Page 3217 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 18 October 2006
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This just goes to show how important the annual National Multicultural Festival has become. Even though it is called the multicultural festival, it in fact builds social cohesion through bringing contributions and visitors together in a major social celebration. I think we need to acknowledge that, through the work of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and our multicultural community, this festival now enjoys a high national reputation. We get inquiries from all over the country. I believe that we in Canberra are certainly unique: the most successful multicultural community in Australia and in the world. This is our opportunity to showcase that fact. We are going to do so with some aplomb in 2007.
MS MacDONALD: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, given the importance of the festival on a national scale and the growing popularity of Canberra’s second biggest event, how much financial support has been offered to fund this important event by governments, agencies and business?
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, as the festival continues to grow each year, so too does the support and involvement of the local business community, again demonstrating that what we have in common is more important than the differences between us. Our sponsors this year range from stalwarts such as the tradies club, which donates $100,000 annually, ActewAGL, the Hellenic Club, the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets, the Labor club and Australia Post to several new sponsors. This year we are also excited to welcome on board new sponsors, including Ali Baba, of which Mr Smyth has very nearly a familial connection, and the Australian National University. The support of these sponsors truly helps to make the festival the fantastic event that it is.
In 2007 more than $280,000 in cash and kind will be provided by the festival’s sponsors. On top of this the ACT government will provide $280,000, bringing the total funding of the festival to $560,000. The ACT government will make further contributions through the multicultural grants program in which communities have been applying for funding to stage shows and participate in the festival. Sponsorship negotiations are also continuing, with the festival now only four months away.
The additional money from sponsors ensures that the many features of the festival remain vibrant and open to all. But while the ACT government and local business annually make a significant contribution to the festival, it is the input of our many diverse communities that truly makes it come to life. From performances to volunteers assisting staff, our city’s annual national multicultural festival is only made possible with the assistance of those individuals. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of those involved in the 2007 festival for their efforts so far.
We have had a contribution from some of the embassies, which has not been a feature in the past. I thank the diplomatic corps for their involvement this year and I would encourage them to become more involved. In my view, their involvement enables us to have a link between the people who call Canberra home and the embassies that sometimes some of their ancestors called home—I use “ancestors” as a clumsy way of putting it but I am sure members understand what I am trying to say.
The other issue is that we are talking at the moment with the commonwealth government through a couple of its agencies and we are hopeful that there will be some significant
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