Page 5138 - Week 12 - Thursday, 27 October 2011
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MS BURCH: I withdraw.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you.
MS BURCH: Make no mistake, Madam Deputy Speaker, as a result of Mrs Dunne’s motion today Megalo and many of the stakeholders will be concerned and disappointed. As Mrs Dunne and the Greens are no doubt aware, Megalo has some urgent accommodation needs, which the government’s decision to relocate them to the Fitters Workshop solved. For Megalo, this move was a godsend.
I understand that the Megalo chair has written to Mrs Dunne—and a similar letter has been sent to Ms Hunter and to Ms Le Couteur—imploring them to put aside short-term politics and to consider the impact this will have on the ACT arts community. Those letters should be put on record, and I will read from them, Madam Deputy Speaker:
Dear Meredith & Caroline,
I am extremely distressed to discover that Mrs Dunne is putting forward a motion in tomorrow’s Assembly which has the potential to delay the Government’s decision regarding the relocation of Megalo to the Fitters Workshop in mid 2012.
Megalo has acted in good faith throughout the 3 year process of consultation, scoping and negotiation with the—
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, you are not having a conversation across the chamber. Ms Burch.
MS BURCH: I will continue:
Megalo has acted in good faith throughout the 3 year process of consultation, scoping and negotiation with the ACT Government.
Further to that point, Megalo believes that the ACT Greens should act in good faith in light of passing the capital works budget earlier this year.
You may not be aware that Megalo programs its activities 18 months in advance. In fact we are soon to go through the selection process for our 2012 international, national and local residency program. If the process of relocation is delayed it will put our programming into disarray, causing loss of income, reputation and instability. These comments also apply to our education and gallery programs.
Prevarication in this issue will not, in my opinion, make it any easier for a decision to be made that will be applauded by all sectors with an interest in this debate. A decision has been made that looks at activity within the precinct as a whole, creating a synergy of activities that will be dynamic and diverse.
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