A few answers
Some further comments on Anna Bligh's responses regarding the Regent at People's Question Time:
1) Under the Heritage Act no listed areas can technically be demolished or altered radically. Ms Bligh's claim of intervening to save the facade and staircase areas is bunkum. It was already heritage listed and "protected".
2) The Regent has recently been commercially unviable, but arguably that was because its operators were not motivated as they have other premises nearby at the Myer Centre. We know there are other cinema operators who would give their eye teeth to take the Regent as is, and make it a goer.
3) Why no mention of the Brisbane International Film Festival? It operated successfully at the Regent for 17 years and now lacks a home.
4) If the Regent has failed as a commercial cinema and people are crying out for more theatre space here, why not take the perfect opportunity to negotiate with the building's owners for a multipurpose theatre to go in there instead of a carpark and and tower lobby?
5) It might be privately owned but the Regent is a building of state significance and iconic status. The wishes of the community to save and continue the Regent as a proper cinema should be taken into account by the owners and the government.
6) Ms Bligh should look at the thriving live theatre scene in Melbourne, which is due to the number and variety of commercially viable venues. We need more venues so more big shows can come here to Brisbane, not just a larger Lyric Theatre stage.
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Answer
She totally dodged the questions. No answers at all.
re Anna Bligh's responses
Ms Bligh does not answer the actual question with regards to Brisbane, as a capital city, missing the benefits of many shows due to the current few large theatres being constantly overbooked. We did not imply that their seating capacity is adequate in themselves; it is the sheer lack of venues that is the problem. Producers currently have no option for touring large productions that may require open-ended seasons pending popularity as they can in other capital cities. Many shows miss out on booking slots full stop. It's one thing to have enough seats in the house to meet audience demands, but it's a totally different story to seek "houses" for the shows in the first place for the large number and variety of productions that could potentially tour Brisbane every year!