Southern Metropolitan Region
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:43): (164) My constituency question is for the attention of the Minister for Creative Industries, and it concerns the decision of the City of Melbourne to cut free car parking and after-hours parking, including on the weekend, and the impact that this will have on our arts precinct in my electorate south of the river and in particular on the arts centre, the National Gallery, the recital hall and so forth. The free parking there that has operated on the weekends and in the evenings has underpinned a lot of activity in that sector. Now the decision of the council, to be made tonight, will make that much more difficult. People will not be able to park for free there. They will not be able to attend events at the low cost that exists now. I ask the minister: will he join with me in jointly approaching the City of Melbourne to stop this madness?