Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 3 Hansard (28 May) . . Page.. 738 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

involved interviews with representatives from over 30 Canberra associations, departments and agencies that participated in the 1998 festival. These interviews were conducted immediately after the 1998 festival and went through until late April this year. I would like to thank all of those who gave their time and ideas to the production of this follow-up report.

These face-to-face interviews were matched with research on a range of national and international festivals, such as the Adelaide and Edinburgh festivals, to identify trends in similar events so that Canberra's national multicultural festival can develop against a background of world's best practice. The resulting report on the 1998 festival is a very comprehensive document that suggests improvements for next year's festival season, identifies possible new events and recommends a strategic direction for future festivals.

Mr Speaker, I am pleased to provide members with a copy of this report. I certainly ask members, if they have a bit of time, to have a look at it. I can assure members that, in the national multicultural festival, Canberra has an event to focus national and international attention on this city. To ensure that the festival continues to do this, the Government believes that the festival should develop in a strategic direction which involves a number of steps.

Firstly, Mr Speaker, the festival should have a very clear objective, and that should be to promote an appreciation and understanding of the culturally diverse experiences of all Australia's communities through display and performance. We should use the festival and its experiences to bring Australians together and to make us proud of where we are from and where we are heading as a community. The festival must grow into a premium event in Australia's cultural calendar and become increasingly national in scope. It should continue to be available to all sections of the community to attend and to participate in. It should remain primarily an arts-based festival exploring traditional and contemporary culture and engage the issue of multiculturalism at a variety of levels.

The Government believes that Canberra's ethnic communities will continue to provide the foundation for future festivals and their efforts will be reinforced by quality interstate and international cultural contributions. The festival will continue to work with Canberra's high commissions and embassies to bring an international dimension to future festivals. To establish itself as a sustainable long-term national event, the festival needs to develop a balance between government, sponsorship, community and commercial funding. The Government sees the festival growing so that it contributes to Canberra's economic and tourism development. The ACT Government is pleased to support the national multicultural festival. We encourage and congratulate the Ethnic Communities Council and Canberra's ethnic communities on the success of this year's event and we look forward to seeing the festival establish itself as a landmark event in Australia's cultural and tourist calendar.

Mr Speaker, I commend the review of the 1998 national multicultural festival to members' attention. I think it is important in this forum to particularly thank the multicultural and international affairs branch of my department, and particularly Mr Nic Manikis, whose own personal commitment to this festival really did make it the success that it was. I have mentioned Mr Dominic Mico, who did an amazing job and put

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .