Page 3189 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 2013
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When we asked the minister about this, she said that they should just get a Fair Work determination and everything would be hunky-dory. But it is about leadership from the minister. The minister could do these things. The minister could facilitate this. The minster could help the community do that instead of being sort of dismissive and offhand, as she is so often when people ask her to do something or make constructive suggestions.
Recommendations 50 and 51 are about peer assessment on arts projects, and the committee felt it was important that we investigate peer assessment. Recommendation 151 looks at the idea of better linking the private sector with the ACT arts sector.
The Childers Group, again, raised the issue of philanthropy and the arts in the ACT. While there are some notable philanthropists who have put a lot of money into the sector, the problem is there is probably not a lot of philanthropists. There is not a huge pie of either private sector or corporate sector. The couple of largest corporate customers in the ACT or businesses in the ACT are, of course, ACTEW and ACTTAB who do a bit. But it really is about that ability of the private sector. I think you get more out of the private sector. We just need a bigger private sector. There were a whole range of matters raised by the Childers Group.
When we got to the Cultural Facilities Corporation, there were a number of issues that we asked about, including some of those I just mentioned. And we had a range of discussions on CFC’s involvement in the centenary celebrations. But beyond that, there was the importance of preserving and continuing that positive contribution so that it does not finish at the end of this year.
I think there were concerns expressed that, yes, maybe it had been a great year. We have had lots of arts events. That is good. But what is the legacy out of it and how do we capitalise on that? And I have raised issues about this before, about how we will measure the true success of the centenary year, and I will continue to do so.
Then we had discussions about CFC and the work that they are doing to incorporate cultural facilities in the city to the lake project and in the city plan. There is some work being done on the new theatre but I note that in the city to the lake plan there is also a site for a future cultural institution. What might that be? Who will fund it? Will it be a federal initiative? Will it be an ACT one? Will it be donated by philanthropists?
We looked at a number of capital works projects, including upgrades to the Canberra Theatre, the Lanyon heritage precinct. We got a breakdown on the funding received and how they make their money. We looked at staffing and we looked at the issue of promoting the Canberra Museum and Gallery and the increase in visitor numbers there.
It is important that the arts sector in this city be fostered, and I think the arts sector of this city is great in a number of areas. You only have to look at the success of the Glassworks at Kingston. I was quite pleased at its success. It was Kate Carnell’s idea. She did the initial work and I was the arts minister at the time when the initial funding
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