Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, I had the great privilege of announcing $2 million worth of funding to the Somerset Regional Council to build the new Somerset Civic Centre. I congratulate the council and the Ipswich and West Moreton RDA committee for their submission and their work. The new civic centre, in Esk, comes out of the twin tragedies of fire and flood, replacing the century-old Lyceum Hall, which was tragically burnt down in May last year. The Somerset Civic Centre will not only be a cultural hub but operate as an evacuation centre for a region that was devastated by floods this year. This vital centre is funded under the Regional Development Australia Fund, which has delivered $150 million to 35 projects in regions like Somerset in my electorate of Blair—regional projects worth $418 million, projects that local government, local businesses and local communities could never have delivered on their own. The Somerset Council's $4.4 million, 350-seat capacity civic centre will be a community and cultural hub.

I remember when, back in July 1975, Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam opened Ipswich Civic Centre—it was a proud moment in my city's history. So it was with incredible pride that I, as the federal member, delivered $3.3 million to the Ipswich City Council under the Better Regions Program in 2009. Included in that important funding for the performing arts in Ipswich was $1.5 million for the refurbishment of the iconic Ipswich Civic Centre. I cannot tell you how many events I have been to at Ipswich Civic Centre. It is a place where locals celebrate, where they come to meet and where they perform. I have never actually performed at Ipswich Civic Centre, but the centre has had a long history of staging wonderful eisteddfods and theatrical and musical performances—events that celebrate talent within our region. Today, these civic centres are much more. They have the capacity to be regional entertainment centres hosting international and local acts. In addition to this, civic centres such as Somerset Civic Centre function as evacuation centres and places where people meet in times of natural disaster.

Last week, I opened the Karalee State School's $3 million performing arts and resource centre, funded under the Labor government's very successful Building the Education Revolution. This is an impressive resource and features one building with two centres: one is a library and the other a performing arts centre, with retractable seating for 140 people, state-of-the-art lighting and sound, and gallery hanging space. This resource will build on the school's already impressive arts focus. I know a lot of people assume that BER projects simply built multipurpose halls, but the reality is that schools like Karalee State School had their project tailored to meet the school's needs. These are important community resources, and you will find that the centre is, essentially, Karalee's own civic centre.

We have come a long since 1975, but our civic centres still connect communities. They are cultural and social hubs in our communities, and I am proud to be part of a federal Labor government that invests in these vital community and civic centres. (Time expired)