Page 4240 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 21 September 2011

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I will talk about (3)(h) and (3)(i) together. As I mentioned earlier, there is still ongoing public debate and unhappiness about the Fitters Workshop. One of the things that might help in this is actually to make public a comprehensive chronology of how the decision making and the public consultation worked. I have been told that more consultation was held about this quite a few years ago. I was not in the Assembly then and I was not aware of it. I am trying to get a briefing from Minister Burch’s office about it but have not succeeded as yet. It is possible that some of the angst in the community about it could be reduced if they were aware of better consultation that had happened in the past. I do not know if it will, because, clearly, I am not quite sure what happened.

The other thing I would call upon the government to do is really look at options for multi-use of the Fitters Workshop. The problem is that we have a unique heritage-listed space, and I can understand why the government felt it was a great move to put Megalo there. We are not arguing against Megalo in any way, but we are saying that it looks like a space which could be used as a really good multi-purpose space. I am confident that, by the time all the development has been done in that precinct, a space very similar to fitters will be constructed, because that sort of multi-purpose exhibition performance space is going to be needed there if that precinct is going to reach its potential. We should explore those options so that we can have a win-win for Megalo and the music community and the better use of that whole precinct. It is not too late, I believe. That is one of the last points of my amendments.

I commend my amendments to the Assembly. I also commend Dr Bourke’s motion to the Assembly, and I am hoping that we will come to a good outcome for arts in the ACT.

Question put:

That Ms Le Couteur’s amendments be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (5.48) by leave: I move the amendments circulated in my name:

(1) Omit subparagraphs (1)(c) and (d), substitute:

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