ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:34): My question is directed to the Premier. I am quite keen to know whether he can inform the chamber about the recent changes to be announced for the 2009 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:35): Thank you very much, and I am aware of the very controversial nature of this question. The Adelaide Festival Centre's CEO and Artistic Director, Douglas Gautier, and Adelaide Cabaret Festival Chairman, Frank Ford, recently announced a change to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival's artistic director, marking the end of one era and the beginning of another. Julia Holt has announced her decision to resign after eight years as Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, which, as I understand it, is a year earlier than anticipated.

I want to pay tribute to Julia. The artistic leadership of Julia Holt has created an international cabaret arts festival that has no equal in the world. People think of New York, Berlin, France or Auckland when it comes to cabaret, but I think that all the artists whom I have met, including some of the critics whom I have met, say that this is just an outstanding cabaret festival and it is the best in the world.

I am told that many artists locally, nationally and internationally have expressed their appreciation for the opportunity and encouragement that Julia and her team have provided. She has been particularly acknowledged for her adventurous approach to programming. Julia and the Festival Centre built the Adelaide Cabaret Festival from its early beginnings to the world-renowned festival it is today. I pay tribute to the former minister for the arts, Diana Laidlaw, for initiating this.

At the end of the 2008 festival, total attendances reached 36,000, with 26,855 tickets sold, and the net box office income of $803,000; 75 per cent of available tickets were sold, which is the best ever result for this festival; and 43 performances were sold out. The Adelaide Cabaret Festival has become a much loved part of our annual calendar of cultural events and attracts interstate and overseas visitors. In recognising the importance of the festival, the state government, in our recent budget, increased the funding by 40 per cent to $700,000 for each festival.

I acknowledge the leadership and vision that Julia Holt has brought to the event. I also welcome the next Adelaide Cabaret Festival's Artistic Director, Adelaide-born David Campbell. David is internationally recognised as an outstanding exponent of the art of cabaret. His expertise, skills and artistic leadership will provide an exciting impetus for the further growth of the festival and for the artists involved. His international reputation will further build the recognition and the promotion, nationally and internationally, of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

David Campbell has continually been described as 'a world-class performer' since he first burst onto the New York cabaret scene over a decade ago. Since then, he has continued to go from strength to strength internationally. In the past year alone, he has had two platinum selling albums (The Swing Sessions and The Swing Sessions 2), performed a season with Opera Australia and won acclaim from Stephen Sondheim for his performance of Bobby in a Sydney production of Company. I welcome David Campbell back to Adelaide. I am excited to see the direction he takes the festival in over the next three years.