Page 3641 - Week 10 - Thursday, 19 September 2019
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Some 11.2 per cent of attendees came from interstate or overseas, and around 11,000 of these people came to Canberra just to attend one or more of the Enlighten festival’s events. This is testament to the quality of the festival programming.
The 2019 Enlighten festival comprised a suite of feature events, including the illuminations; the Canberra night noodle markets; Lights! Canberra! Action!; Symphony in the Park; Canberra Day activities; the Canberra Balloon Spectacular; and the ever-popular hit104.7 Skyfire event.
In 2020 the festival will again run for 17 days, from late February till the middle of March. Next year it will coincide with the Australian Tourism Awards, which the ACT is hosting and which will be held at the beginning of March. The awards present an opportunity to showcase Canberra to the Australian tourism industry during the Enlighten festival.
MR PETTERSSON: Chief Minister, what can we expect from this year’s Floriade?
Mr Parton: Flowers?
MR BARR: Floriade is Australia’s biggest celebration of spring and, yes, there will be flowers—for those very clever interjectors from across the aisle. It will be held in Commonwealth Park, and it is celebrating its 32nd year. This year’s theme is “World in bloom” and is inspired by cultures across the globe. It showcases designs across 21 in-ground flowerbeds and 189 raised flower beds and features over one million bulbs and annuals on display.
Using ACT government events to showcase and support Canberra businesses is a key priority for Floriade. This year it has again renewed its partnership with Pialligo Estate to run their Pialligo Urban Cafe. The event will host three pop-up bars this year with Capital Brewing Co, Contentious Character and Underground Sprits all having a presence.
NightFest also returns this year running from 3 to 6 October. It features live music performance and stand-up comedy. This year’s Floriade will again feature the very popular Dogs Day Out, Veterans Day and Floriade in the suburbs. I invite all members to enjoy Australia’s premier celebration of spring, only a short walk from this building. Get out and enjoy the best celebration of our city’s wonderful spring season.
Transport Canberra—school student patronage
MISS C BURCH: My question is to the Minister for Transport. I refer to data from a brief you received as the incoming transport minister that indicated that in comparison to 2018 levels “patronage of the public network on school days by school students has been broadly level”. Minister, given that you were aware that more school students are not using the public transport network on school days, despite having had their school bus services cut, why are you continuing to force parents to drive their children to and from school by not providing dedicated school services?
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