Page 4111 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 September 2017

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Roundtable consultations were then held in Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Civic throughout July with an independent facilitator. I was pleased to see the wide range of people with an interest in the arts attend these roundtables, including individual arts practitioners, representatives of many Canberra arts institutions, arts students, arts consumers, academics and arts advocates. A broad range of art forms was represented, including the visual arts, crafts, music, theatre and dance.

I have just received the report from the independent facilitator to inform me of the views of the participants. It contains a wealth and a very broad diversity of views on the nature and purpose of a ministerial arts advisory body. I look forward to working through this input and building something which is meaningful, productive and informative by mid next year.

Access Canberra—service levels

MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Regulatory Services. A constituent has told me the story that he spent half a day trying to pay his licence fees at Access Canberra. First he went to Dickson to find that it had closed. Then he went to Gungahlin only to be told he could not pay using his business chequebook or cash. He then had to travel to Belconnen where he says the queues were out the doors. Minister, why is it that Access Canberra Gungahlin does not accept cash or cheques and only EFTPOS?

MR RAMSAY: I thank Mr Milligan for the question. The issue relating to the acceptance of cash or cheques at Access Canberra shopfronts is a matter both of security and also the open flexibility of the space itself. One of the issues around the design of the space for the Access Canberra shopfronts is to ensure the open and easygoing nature of the service provided, and that is the case with the Woden one as well.

We note there has been a significant movement to be able to provide even more services online, including, as I have mentioned in this place before, drivers licence renewals. As we enable more online, we allow that to be lifted for people to be able to engage. If people want to ring through to Access Canberra, that is always available.

MR MILLIGAN: Minister, why aren’t all Access Canberra sites able to simply accept cheques then?

MR RAMSAY: I refer to my previous answer.

MRS DUNNE: Minister, will you turn Gungahlin into a more operational facility so that Access Canberra outlets operate for the convenience of all?

MR RAMSAY: I reject the premise that it is not a convenient operational centre; it is a very operational centre and I pay tribute to the wonderful staff of Access Canberra who are working wonderfully across a broad range of areas. What we have managed to do is to be able to provide more services online—that is one of the key movements of this government—which is therefore providing a greater level of service to the Canberra community. People are able to provide—


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