Page 2239 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2018
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As part of celebrating World Environment Day I was pleased to be able to attend the Conservation Council’s annual World Environment Day dinner last Saturday, along with Ms Le Couteur. It was held at the Arboretum. I was also able attend the ACT government’s expo with bettongs in City Walk yesterday.
In the context of that, I was reminded of the very first World Environment Day event in Garema Place, which was organised by the ANU environment group, of which I was a member, way back in 1992. We organised it as young activists but, after a few years of the Wilderness Society and the Conservation Council organising it, the ACT government then started running it themselves. And I am pleased that it continues to this day as an annual event.
There is still much to do and more investment is needed. But on this World Environment Day we can be proud of the ACT’s leadership in tackling climate change and supporting our community to live more sustainably and to reduce the impact on our planet.
I would like to conclude by thanking Jaimie Liebowitz, who is undertaking work experience in my office this week, for her assistance in putting those speaking notes together.
Australian Anglo-Indian Association ball
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (4.35): Unlike many other cities in Australia, Canberra enjoys four distinct seasons. Typically from the end of April onwards, the weather first cools down and then turns downright cold. This was definitely the case on the evening of 19 May, with the temperature dropping into the single digits by 6 o’clock that evening. In stark contrast to the bitter weather outside was the warm and happy atmosphere inside Queanbeyan’s Bicentennial Hall, venue for the grand Anglo-Indian ball held in honour of the silver anniversary of the Australian Anglo-Indian Association of Canberra.
I wish to express gratitude to the association for all that they do to serve the needs of their members in the ACT and the surrounding region and for the kind invitation to join them at this event, which was also attended by the party leader of the Canberra Liberals, Alistair Coe. I had a fantastic time. The dinner was a sumptuous, Indian-influenced buffet filled with exotic and warming delights. Music was provided by two Anglo-Indian bands, New Renditions and JJ Blue Frost. The music made it easy for many of the more than 200 guests who attended that night to dance the night away and provided the rest with a happy accompaniment to all the talking and laughter that filled the hall.
Many of Canberra’s thriving community organisations have forged a strong connection with other community organisations and with peak bodies, and this is certainly true for the Australian Anglo-Indian Association of Canberra. Office holders of the Canberra Multicultural Community Forum and leaders from a number of other ethnic associations were also in attendance at this thoroughly enjoyable event.
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