Page 755 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 24 March 1993
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Let us look at other possibilities. We have a lake that surely could take more than a couple of tourist boats. There are islands on the lake that surely could be looked at for tourism and cultural uses. We have some very fine architects and planners who, I am sure, would love to suggest appropriate recreational uses of these islands without spoiling the general beauty of the lake. We could have boats taking tourists and locals back and forth to those islands, creating an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment and a much less sterile image of the lake. This would result in jobs.
Why not look at the possibility of a chairlift from one of the islands to, say, the top of Black Mountain? The vista would be spectacular and the ride exhilarating. The sight of the chairlift would not necessarily detract from the landscape. It would show activity and it would show that we are a fun city. There is such a thing, by the way, in the city of Grenoble in France and they call it the Telefirique. This sort of thing would result in jobs. Why can we not have a Shakespearian Globe Theatre, which I know was mooted a few years ago? We could be the Shakespearian centre of the nation, an international attraction. This would mean jobs.
Canberry Fair could be a major tourist information centre, utilising trainee students in tourism and hospitality to run the information and fast food outlets. There could be mini exhibitions of what you can see and do in Canberra - for instance, the National Museum, the National Film and Sound Archive, the National Gallery, the War Memorial, the Science and Technology Centre, Cockington Green and so on. This new-look Canberry Fair could, indeed, be an attraction in itself. I believe that Canberry Fair will reopen again shortly, but the suggestions I am making may ensure that this time it remains open, and this would mean jobs.
The Yarralumla Woolshed could become a working museum of the wool industry, with shearing, wool spinning, wool classing, wool pressing and a history of Canberra's early beginnings as sheep stations. This would mean jobs. The powerhouse at Kingston could be a national attraction. It could be the oldest working powerhouse open to the public to see. It is the oldest building in Canberra. This would mean jobs. These are some ideas that could really capture the imagination of industry and community alike, and create jobs and wealth for Canberra. It would also make a tremendous impact on the perception of the national capital not only as a place of great dignity and symbolism as our national capital but also as a place of fun.
In terms of other industries, I would really like to see some boldness in our planning of this city. We really should be saying to industry, "Go for it". I really like the idea of a tram running down Northbourne Avenue. It is romantic. It is a different image. It is a welcoming image. It would mean jobs. I really like the idea of an urban village where your place of work can be near where you live, where you can eat out just down the road, where you can meet friends and make new ones. I like these images. Let us do it. It would mean jobs.
We must get behind the VFT project - I mean really get behind it - and give it a big push. We should be advocating it loud and clear rather than waiting for the other States to take the initiative. The VFT would have enormous benefits for the ACT, as Kerry Stokes said yesterday in his great address. We should be going for it. We have bipartisan agreement to do so. Let us do it. It would mean jobs.
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