Dr LIM - 1996-10-10
There has been some debate in the media over support for the Barunga community, particularly with regard to staging this year's annual Barunga Cultural and Sports Festival.
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What is the level of Territory government support for the Barunga community and for this year's festival?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, as Minister for the Arts and Museums, I am very pleased to discuss the Barunga Cultural and Sports Festival. Something that we should all remember is that Barunga runs one of the biggest and best-recognised festivals of its kind in Australia. It attracts national and international interest. The Territory government certainly recognises that and it recognises also the very active contribution made by the people of Barunga towards making this festival a reality. I think we are all aware of the problems that the Barunga community has had regarding the ATSIC regional people's approach to the community and the withdrawal of support.
This year, the Territory is proud to have contributed $37 000 to the Barunga community to help make the festival happen - and it nearly did not happen. There has been considerable argle-bargle and a great deal of comment in the press regarding Barunga, especially from the ATSIC people. I believe that the community has been very responsible in the approach it has taken. The community was divested of its CDEP funds a couple of years ago as a result of some abnormal accounting processes. It now has a new council and has put new processes in place, with outside accountants operating its books. An independent audit has been undertaken ...
Mr Ah Kit: But you are not paying them properly.
Mr MANZIE: I beg your pardon?
Mr Ah Kit: As part of your responsibility for local government.
Mr MANZIE: I see. This is the responsibility of local government. The comment from the member for Arnhem is interesting. I wondered where he stood in relation to Barunga, and I will tell you why. He was invited to the opening of the Barunga festival, which is quite an important event. He was listed as a speaker. A number of people turned up to speak including Mr Robert Lee from the Jawoyn association, which supports the Barunga community and the festival, and Mr Yunupingu from the NLC, which also supports the community. What about the local member? He was not there, but he issued an apology.
Members interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: They are all trying to defend him. Why not be quiet and listen to what the local member said. I will tell you. He said he could not come because he was attending the local government conference. I thought that was pretty reasonable and most people at Barunga also thought that it was pretty reasonable. Unfortunately, I found out at the local government conference that the member for Arnhem had issued an apology to it stating that he could be present because he was attending the Barunga festival! That is how important ...
Mr Ah Kit: I was driving down.
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Mr MANZIE: We all drove. Clearly, it took me much less time than it took you.
That is the support that the member for Arnhem gives to Barunga, a community in his electorate which is under siege from ATSIC. I would like to hear his comments as to why, although ATSIC's independent auditors gave Barunga a clean bill of health, ATSIC still withdrew funding. It has withdrawn funding for the festival a couple of times and it has withdrawn funding for the council in some areas. The only funding Barunga obtains is through the Territory government. We supported it to such an extent that it was able to run a very successful festival. It had no support from the member for Arnhem who decided that he would sleep in instead of attending either the local government conference or the Barunga festival. Shame on him! I congratulate the Barunga community and I wish it well in its future endeavours.
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Page 1654
What is the level of Territory government support for the Barunga community and for this year's festival?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, as Minister for the Arts and Museums, I am very pleased to discuss the Barunga Cultural and Sports Festival. Something that we should all remember is that Barunga runs one of the biggest and best-recognised festivals of its kind in Australia. It attracts national and international interest. The Territory government certainly recognises that and it recognises also the very active contribution made by the people of Barunga towards making this festival a reality. I think we are all aware of the problems that the Barunga community has had regarding the ATSIC regional people's approach to the community and the withdrawal of support.
This year, the Territory is proud to have contributed $37 000 to the Barunga community to help make the festival happen - and it nearly did not happen. There has been considerable argle-bargle and a great deal of comment in the press regarding Barunga, especially from the ATSIC people. I believe that the community has been very responsible in the approach it has taken. The community was divested of its CDEP funds a couple of years ago as a result of some abnormal accounting processes. It now has a new council and has put new processes in place, with outside accountants operating its books. An independent audit has been undertaken ...
Mr Ah Kit: But you are not paying them properly.
Mr MANZIE: I beg your pardon?
Mr Ah Kit: As part of your responsibility for local government.
Mr MANZIE: I see. This is the responsibility of local government. The comment from the member for Arnhem is interesting. I wondered where he stood in relation to Barunga, and I will tell you why. He was invited to the opening of the Barunga festival, which is quite an important event. He was listed as a speaker. A number of people turned up to speak including Mr Robert Lee from the Jawoyn association, which supports the Barunga community and the festival, and Mr Yunupingu from the NLC, which also supports the community. What about the local member? He was not there, but he issued an apology.
Members interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: They are all trying to defend him. Why not be quiet and listen to what the local member said. I will tell you. He said he could not come because he was attending the local government conference. I thought that was pretty reasonable and most people at Barunga also thought that it was pretty reasonable. Unfortunately, I found out at the local government conference that the member for Arnhem had issued an apology to it stating that he could be present because he was attending the Barunga festival! That is how important ...
Mr Ah Kit: I was driving down.
Page 1655
Mr MANZIE: We all drove. Clearly, it took me much less time than it took you.
That is the support that the member for Arnhem gives to Barunga, a community in his electorate which is under siege from ATSIC. I would like to hear his comments as to why, although ATSIC's independent auditors gave Barunga a clean bill of health, ATSIC still withdrew funding. It has withdrawn funding for the festival a couple of times and it has withdrawn funding for the council in some areas. The only funding Barunga obtains is through the Territory government. We supported it to such an extent that it was able to run a very successful festival. It had no support from the member for Arnhem who decided that he would sleep in instead of attending either the local government conference or the Barunga festival. Shame on him! I congratulate the Barunga community and I wish it well in its future endeavours.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016