Conventional thinking: all parties on board for Canberra to get a facility worthy of the capital

With just a few days left of the ACT election campaign, a new world-class convention centre in the capital looks a certainty.

All three major political parties, and a majority of the independents, are backing a new convention centre, with the majors in particular expressing commitments to get one built sooner rather than after.

This is good news for the public and business sectors wanting to attract international conferences and expos (not to mention internationally touring concerts) to Canberra.

It’s even more welcome for the Canberra Convention Bureau, the ACT’s not-for-profit association with a mission to attract events to the capital.

CEO Michael Matthews described it as a “win for every Canberran”.

“After decades of discussion, Canberra is finally on the verge of having a world-class facility that will boost our economy and cement our city’s place as a vibrant, international destination,” Mr Matthews said.

“Canberrans deserve a convention centre that reflects our importance on the world stage.

“We want to be a national capital that can host major Australian and international events, and a new facility will give us that capability.”

Currently, Canberra’s largest purpose-built conference, meeting and events venue is the National Convention Centre Canberra, offering 15 flexible spaces over two floors.

The consensus among the political and business sectors, however, is that Australia’s capital is ready for something closer to what can be found in Sydney or Wellington, as well as in a host of other cities around the world.

Mr Matthews said current convention facilities are operating at full capacity and, as a result, the city has been unable to compete for significant international and national events.

He said space constraints mean Canberra is losing convention business to other cities that have already invested in upgraded facilities.

A modern, larger convention centre is expected to bring tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue to the ACT.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Mr Matthews said.

“The latest figures show our current centre at existing capacity already delivers more than $67 million annually to the local economy.

“This is an important contribution, but when you see that the new centre in Sydney delivers over $600 million annually and consider the events we are effectively turning away, it is clear we have room to grow.

“More facilities mean more delegates and more money being spent in Canberra to help pay for the things we all want for our city.”

In addition to the direct economic benefits, the facility will provide a venue for other community events, including concerts, graduations and gala dinners, plus business events.

The flow-on effects of drawing thousands of interstate visitors include support for local hotels, restaurants and small businesses.

Critically, he said, business events mean more stable midweek business for eateries, pubs and entertainment venues – making them more viable and making Canberra’s city centre more lively and safer for all residents.

Kathryn Oplantzakis, general manager at Verity Lane Precinct, couldn’t agree more.

“We can work with conferences to offer a really unique experience for delegates – and when there’s demand, all our spaces are optimised across various times, which means we employ more staff to service this demand,” she said.

“If the current convention centre misses out on a conference because of capacity restrictions, we lose those customers too.”

Mr Matthews said the tripartisan political support suggests Canberra’s future is being placed front and centre by those who aspire to be in the Territory’s top decision-making positions.

“I’m excited to see the transformation this facility will bring to our city. From an economic, social and cultural perspective, a new convention centre is a win for every Canberran,” he said.

“This project is not just about building a new facility. It’s about building a brighter future for our city.”