Page 3134 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 24 September 2014

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MR BARR: A really important element of Floriade is the charity partner opportunity that we provide for two charity partners each year. This year, the RSPCA and the Independent Property Group Foundation are the charity partners.

The Independent Property Group Foundation have the “My cubby house rocks” project where some of Canberra’s most well respected construction professionals have built six architecturally designed cubbyhouses, including one that is fully disability accessible. They are being showcased on site for the duration of Floriade, and lots of kids—lots of kids and lots of adults—have taken the opportunity to test them out. Five of the cubbyhouses will be auctioned off on the final day of the event, which is the 12th. Funds raised will be donated to the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and to the Boundless Canberra project. The sixth cubby house will be raffled. That will give everyone the chance to take one of these fantastic cubby houses home.

The RSPCA are offering a range of activities and talks designed to raise awareness of the important work that they do in the community. In particular, visitors are encouraged to donate to the RSPCA on 7 October, when Floriade holds its first ever “Dogs day out”, which promises to be a great day in the park.

MS BERRY: Minister, why is it important for the government to support Floriade?

MR BARR: It is a significant economic event for the city. Last year’s event achieved outstanding results in terms of overall attendance and economic impact for the ACT. In 2013, of the nearly 450,000 people through the gates, over 105,000 were interstate or international visitors who came to Canberra specifically for Floriade. We have a component of visitor numbers, people who come specifically for Floriade, from interstate and from overseas, and we have a component who are here anyway and take the opportunity to visit the event. The direct expenditure in our economy from the event is just short of $40 million—$39.9 million for the 2013 event. This was a significant increase of over 30 per cent on the 2012 event and it is the largest financial contribution to the region in the history of Floriade.

The average daily expenditure of visitors increased by a third to $180 a day last year, and this is consistent with other major events that Canberra has hosted in recent times, including some of the major sporting events—the Rugby League test, the one-day cricket international, as well as other major cultural events like the Toulouse Lautrec and Turner exhibitions at the National Gallery.

Last year we achieved exceptional results for the event. Given that this year’s attendance figures for the first 10 days of Floriade are up by about 20,000 people on last year, we are looking forward to another outstanding result for Floriade 2014.

Ms Gallagher: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

Supplementary answers to questions without notice

ACTION bus service—network

Territory and municipal services—Narrabundah playground

MR RATTENBURY: Earlier today Mr Coe asked me about the direct bus services from Crace to the city. Prior to network 14, the route through Crace was connected to


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