Page 283 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 2018
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In addition to these measures, festival organisers have carefully considered the layout of the festival and taken into account issues of accessibility and mobility for festivalgoers, stallholders, participants, performers and, importantly, people with a disability. During the festival, stages one, two and four will have reserved seating for people with a disability or mobility restrictions. The seating will be directly in front of the stages and will be clearly identified by both ground markings and bollards. This will be the first year that the festival has had a dedicated space for people with disability and mobility restrictions in front of the stages. As with all aspects of the festival organisation, feedback will be sought from festivalgoers on the effectiveness of these dedicated areas, to ensure the comfort and accessibility of all Canberrans for future festivals.
As I mentioned, volunteers will be present throughout the footprint. I am sure they will also support people in ensuring that the festival is fun, welcoming, inclusive and accessible for all. (Time expired.)
National Multicultural Festival—service of alcohol
MRS KIKKERT: My question is to the Attorney General. Attorney, minority ethnic groups have raised concerns with my office that the ban on community groups selling alcohol at this year’s Multicultural Festival has left them feeling that the ACT government sees them as irresponsible and incompetent second-class citizens. This is especially true considering that, one, the Liquor Act specifically allows for non-commercial permits for these kinds of events; two, community groups have been responsibly serving alcohol at the festival for years; and, three, when the decision was made to “reduce the amount of alcohol available on the footprint”, it was non-profit community groups that were targeted by the ban, not commercial operators. As Attorney General, what advice have you given to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs on this issue?
MR RAMSAY: The question in relation to liquor permits is something that sits both in terms of Attorney-General and also probably in terms of regulatory services. So I am happy to take the question in that broader context.
In terms of the Liquor Act, clearly the act does allow non-commercial stallholders to serve and provide liquor without the requirement of RSA and in terms of making sure that things are safe. However, regardless of that, the RSA principles always apply under the act to any person serving liquor in the ACT. People must also be governed by the intoxication guidelines.
I know that the event organiser, which is the Community Services Directorate, is well aware of that and has been involved in the decision-making in relation to permits for the Multicultural Festival under that act as well. Yes, we do indeed consult and work across the portfolios and the ministers here. So too do the directorates. It is a whole-of-government approach. CSC has been carrying through the work very effectively.
Mr Coe: Point of order, Madam Speaker.
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