Page 4747 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 October 2010
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The second amendment that we propose is to amend paragraph 2 of the motion. This paragraph calls on the government to report by February next year what actions it will undertake to respond to the findings of the Loxton report, a plan for new attractions for the ACT and a plan for the accommodation industry in the ACT. I understand that these second two points are an issue that Mr Smyth believes in and has talked about previously on a number of occasions.
I certainly recall—he touched on this earlier—the questions that he put to the minister for tourism during estimates last year. While the Loxton report does not deal with attractions or accommodation in its final recommendations, they are dealt with in the report. It is noted that they are an essential part of the overall equation of events in the capital as well as the overall picture of tourism of which events are a part.
We think it is appropriate that the government in responding to the Loxton report addresses these issues either with specific proposals or with an indication of where it is going with these. I think there is a range of possible ways in which the government would report back. But in terms of responding to the Assembly in February, it would be appropriate to address those points as well as part of the overall picture.
The Loxton report is the report of an expert consultancy firm specialising in government and media. At the moment the report is out for comment from the events and festivals industry and the wider community as well. There are two weeks to go in terms of the consultation. It closes on 5 November. That is also part of our view as to the timing and the framing of this motion because there are many other recommendations in the report. We look forward to government responding to all of the specific recommendations and responding in a way that takes on board some of the issues raised in the consultation and feedback process.
I note some of the other recommendations that are not picked up by Mr Smyth’s motion which I think are also of interest in this report. That includes the creation of a new ACT events directorate in the Chief Minister’s Department, the two key festival periods be set up—spring and autumn—that the 2013 centenary of Canberra celebration be used as a focal point for all planning from now on and that a major events funding model be developed.
Again, these are quite substantial recommendations. Certainly, in respect of the third of those that I just mentioned—using the centenary of Canberra as a focal point—having recently and today gone back over the Capital Tourism five-year strategic plan I think that there is a difference there. My sense from the five-year plan is that there are a couple of different phases focused on the domestic market and the international market. I note that 2013 is the phase in which Australian Capital Tourism looks to focus on the international market. I think that the centenary of Canberra will be, in fact, very much a domestic focus.
While I do not want to say that there are some contradictions, there are certainly some issues there that need to be worked through as part of looking at the Loxton report. It may be that, in fact, the final decision is not to accept some of those recommendations, in which case I think the government needs to come back and tell us why those recommendations are not being accepted.
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