Page 1150 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2015
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Based on the feedback I have had from event organisers, I think this is a very positive thing. Certainly Access Canberra has already been credited for assisting with the coordination of the recent major events, including Art, Not Apart spilling over from New Acton to the edges of the lake and Westside at Acton Park.
I think this is a positive development, particularly for people who are doing smaller events. The reality is that it is often one or two people that are really organising the event. And having better access and easier access to government and a streamlined process is a very positive thing. There are no doubt some teething issues in pulling Access Canberra together and sorting out the different parts of government in the way that they talk to each other. But I think that the intent is a very positive one and I think that Access Canberra will continue to improve things when it comes to organising events in Canberra.
Speaking of organising events, I was listening, of course, to the jovial conversation on Skywhale. Mr Smyth noted that Skywhale was the only legacy of the centenary of Canberra. I do not want to start an argument, but I do note that he forgot the Centenary Trail. I am particularly reminded of this because the Centenary Trail has been enormously popular since it opened. That and parties at the shops are the two best legacies of the centenary, in my personal view.
I did note that this past weekend was the inaugural holding of the CBR 100 challenge, which was an event using the Centenary Trail. It offered 100-kilometre, 50-kilometre and 25-kilometre run and walk events. There were nearly 1,000 entrants. Just for the benefit of members, there are legacies of the centenary, and some of them are already proving to be enormously popular. That was a great event. I would like to congratulate the organisers but I would more particularly like to take this opportunity to congratulate those who participated, particularly those who took on the 100-kilometre event. I know for some people it was their first time. They were looking pretty nervous before the start.
I had the honour of firing the starting gun, although it was one of those air hooters. I know there were a few nervous faces. I know a few people did not make it. They found the challenge too much for them, but I am sure they will be back next year having another go. I congratulate particularly those who made it through the whole event and tried something they perhaps had not tried before.
In terms of events in Canberra, the other issue I want to focus on today is an issue I spoke about and moved a motion on earlier in the year, which is the issue of noise, particularly issues around live music. Members will recall the discussion we had, and I was very pleased that that motion passed the Assembly. It carried on, of course, from a longstanding issue that my Greens colleagues have raised in this place when they instigated the Assembly inquiry into live music events. We, of course, had the 2010 report. As I mentioned last time, Mr Coe was involved in that as well as Ms Porter. The recommendations of that report were far reaching. There were 32 of them across nine broad areas.
I do not intend to re-litigate that discussion but simply note that some progress has been made on some of the recommendations from that committee report, including
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