Page 4075 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 17 November 2015
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Another feature of the Renewable Energy Day was the bus tour of renewable energy features in the region, including the ANU big dish, the capital solar farm and the Veolia bioreactor. This was just a taste to launch the renewable energy trail SERREE is developing in the region. Current trails cover renewable energy installations from hydro at Jindabyne to solar at Royalla, wind farms east and north of Goulburn and the wind farms east of Lake George.
I was especially pleased at the Renewable Energy Day to see CIT working so closely with the SERREE industry partners in creating training opportunities for young people in these emerging career pathways.
Mr Henry Laska
HeartStrings appeal
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (5.53): On 5 November I attended the Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s Llewellyn series No 4 concert, which was highlighted as Rachmaninoff. Although it was a fantastic program, as usual, I do not particularly want to dwell on the program; I want to speak about the fact that this was the last concert under the leadership of Henry Laska, the retiring CEO of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. I want to pay tribute tonight to Henry and the great work he has done for the Canberra Symphony Orchestra over his seven years at the helm.
We were reminded on the night that while most subscription orchestras in Australia experience very high levels of re-subscription by subscription members every year, in the order of about 75 per cent, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra excels: 96 per cent of subscribers renew their subscription every year. And the Llewellyn series of concerts, two concerts on successive evenings, usually have in excess of 1,000 people each at each concert. Many of the larger and better funded orchestras around the country would be extraordinarily jealous to see that many people at an entire subscription series.
It is quite clear that the work that has been done by Henry Laska over his time at the CSO, along with the artistic directorship of Nicholas Milton, the principal conductor, and the great leadership of the CSO board, currently chaired by Sir Angus Houston, is testament to how much Canberrans value their orchestra and also to the great work that has been done by Henry himself.
When Henry came on board, the CSO was in trouble. He has brought it from a struggling organisation to a thriving organisation. The people of Canberra owe Henry, and his wife Dianna, who is an active and ever-present volunteer for the CSO, a great debt of gratitude. I pay tribute to Henry Laska and to his wife Dianna, and I wish them well in the next phase of their life.
While I am on the subject of the CSO, I would like to draw to members’ attention the HeartStrings appeal, which is an appeal for a contribution of $60 from someone more privileged to allow a family to attend the Shell prom concert who normally would not be able to afford to do so. I would encourage members to consider contributing in their Christmas giving to the Shell prom HeartStrings appeal. The tickets will be
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