Page 1868 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 5 May 2009
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to so many. Mr Rattenbury mentioned some of them. We have all just witnessed or participated in the National Folk Festival which was conducted at EPIC all Easter; Mr Rattenbury made mention of this. The festival is in its 15th year of involvement with EPIC and making its permanent home in Canberra. I attended it in April, as I do most every year, and I was again struck not only by the large number of people who attended this event but by the excellent atmosphere that pervades EPIC during the time of the festival.
Whilst of course this is not a sporting event like those I have been talking about at the other venues, it is a wonderful example of what can be achieved and what the facility can successfully host. Of course I have a particular association with the national festival, through the work of Volunteering ACT, working in partnership with the organisers to develop the initial training for the “volunteer coordinators” so-called, whom I prefer to call “managers”, which led to such a well-regarded and renowned volunteer program which is the backbone of the national festival. However, I digress.
The abolition of the board and bringing EPIC into TAMS allow for greater coordination of events and an improved long-term strategy for the management of all venues. Dissolving the board will allow the team at TVE to manage EPIC and to bring it in line with our three other premier venues.
Mr Smyth: What’s TVE? Do you actually know what TVE is?
MS PORTER: Yes, I do, Mr Smyth, although I doubt that I should be talking to you. Thank you very much for your instruction.
There is a great potential for growth at EPIC, and the TVE team, working closely with EPIC staff, can make this happen.
Mr Smyth: Just so enthusiastic.
MS PORTER: Events, just for your benefit; right?
Mr Smyth: Events; okay.
MS PORTER: Surely this is what we all want—to make sure these wonderful facilities and these wonderful events can reach their full potential and work together to facilitate, support, enhance and promote all aspects of their function and their business. We do need to support this bill and I commend the bill to the Assembly.
MS BURCH (10.44): As a Canberran I have enjoyed many events at EPIC—the Royal Canberra Show and home and leisure shows, to name a few, and we have heard of others—that are well attended by Canberrans and indeed form part of our community. By dissolving the Exhibition Park Corporation, we are not putting a stop to these wonderful events; we are simply transferring the roles and responsibilities of the corporation to the Department of Territory and Municipal Services.
The Exhibition Park Corporation, EPC, is currently a statutory authority, established by the Exhibition Park Corporation Act 1976. The EPC administers the site known as
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