Page 1870 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 5 May 2009
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The bill represents the latest stage in a more than 30-year evolution for this venue. In effect, as we have heard from many speakers, it proposes nothing different from what occurred at Manuka Oval and Canberra Stadium, which saw the dismantling of the Carnell management regime that oversaw the infamous Liberals’ grass-painting debacle.
As members will be aware, the Exhibition Park Corporation, originally known as the Canberra Showground Trust, was established to manage and conduct events at the Canberra Showground. The trust was set up by the commonwealth in 1976, although the Canberra Showground had been established in the early 1960s. Whilst much has changed since then, what has remained constant is the need for a site that can change with the times and can deliver quality events and strong cultural and economic outcomes for the people of the ACT.
To this end, in 1982 the Canberra Showground became the National Exhibition Centre, or NATEX, and the trust was renamed the National Exhibition Centre Trust. Subsequently, the showground has morphed into Exhibition Park in Canberra, or EPIC, although its managing entity continued to be known as the National Exhibition Centre Trust. In 2005 the trust was reconstituted as a statutory corporation known as the Exhibition Park Corporation.
The creation of a statutory trust or corporation was appropriate in 1976. There was not a territory government, there was no commonwealth department capable of administering the showgrounds, and it was not something that could be done in-house. But those times have passed. As you would be aware, Madam Assistant Speaker Le Couteur—indeed all members are aware—this Sunday the territory will celebrate 20 years of self-government. A number of celebrations will be led by the Speaker. It is worth noting, of course, that times have changed considerably since 1976. Since 1982 the territory has had its own government.
EPIC, as a major event venue, needs to compete with other major venues and events from around Australia and it needs to be managed in a more efficient way that reflects changed times. Whilst the board has done a good job, it is time that EPIC takes the next step in its evolution. It is time it was managed by the same team of people who successfully run our other major venues and events—Manuka Oval, Canberra Stadium and Stromlo Forest Park amongst them.
The professional team at Territory Venues and Events—or TVE, Mr Smyth, in case you were wondering—has a proven capability in managing venues and events. In fact, over the past three years TVE has proven it can not only run venues; it can develop them. It has overseen the development and construction of Stromlo Forest Park. This world-class multi-use facility is used week in, week out by tens of thousands of recreational and professional users. It is a one-of-a-kind community facility. It requires close management to cater for the wide variety of users and the wide variety of infrastructure. This includes managing a purpose-built event pavilion, the criterium cycling circuit, grass cross-country running track, equestrian trails and mountain bike tracks. Besides being a great venue, which helps make ours the most healthy and active community in Australia, it is also a major drawcard for visitors and a major contributor to our tourism and events industry.
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