Print this pageHobart Community Cabinet Meeting
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The New Town High School Guitar Ensemble entertains the community before the public forum.
On Tuesday 13 October 2009, the Australian Government held its 17th Community Cabinet meeting at New Town High School in Hobart, Tasmania. This was the second Community Cabinet meeting held in Tasmania. Despite the rain, around 327 community members attended a public question-and-answer session with the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers, followed by a series of meetings between individual ministers and members of the public.
Darryl Moir, Principal of New Town High School welcomed the community to the meeting, and acknowledged the traditional owners of the land. The Newtown High School Guitar Ensemble played for the gathering before the arrival of the Prime Minister and ministers. Students from the school also assisted in serving refreshments. Toby MacGregor, a 2008 prefect, sang the Australian National Anthem.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, opened the public forum by reiterating the Government’s commitment to keep in touch with local communities and engage on local issues directly. The Prime Minister referred to the Government’s increased investment in health and hospitals in the region, in particular, new facilities and funding for the Menzies Research Institute, and the rollout of the National Broadband Network, which will commence in Tasmania. The Prime Minister finished his address by noting that Australia was the only advanced economy not to go into recession during the global financial crisis. As part of its agenda to meet the challenge of economic recovery, the Government is continuing to support jobs and small business for the future.
The Prime Minister and ministers answered a very broad range of questions in the public forum. Issues raised included literacy problems in schools, the preservation of ancient rainforests, increasing Government overseas aid, the cost to the local community of climate change measures, and lowering the voting age.
Following the forum, ministers moved to 52 pre-arranged one-on-one meetings. These meetings provided individuals with an opportunity to discuss a personal matter or an issue of concern directly with the relevant minister.
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