Page 3295 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 21 August 2018
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services across our community. That trend is going to continue as the ACT reaches half a million people. Within our lifetimes this jurisdiction, with an economy already bigger than Tasmania’s, will also exceed Tasmania’s population. That will bring into question our representation in the federal parliament. It should be increased in time. But for now we are focused on the good governance of the Australian Capital Territory.
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders—Boomanulla Oval
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Sport and Recreation and relates to Boomanulla Oval. My question is: are there plans for the ACT government to facilitate Aboriginal community control of the oval at any time in the future?
MS BERRY: Yes. That is the commitment that the ACT government made to the elected body a couple of years ago when we started discussing restoration of Boomanulla Oval. The first part of that restoration of Boomanulla Oval will include some of the upgrade work that is occurring already at that site; that is occurring in close consultation with the community, in particular with the elected body.
MS LE COUTEUR: What is the time frame for control to return to the Aboriginal community?
MS BERRY: We will work with the community about what is the best model and how the government can support an Aboriginal-owned and operated organisation like Boomanulla Oval. There is no time frame at the moment. However, as I said, we are working very closely with the elected body. The elected body are currently reviewing and renegotiating their agreement with the government. I understand that Boomanulla is high on their list of priorities as well.
MS CHEYNE: Minister, what is the significance of the oval to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
MS BERRY: I thank Ms Cheyne for the question. Of course, Boomanulla is incredibly significant to the local community, not just here in the ACT but across the country as well. Aboriginal sporting and cultural events have been held at that site for many years, and it was very sad for everybody in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community here in the ACT that it was not working as successfully as it could have been. Our role in the government is to ensure that we restore the oval; we will then continue, during that process, to work with the elected body and with the Aboriginal community here in the ACT to ensure that at some point in the future it returns to being an Indigenous-run and operated organisation.
Australian Labor Party—conference
MR WALL: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, at the ALP conference over the weekend we saw the left faction of your party, as reported, sensationally flex its muscle. The left faction of your party has also been accused of breaching the rules and ignoring fair process out of self-interest. Chief Minister, how
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