A re-elected ACT Labor Government will create hundreds of new local jobs by investing $21 million to build a new 10,000m2 indoor venue at EPIC.
The venue will be the first, purpose-built facility in Canberra that can cater for large multicultural performances and private events such as weddings.
The new facility will also be available for regular EPIC users, including trade shows, business events, the farmers market, Summernats and the folk festival.
A commercial kitchen and community kitchen would be installed in this facility with the community kitchen allowing for self-catered events.
This new facility would accommodate (in non pandemic times) around 1,500 people for standing community events, and provide a seated option for up to 1000 guests.
This commitment is a result of the hard work of ACT Labor MLA’s Deepak-Raj Gupta and Suzanne Orr MLA who brought forward a motion to the Legislative Assembly in August 2019 calling on the ACT Government to investigate the feasibility of a large-scale venue suitable for hosting multicultural and other community events.
This is a practical commitment that has a realistic costing and a suitable co-location with essential associated infrastructure such as light rail and significant on-site parking.
It will bring a wide range of community and commercial benefits to the Territory.
Our plan to expand facilities at EPIC will directly support local jobs, businesses and our tourism and business events sector as we work to recover from the greatest economic challenge our city has faced in living memory.
If re-elected, ACT Labor will start the detailed design work and commence construction in the next term of Government.
The pandemic isn’t over and there is more work to do. ACT Labor has the right plan to invest in infrastructure that will generate jobs and bring long-term benefits to the community.