Page 2383 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 12 August 2014
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recognition of a man that does not have a suburb named after him or a large facility as most prime ministers do. It would be the opportunity then to put on display in a world-class facility the best that Australia has to offer in the nation’s capital. That would be a great objective.
It is pleasing to see that the government has agreed to the recommendation. I thank the members of the estimates committee for agreeing to that recommendation being there because this is one of the ways that you build a future for this city.
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Disability, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Racing and Gaming, Minister for Women and Minister for the Arts) (8.31): Can I start by clarifying something? I do offer an apology to Ms Lawder. If I misspoke and used the word “salacious” I was actually thinking of the word “fallacious”. That actually means a mistake and a wrong set of assumptions. No offence was meant, other than I do fundamentally believe that you were wrong in your assumptions around that report. I make that clarification for your benefit. Thank you.
In respect of the Cultural Facilities Corporation, this budget provides significant new funding for the Cultural Facilities Corporation and the facilities that it manages. We are delivering major capital funding for the Capital Theatre Centre. $1.85 million is being provided over two years for the package of works in the centre to address workplace health and safety and to improve functionality.
The work will fund major upgrades of lights and lighting features and fixtures. The new funding builds on a three-year package that is already in train to upgrade the centre. Both projects will support the viability of the centre as a venue on the national touring circuit as well as being used by the local community.
This budget will see a second stage of $400,000 to upgrade roads within the Lanyon precinct. That is a fabulous heritage precinct in my electorate of Brindabella. The government is also providing CFC with funding for smaller building works which will allow a number of priority projects to be undertaken across venues, including Canberra Museum and Gallery and historic places. All of this funding is allowing the CFC to continue its work and program.
In respect of recommendation 87, Mr Smyth has rightly identified that the government has supported it. In conjunction with the CFC we will explore the consideration of the performing arts facility as a national service. We are in our national capital. It seems right and proper that we explore that opportunity. The other piece of work that CFC is undertaking is linked also to the audit of arts so that we can better define the benefits of Canberra theatre, CFC and the broader arts community. I think that is a very good thing as well.
Mr Smyth made mention possibly in regard to the theatre that it could be called the Menzies. I would like to remind the Assembly that if the Canberra Liberals held the former Prime Minister Menzies in such high regard then one of the Canberra Liberals would have gone down to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin when we unveiled the statue of former Prime Minister Menzies. Not one Canberra Liberal saw fit to go
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