Page 154 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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do not dictate the terms of the festival and that the festival remains in community hands and local community groups are given priority to perform design activities.
I will just refer to Mr Doszpot’s proposed amendment to Mr Hargreaves’s motion. The Greens will be supporting it. I will just note again to Mr Hargreaves that it is not about actually denigrating anything that is in his motion; it is just about acknowledging that the Multicultural Festival makes a great contribution to multiculturalism in the ACT but there are other things we can do. I think in particular of fostering exchanges amongst different religious and social groups—I have already mentioned a program which can expand on that—so that we are getting down to a deeper level in terms of the understanding that we have of different cultures.
I return to the point I made about social inclusion. That is a very real point, particularly for older people from multicultural backgrounds, because it is often harder for them, particularly if they come out with family members. In relation to this, I will acknowledge the work of Sam and Chin Wong not just in promoting multiculturalism but in their work through the older persons network which they have established, which is a very important example of and means for encouraging social participation.
Then again, this is just what we are trying to reflect in that. In relation to the first notes which Mr Doszpot made, mutual respect and understanding, or having harmony and respect, present the same emotion or the same tenor in terms of what they are trying to say.
As for fiscal management, I think it is important that we acknowledge that there have been some issues around the Multicultural Festival. We did see that. The fringe festival is no longer a part of it. I think that was a really important part of the festival; it is a shame that it is not there. We do need to acknowledge that we have to look at these issues. It is about ensuring that it continues into the future and makes a significant contribution in terms of festivals in the ACT.
We have mentioned refugees in this, as Mr Hargreaves did. It is all those issues which I have already mentioned in terms of the services that groups provide and about making sure this is a welcoming place. I do acknowledge that Mr Stanhope came out and made that statement. But again there are a lot of people in the community who have been very welcoming in terms of refugees and have actually made that statement in light of some of the political debate which has been happening in this country. It is not just limited to one group or one person who is doing that; there are a whole lot of people.
Again, I thank Mr Hargreaves for the motion. Today the Greens will be supporting Mr Doszpot’s amendments. We thank him for putting them forward. There was discussion between the different offices. Obviously, I was down here in the chamber when a lot of that was going on, but there were discussions that went on between the offices. I am sorry if there has been some misunderstanding at Mr Hargreaves’s office, but there was never an intention to put anything up without his knowledge; we had consulted with him about this, and also with Mr Doszpot’s office.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (12.15): Thank you very much—
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