Page 629 - Week 02 - Thursday, 6 March 2008
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The festival continues through until 16 March, with lunchtime music; the national sheepdog trials; Lights, Canberra, Action!; a south Asian festival; a classic car show for motor enthusiasts; and a fishing competition. On 15 March, Skyfire will mark its 20th year above Lake Burley Griffin. I am sure it will be amongst the festival’s most popular attractions.
Also, on the Ides of March—a time, I am sure, the Liberal Party hopes passes without incident this year—I will have the very great honour of presenting trophies at the Canberra Festival Dragon Boat Regatta, an event that highlights the healthy and active lifestyles in this city.
Autumn will also see an event that is a particular favourite of mine and, I know, many in this place: the Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival. This three-day festival showcases local produce, wine, food and music. I think the key problem is finding enough time over the weekend to visit all the great wineries and cellar doors within half an hour of our CBD.
Also, 20 March will see Australia’s premier folk event, the National Folk Festival, kick off at Exhibition Park. This event draws thousands of visitors from all over Australia and features some of the nation and the territory’s best talents.
Despite all the doom and gloom we hear about national attractions, they continue to make a great contribution to Canberra’s tourism offering this autumn and do so in cooperative partnership with the ACT government in terms of marketing. Some of the events that are on offer this autumn include: From Turner to Monet: the triumph of landscape painting, at the National Gallery; 100 years of rugby league, at the National Museum of Australia; Lawrence of Arabia and the Light Horse, at the War Memorial; and Up, up and away, at the National Library of Australia.
Undoubtedly, the biggest event this autumn will be the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay on 23 April which will feature a mass balloon ascension as part of the nine-day national autumn balloon spectacular. I am sure that, by the time we get to this magnificent event, all members of the Assembly will be able to join together and celebrate our fantastic city and the wonderful array of attractions and events that are on offer in Canberra in autumn. I look forward to even the shadow tourism minister being big enough to come and celebrate the autumn balloon spectacular.
Mr Stanhope: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Financial Management Act—instrument
Paper and statement by minister
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, Minister for the Arts): For the information of members I present, pursuant to section 14 of the Financial Management Act 1996, the following paper:
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