Page 1773 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 2 May 2012
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view of the committee, which reflects the views of the community, has a bright future as a multipurpose space. Ms Bresnan touched on that, with her elaboration of the views of Robyn Archer about the possible use of the Fitters Workshop.
I also have received a range of other correspondence. One of the recommendations that I received in correspondence this morning is that the government should act quickly to ensure that the Fitters Workshop becomes an integral part of the artistic exposition during the centenary next year. There should be moves afoot quite quickly to ensure that the Fitters Workshop is seen as a central feature of artistic endeavour, be it music, exhibition, dance or, as it has been put to me, multimedia, digital and music productions. What can be done in this space is only limited by the imagination of those who would seek to engage in this place and ensure that we have a bright future there.
I commend the committee for their inquiry. I thank the committee for their generosity to me, as a member of the Legislative Assembly, in allowing me to attend and to participate in the inquiry as a visiting member. I thank the members for their courtesy in that. I think it is disappointing that we did not finally see a unanimous report. I get the impression that members were hopeful of a unanimous report. I think it is disappointing that apparently at the 11th hour we were deprived of that, but that is water under the bridge.
I think that the committee report presents a great way forward for the Fitters Workshop as a facility that will become the pride of the ACT arts community and, through that, the broader community. I commend the report. I hope that the minister will not, as many of my correspondents have indicated, continue to demonstrate a closed mind to the potential of the Fitters Workshop.
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (10.38): I will speak only very briefly on this because most of the points I seek to make have already been made. This inquiry has been very well done and the conclusions and recommendations of the inquiry vindicate the Assembly’s decision to actually have an inquiry into this matter. There has been quite a detailed commentary as to what has happened with the Fitters Workshop and how this sorry saga has unfolded. One thing all sides of politics should be able to agree on is that it has been a sorry saga. It is very unfortunate that we have had so much angst about one building, one part of our arts infrastructure. It is an indictment, I guess, of the sorry state of arts funding and arts infrastructure in the ACT.
The inquiry’s responses are very balanced. They very much see the need to properly accommodate Megalo. They have a way forward for accommodating Megalo. From Megalo’s point of view, this should be seen as a very positive recommendation. I think it also should be seen as a very positive recommendation in terms of looking at the best way forward for the Fitters Workshop in terms of the many people who have seen that there are some incredible heritage and acoustic features in the workshop and have had the long-held belief of the possibility of a win-win where the wonderful Fitters Workshop can be used by a wide range of the arts community. I imagine Megalo will be part of that. If the committee’s recommendations are followed,
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