Page 3321 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 September 2015

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MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mrs Jones.

MRS JONES: Minister, did you or your office interfere in any way with the publication of the report?

MS BURCH: No.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.

MR DOSZPOT: Minister, what role did you or your office play in determining what was published?

MS BURCH: I refer Mr Doszpot to my earlier answer.

MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.

MR DOSZPOT: Minister, who, if anyone, in your directorate made the decisions about what information was published in the report?

MS BURCH: I refer Mr Doszpot to my earlier answer.

Tourism—events

DR BOURKE: My question is to the Chief Minister and Minister for Tourism and Events. Chief Minister, can you provide an update on Canberra’s upcoming program of major events?

MR BARR: I thank Dr Bourke for his question. I am very pleased to be able to advise the Assembly that a major series of events has kicked off in the city, with Floriade, of course, now underway. NightFest begins this week. Last year NightFest attracted nearly 35,000 people. We are expecting the entire Floriade event plus NightFest to attract close to 500,000 attendees over the month. Some, of course, will visit multiple times, bringing in close to $50 million for the territory economy. The windows to the world program is now well under way, and if the opening weekend is any indication there will be a very strongly supported series of events across the embassies in the territory. I thank the diplomatic community for their partnership in delivering a really world class event for our city.

We will soon see the opening of the Australian cricket season, with the Prime Minister’s XI cricket match against New Zealand at Manuka Oval in October. The Socceroos are headed to Canberra to play a World Cup qualifier. We have major Christmas in the city events including, I understand, an attempt to surpass a previous world record for Christmas lights.

The Australian cricket team returns to Canberra in January for a one-day international cricket match. Of course, we have the significant Australia Day celebrations in the city, and our fastest growing event, Enlighten, will return in the autumn of 2016. So there is a significant program of events in the city. There are, of course, a number of other major exhibitions being hosted by our national institutions and being supported by the government’s ACT event fund.


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