Page 3451 - Week 09 - Thursday, 20 August 2009
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MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, resume your seat, please. Order, members! Mr Stanhope is now going to answer the question.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Members, that is enough. I am losing my voice. Do not make it harder for me.
MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank Mr Doszpot for the question.
The Fringe Festival has been managed as part of the Department of Community Services essentially as an extension of the Multicultural Festival. It has developed over recent years under the stewardship of its inaugurator and director, Mr Jorian Gardner. I think we all acknowledge and support the enormous personal effort and energy that he has applied to the development of the Fringe Festival as a festival and a point of significant and growing interest for Canberrans.
It is important, however, to look at the development of the festival, its genesis and the fact that it has grown organically out of the Multicultural Festival. The government is also mindful, as the minister has said and as I have repeated today, that just in the last year, and with some similar effect in previous years, the Multicultural Festival exceeded its budget by almost double. That is not sustainable.
It exceeded its budget as a result of a range of decisions taken and commitments made. It exceeded its budget from a base budget of $418,000, accepting of course that there has over time been significant sponsorship. Last year, particularly as a result of the global financial crisis, there was a significant falling away of sponsorship for the Multicultural Festival. The government of course picked up the slack in relation to that.
Decisions have been taken to bring the Multicultural Festival back within budget. That of course has impacted on the associated Fringe Festival and the minister has taken decisions in relation to an appropriate level of funding for the Multicultural Festival, having regard to its centrality, its importance and its success, and has simply applied an amount of funding for the Fringe Festival.
Going specifically to your question, Mr Doszpot, the issue is not an issue over which I have had any stewardship or responsibility. I have not been involved in direct discussions in relation to a new structure for the Fringe Festival. I have no doubt, into the future, that I will. As a result of the new arrangements, there will be an obvious transferral of responsibility and I look forward to engaging in those discussions, conversations, consultations, about seeking to secure the future of the Fringe Festival.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, a supplementary question?
MR DOSZPOT: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am not quite sure if the first part of my question has been answered, but I will ask a supplementary. Minister, were you aware prior to the announcement that these changes would be made and, if so, when were you made aware?
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