Page 1186 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 10 April 2018

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Utilities (Technical Regulation) Act—Utilities (Technical Regulation) (Gas Network Boundary Code) Approval 2018—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-47 (LR, 22 March 2018).

Utilities Act—Utilities (Gas Network Boundary Code) Revocation 2018—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-49 (LR, 21 March 2018).

Heritage protection

Discussion of matter of public importance

MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Lee): Madam Speaker has received letters from Miss C Burch, Ms Cheyne, Ms Cody, Mrs Dunne, Mr Hanson, Mrs Kikkert, Ms Lawder, Ms Lee, Ms Orr, Mr Parton, Mr Pettersson, Mr Steel and Mr Wall proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, the Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Ms Lawder be submitted to the Assembly, namely:

The importance of protecting and celebrating our Aboriginal, European and natural heritage.

MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (3.40): It is great to talk about the importance of our heritage, as we are on the brink of the 2018 Canberra and Region Heritage Festival. What better way to highlight the importance of our natural history, our Aboriginal history and our European or perhaps more accurately our post-1788 heritage than by celebrating it during the festival but also year round. There is very much a sense of excitement amongst members of the heritage community about the upcoming festival and their opportunities to speak to more Canberrans about the events that are available.

The festival starts next Saturday and runs from 14 to 29 April. It was recently launched by Minister Stephen-Smith, on behalf of Minister Gentleman. I congratulate everyone involved in organising this year’s heritage festival, especially all the volunteers who contribute their time and expertise towards the festival events. The theme this year is “My culture, my story”, and the festival devotes 16 days to the celebration of all things heritage in and around our nation’s capital.

The Canberra and Region Heritage Festival website tells us the festival will focus on what makes a place special, encouraging us all to embrace the future by sharing the strength of our cultural identities. It encourages us to learn about our own identity so that we are better able to respect each other and create a more inclusive society.

There are a wide range and diversity of activities listed in Canberra and the region as part of the festival, so the program is testament to the richness and value of our shared heritage. For example, during the festival a glimpse of our Indigenous heritage will be revealed by elder Wally Bell on an Aboriginal heritage walk at the Pinnacle Nature Reserve at Hawker, and Ngunnawal dreaming stories will be shared by Richie Allan while exploring the Jerrabomberra wetlands.

We are fortunate that, in addition to the spoken traditions, the ACT region is also rich with archaeological evidence of Aboriginal occupation, particularly in Namadgi and Tidbinbilla but in other areas as well. Archaeological excavation and carbon dating of


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