Page 1477 - Week 05 - Thursday, 12 May 1994
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She is running out of time. Ros said:
I am delighted that we have finally started the Museum ... The museum will create 300 jobs during its construction and many additional jobs after completion.
Minister, when are you and your Labor colleagues going to stop parading yourselves as the mates and supporters of the national museum and concede that, under this Federal Labor Government, the national museum and all that it represents is absolutely dead in the water?
MS FOLLETT: First, I point out that I am not Ros Kelly. Mr Humphries is a bit slow on the uptake, but I put that on the record. I do not currently have a copy of the Ros Kelly Advocate, but I certainly have some comment on the national museum.
Mr Humphries: You were enthusiastic - - -
MS FOLLETT: I was disappointed. It was the only aspect of the Federal budget in which I was disappointed. Contrary to Mr Humphries's interjection, that is stated quite clearly in my press release on the matter. I have long supported the construction of the museum in Canberra on the site at Yarramundi Reach. I was aware of the Federal Government's commitment to the national museum before the last Federal election. As part of that Federal commitment and to support that commitment, I made a commitment on behalf of the ACT Government to fund the infrastructure for the national museum project. That was a not inconsiderable commitment. I still stand ready and prepared to carry out that infrastructure work as the Territory's contribution towards the establishment of this very important national institution.
Madam Speaker, I do not consider that the national museum, as Mr Humphries says, is dead in the water. In my view it is not. I intend to continue campaigning for the construction of the museum. I will be doing that in the way in which I have been doing it recently, which is to discuss the matter with my Federal colleagues and with the Federal Minister, and to continue to impress upon them the national value of this project and, of course, from the Territory point of view, the value of it to the Territory. That is why we made such a commitment to the project. I believe that the national museum is essential to complete the suite of national cultural institutions in the Territory. It would be a very proud achievement to mark the centenary of Federation. It is my view that that is the correct timing. I am also aware that, if the museum project is to be realised by that time, we need to get cracking in the not too distant future.
Madam Speaker, I pin my hopes for the present on the cultural statement that I expect the Federal Government to bring down later this year. I guess that that will be the next sign that we might have as to whether the Commonwealth does intend to deliver on its election commitment. In my view, if a government makes a commitment like that they are obliged to come good with it. I do understand that the commitment made by the Commonwealth was somewhat qualified by their expectation that there was some private sector funding for the national museum. I do not believe that difficulties in getting that private sector funding warrant the abandonment of the project, and I will continue to work to see that the national museum becomes a reality.
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