Page 5698 - Week 15 - Thursday, 10 December 2009
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MR SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, a supplementary question?
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, that was the response from your predecessor over six months ago. When will Karyn be offered appropriate accommodation?
MS BURCH: It goes to, again, my reluctance to discuss individual clients, but, just to be clear, she has been offered and, to my understanding, accepted accommodation.
National Multicultural Festival
MS BRESNAN: My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and it concerns the Multicultural Festival. The previous Minister for Multicultural Affairs said that he wanted to see an independent community body take over the running and management of the Multicultural Festival. Minister, is this still the policy of the ACT government?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Bresnan for the question. Yes, I was aware of that discussion taking place with the changeover of ministers and with the Multicultural Festival planning well and truly underway—and successfully underway. I can say that the program is shaping up to be fantastic and we are just about booked out for the stalls. That discussion will be revisited after the February Multicultural Festival when we will review the success of the festival. That will be part of that conversation.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan, a supplementary question?
MS BRESNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, my question was: is this still the government’s policy? Also can you please advise the Assembly what steps are being taken to hand over the running and management of the festival to an independent community body?
MS BURCH: I have no steps in front of me to hand it over. As I have just said, I am planning for the 2010 festival with the Office of Multicultural Affairs. When the festival is delivered, I will review the success of the festival and the functions and how we promote and organise the festivals hereon.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter, a supplementary question?
MS HUNTER: Minister, how will we see the community more involved in the running of the 2010 multicultural festival?
MS BURCH: There are two government structures: there is an oversight committee to ensure—because I am committed to delivering a festival on budget—the community is involved in the planning and programming, and they have been actively engaged in the planning and programming, and we are coming to the end of that programming.
Can I say that the response from the community has been, in short, overwhelming. There is a limited footprint for the 2010 festival, and we have only but a few stalls left. The diplomatic corps are involved. Indeed, they are continuing to talk with the office
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