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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (3 September) . . Page.. 1900 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

young people, their contribution and their achievements during a youth-in-focus day of celebration. We have selected a well-known group in Canberra, the YWCA, to coordinate the event. Currently the Office of Community and Youth Development are having discussions with the YWCA on activities, events and timings for the day of celebration.

I think it should be an excellent day. The last two youth weeks, especially the one in 1997, were particularly good. We are getting more and more young people involved. The diversity of activities, especially in 1997, was excellent. A lot of people can be commended for that, including the various people on the Youth Advisory Committee, who put in a lot of effort. Unfortunately, they felt that they did not have the time to be involved to the same extent this year. Hence, when we found out that Commonwealth and State/Territory negotiations about a national youth week event had been delayed, we decided, in consultation with the committee, to opt for a youth day. I am very confident that the result of what will be a very successful day will see the youth week reactivated next year. Mr Corbell, I understand that the idea of a national youth week is still there, although it looks like it may not occur now until 2000.

MR CORBELL: I am pleased to hear the Minister's reassurance that youth week will be restored next year. Can the Minister confirm that youth week this year was a victim of cuts to his department's budget?

MR STEFANIAK: No, it certainly was not a result of any cuts or any efficiencies or anything like that. Youth week has not exactly cost us a huge amount of money. I think last year it was something in the order of $10,000. A youth day, if my memory serves me correctly, does not involve a huge amount of money. In fact, we get some good support. We try to get support from various sponsors. We are actively involving more of the business community. I think it would have been great had we had a national youth week in August, as was planned two years ago. Canberra probably leads the way in how we organise youth week. It is getting bigger and better. In a way, it is a bit of a shame that we are only having a youth day, but I still think that will be an excellent event. I look forward to a youth week next year. I hope the idea of a national youth week does not go out the window. I understand the year 2000 is now being looked at for that. Regardless of whether that goes ahead or not, we will certainly be having a youth week in 1999.

MS TUCKER: My question, directed to the Minister for Urban Services, concerns his responsibility for planning in the ACT. At the Manuka LAPAC meeting this week, the owners of the Manuka cinema complex presented a proposal to expand the number of its cinemas from three to six. We also have on the table the proposal for eight cinemas in the expanded Canberra Centre. These new cinemas are on top of the large cinema complexes that have been built in recent years in the Belconnen and Tuggeranong town centres. It now seems that we are developing a cinema war in Canberra to match the retail war between the town centres which is exacerbating the oversupply of retail space in this city. In the retail war, the local shopping centres have been the casualties.

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