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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (22 September) . . Page.. 2011 ..

Mr Stanhope: No, it will not.

MS CARNELL: It will not, but hopefully you will, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: I will.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, in 1994-95, the then Labor Government, Mr Berry and his mob, spent - wait for this - $45.70 per person on arts and culture. Again, Mr Speaker, these are not my figures but Australian Bureau of Statistics figures. Under this Government, in 1996-97, just two years later, we had increased that to $66.70. In other words, Mr Speaker, not only does the ACT spend 60 per cent more on arts and culture than the State and Territory average, but it actually boosted funding per capita by 45 per cent compared to Labor.

Mr Hird: How much?

MS CARNELL: Forty-five per cent increase compared to that mob opposite. So much for the comments that they have been making in the media and in this place. Let me say once again, just for the record, Mr Berry: It was a 45 per cent increase under this Government. Bear in mind that all of this comes from the same government that, according to the Greens and the Labor Party, has turned Canberra into a cultural wasteland. Mr Speaker, that cultural wasteland is receiving 45 per cent more than they provided. In summary, Mr Hird, the answer to your question is that the claims by the Labor Party are wrong - and I should say embarrassingly wrong for them.

There is one other issue that I want to raise in answering the question, Mr Speaker, and it concerns the Government's record on funding capital projects in the cultural area. Mr Speaker, I read a budget handout issued by the former Labor Government in 1994-95. I think Mr Wood was the Minister for the Arts at the time. It was interesting, Mr Speaker, because under the heading "Funding of cultural activities" it listed a number of initiatives in relation to capital works. What was the first on the list? The first was the Playhouse project, Mr Speaker. Did Labor build it? Did they even plan it? No, Mr Speaker; this Government did. The next one on Mr Wood's list was the Cultural and Heritage Centre - or the Canberra Museum, as we like to call it. Mr Speaker, did Labor build it? Did they even plan it? No; this Government did. How about the performing arts complex at Hawker College, listed next on the initiative list. Did Labor build it, Mr Speaker? No; this Government built it. Then we ended up with the Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre. Mr Speaker, did they build it? No, they did not build that either, Mr Speaker.

Mr Wood: Plough on.

MS CARNELL: Oh, Mr Speaker - - -

MR SPEAKER: Ignore the interjections. You are doing very well, actually. I might have to ask you to repeat the entire answer very shortly. With all the noise, I cannot hear it.

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