Page 2724 - Week 08 - Thursday, 11 August 2016

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I am confident the existing provisions of the Territory Plan as well as those introduced by V343 will minimise the impact on residents of the ACT.

Belconnen Arts Centre

Petition No 7-16 and E-petition No 4-16—statement by member

DR BOURKE (Ginninderra—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Disability, Minister for Small Business and the Arts and Minister for Veterans and Seniors), by leave: It is a sign of the support for stage 2 of the Belconnen Arts Centre that over 500 signatures have been gathered within just 10 days. I was a strong supporter of the concept for a Belconnen Arts Centre before it was built in 2009 and it is heartening to see so many members of the Belconnen community now support the expansion as reflected in the petitions that have been lodged today. They reflect the number of people who both use the centre and enjoy the centre in so many different ways. Arts forms a crucial part of our Canberra lifestyle and as minister for the arts I know how much arts brings to our city.

I know too that a broad cross-section of the Belconnen community take part in our arts centre’s activities. A program of classes, performances and exhibitions make it a well-loved hub of the Belconnen community. Belconnen Arts Centre not only brings more character and diversity to the Belconnen town centre and the Emu Bank foreshore, our own city to the lake in Belconnen, but it is also a key part of the ACT government’s commitment to arts across the city. As a regular at the Belconnen Arts Centre it is great for me to get down there and see that the time has come for it to grow. An expanded centre with a new theatre and opportunity will be well used and a popular investment for our Belconnen community. I look forward to having more to say about the ACT government’s commitment to the arts generally in the lead-up to the election.

Valedictory

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Climate Change) (10.05): I seek leave to make my valedictory remarks.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: Thank you, Madam Speaker; thank you, colleagues. My Labor colleagues; Assembly colleagues; my close and extended family, particularly my son Henry and my daughter Laura, my mother Brenda and her partner Hugh; those who have loved and supported me over my time in this place and who cannot be here today; staff and former staff of my ministerial office; Labor colleagues and comrades past and present; colleagues of the ACT public service; staff of the Assembly; friends all—you honour me with your presence here today.

I rise this morning to make these, my valedictory remarks, on my last sitting day in this place after a period of 19 years, seven months and three days in public office. I


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