Page 2639 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 5 June 2012
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Ms Burch’s tabling speech that she talked about evidence. Well, we sought the evidence; we had experts in acoustics. There were disparaging comments that it is only suitable for Gregorian chants and Enya. That is a very narrow and very disparaging view of what the Fitters Workshop can be used for in terms of the performing arts.
There was an opportunity here to establish a long-term vision for the arts precinct, of which the Fitters Workshop would be a central part. It could be used by Megalo, by other visual arts organisations and could be used for the performing arts. You would have a proper arts community, a proper arts precinct, that could potentially unite the arts community. What Ms Burch and the government have done today is make a decision that will continue to divide the arts community.
Let us be very clear—the arts community is divided on this issue, and it is also clear that the reason for that is that the minister before Joy Burch, Jon Stanhope, picked a winner. He was obstinate, as his successor, Joy Burch, has been in refusing to acknowledge that it probably was a flawed decision. But even if you accept from the government that it was not, certainly new evidence came to light. It became apparent that the decision that had been made was no longer a good decision because of the evidence about the acoustic qualities of that facility. But the government refused to listen. They refused to acknowledge that they had made a mistake, and they continued to blunder on. In doing so, they divided the Canberra arts community. There is a level of hostility out there now that is unparalleled, and it rests solely at this government’s feet.
It is important to note Ms Porter’s role in this as a committee member. Ms Burch mentioned she made some dissenting comments. Let us be very clear that Ms Porter was along for the ride on this. She listened to the evidence and she was in agreement with the other members of the committee until the 11th hour. After we had gone through the first draft, after she had signed off on all the recommendations, Mr Stanhope then entered the building and, miraculously, we all got an email telling us she has changed her position 180 degrees.
Let me be very clear about what I think happened. Ms Porter listened to the evidence as I did and came to the conclusions I did—that is, a multi-use facility is the appropriate way forward for the Fitters Workshop. Then the government, or ex-members of the government, put some pressure on Ms Porter and she changed her mind. Her explanation—“it’s all too hard; I got confused; I didn’t have capacity in my office”—is equally disturbing. So Ms Porter rests at this point of either having been influenced by the government or being grossly incompetent in the conduct of her duties. I think it is probably the former.
Do not use Ms Porter’s dissenting comments as any form of evidence that the government is right on this. I assure you, until the 11th hour, this was a unanimous view, because it was based on the evidence. It is only Ms Porter having her arm twisted by either you, Ms Burch, as the minister, or by former members of this place, that, in my view, has changed what she was doing. Otherwise there is an issue of gross incompetence.
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