and has recommended that $1.5m be spent on essential maintenance and a basic refurbishment program. I believe that the committee appreciated hearing about the wide range of activities, functions and festivals which take place on the Natex site and the revenue which Natex generates which contributes to the ACT economy.
Recommendation No. 4 relates to the land use policies in the Childers Street/Kingsley Street area. This recommendation acknowledges the view expressed by many people, who again appeared at the public hearing, which called for mixed use developments which would again enhance the growth and sustainability of cultural activities in the ACT. Particular attention has been drawn to the Childers Street vicinity, which is ideally situated to meet the needs of cultural facilities that require a city based location in the future.
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