Page 1016 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 15 March 2005
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A balloon fiesta each morning of the 10 days will festoon, and has already festooned, Canberra’s skyline, with over 50 balloons of various sizes and shapes from across the world. All of us, I am sure, would have seen the spectacular photo in this morning’s Canberra Times of the balloons over the lake and the National Museum. The Canberra Connect community bike ride will give the opportunity for hundreds to participate in a leisurely ride around the city. The Circus of the Air, presented by the ACT government and ActewAGL, will create a 19th century carnival feel, reminiscent of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. Held from March 19 to 21, the circus will complement the balloon fiesta and provide more entertainment to spectators.
The Canberra Museum and Gallery is holding a Craft ACT exhibition, which showcases the very best craft artists and designers in the Canberra region. On a personal note, I have my own interest in craft and, in fact, participate in craft activities. I look forward to that particularly. There will also be a bridge-to-bridge model yacht race from 19 to 20 March on Lake Burley Griffin. There are dozens of other events, exhibitions and activities taking place over the next seven days—unfortunately, too many to name.
I urge everyone to get out there and enjoy our beautiful city and experience something new—there is literally something for everyone. So check out the Celebrate Canberra website and help celebrate our wonderful city as part of the community. Now an annual event, Celebrate Canberra has begun the countdown to Canberra’s centenary year. We are well on the way to making 2013 a spectacular and joyous occasion. Every year can only get bigger and better, and I look forward to future celebrations.
I will finish by acknowledging my Assembly colleagues who were also at the presentation of the Canberra gold certificates on Saturday. There were hundreds of certificates—far too many for the Chief Minister to hand out on his own. It was a great pleasure for us to assist in handing those out. I know that Ms Porter had a great time meeting lots of people and handing certificates out as well. I look forward to future celebrations.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella—Leader of the Opposition) (3.48): Thank you for the opportunity to speak to this matter of public importance, or supposed matter of public importance. It is interesting that it says in the House of Representatives Practice:
The requirements of the House are that a proposed matter must be definite—that is, single, specific and precise in its wording.
I think that, instead of backslapping, self-congratulatory motions from a government member on achievements that the government has supposedly carried out, perhaps we need to question some of the matters of public importance that have been brought to the attention of the house recently. A matter of public importance is, for example, something like the length of hospital waiting lists, the inability to get treatment for breast cancer, or the inability of the police to protect the 5,000 Ulysses members. We have a matter of public importance that, one, is not definite in its application; and, two, we have heard from the member a succession—
MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Have you ruled this matter out of order?
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