Page 2589 - Week 08 - Thursday, 14 August 2014

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MR GENTLEMAN: I will take some advice from the directorate on how we could go about providing that information for the community.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.

MR COE: Minister, why did the government refuse to answer questions that I have lodged on this matter?

MR GENTLEMAN: I have not received a question from Mr Coe on this matter at this stage.

MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.

MR COE: Minister, will the government be sure that future planning applications by the Labor Party or associated entities, including trade unions, are dealt with in an open, transparent and appropriate manner?

MR GENTLEMAN: As I said in answer to Mrs Jones’s question, I will take some advice on how we can better consult with the community on these processes.

Arts—funding

MS PORTER: My question is to the Minister for the Arts. Minister, could you update the Assembly on the government’s progress in meeting its commitments to the arts.

MS BURCH: I thank Ms Porter for her interest in the arts. This government recognises the considerable value that the arts bring to our community. We are committed to enabling strong community access to and engagement with the arts. We provide more than $8 million in funding, including through the ACT arts fund, which supports high-quality work across a broad range of art forms and practices through programs such as artists in schools, artists in residence, key arts organisation funding and program and project grants.

Developing arts hubs is a significant part of achieving the goals outlined in the ACT arts policy framework. Before the 2012 election, the government committed to delivering $4 million over four years to develop Kingston visual arts precinct and the Ainslie Arts Centre. I can report that work is well underway on both. With reference to the Kingston arts precinct, Stewart Architects and a team of sub-consultants have been engaged to undertake a feasibility study for the next stages of creating this new arts precinct.

The architects will consider the earlier reports and review the opportunities for the development of the remaining areas included in section 49, possibly including a stand-alone arts facility. This is consistent with the Land Development Agency’s master plan for section 49 to be funded for construction in coming budgets. The section 49 master plan was publicly released in May of this year. Potential tenants and current users of the precinct are being consulted, so we will have a comprehensive list of


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