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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (24 May) . . Page.. 1693 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

It is very important that the government and the community support the arts community. It really does add to what we see of ourselves. I know from my days at the National Library the number of aspiring writers and artists who used to come and use the facilities there. What an important part of the community they become as they contribute to our understanding of ourselves.

To the Tuggeranong Community Arts, congratulations on another successful year-their annual general meeting was on Wednesday, 10 May-but particularly to the triennially funded organisations. Their level of achievement in developing a wide variety of art, promoting excellence in the art, is something that we all should aspire to and that we all should support. It is important that the energy and confidence that these organisations have developed in themselves is not dampened. It is important that we do fund them triennially to make sure that they understand that they have the support of the government and of the community in making sure that they can continue to be a highly valued and thriving part of Canberra's community.

I will finish by saying well done to all the triennially funded organisations. Well done to groups down in Tuggeranong that do particularly well. Well done, particularly to the Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre, because it does provide a huge base and a venue for these groups to launch out and do amazing and exciting things.

I must not forget to thank Mr Hird for putting forward this excellent motion because one of the nicer things in this city is its creative side, particularly through the education system. There is such an opportunity to develop different arts. I guess, when most of us went to school, we were lucky if we did painting. Perhaps they were adding pottery as we passed through. The school system supports and encourages photography, film making and all the different forms of theatre and drama. It is turning out a large number of motivated, active, adventurous young artists who can move into these triennially funded groups like the Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre who will support them. That bodes well for the future of the arts in the ACT. It certainly bodes well for us as a society, simply because it means that we value their expression. We value different forms of expression. We value what they raise in those forms of expression. We are willing not only just to listen but to participate; to congratulate them and to come to an understanding of what it is that they are trying to say to us. Mr Deputy Speaker, congratulations to all the triennially funded organisations for what they have done for this community.

MR QUINLAN (4.46): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will be very brief. I just place on record that I think this debate has been an artifice brought on by the government to waste time on private members day. I would much rather have got on with the more serious program.

Mr Smyth: Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Quinlan should withdraw that. Mr Hird is a private member and has absolutely every right to bring on issues that are important to the community.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Wood): No, there is no point of order. You have not indicated a reference to that point of order.

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