Page 1062 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 April 1994
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We on this side of the house also welcome the way in which the new Minister, Mr Lamont, has consulted with the Opposition in the very limited time that he has been in this portfolio. We think that is a refreshing change as well. I also welcome the way Mr Jim Service, the chairman of the ACT 2000 Committee, has been consulting with members of both parties in this Assembly. Madam Speaker, we congratulate Mr Lamont on the Government's initiative in doing what it has done today. We look forward to seeing what the fruits of that initiative will be. Quite obviously, we will be cooperating as much as we can to make sure that it all happens for the ACT.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
PAPER
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning): Madam Speaker, for the information of members, I present the Canberra Institute of Technology annual report 1993, together with the financial statement and the Auditor-General's report.
OFFICE OF CULTURE AND HERITAGE
Ministerial Statement
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning): Madam Speaker, I ask for leave of the Assembly to make a ministerial statement on the establishment of an ACT Office of Culture and Heritage.
Leave granted.
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I support Mr Lamont's statement relating to the need for separate administrative arrangements for sport, recreation and racing and for culture and heritage in recognition of the growing contribution they make to our community's lifestyle. The establishment of a separate Office of Culture and Heritage will ensure a dedicated focus on an agenda which, like sport, is continuing to grow. Many of the initiatives arising out of the arts, museums, galleries and heritage portfolio reflect our community's maturity and a growing sense of our own Canberra identity.
A strategic framework for the arts following the document Sharing the Vision is in place. This plan underpins many of the developments which will occur in the years to come and provides a basis for effective and creative relationships between the Government and the local arts community. Our emerging sense of local identity will be the focus for a newly established Office of Culture and Heritage to develop strategies to harness the community's enthusiasm and work towards a very tangible realisation of our vision for a Canberra community identity.
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