Leigh Creek

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright) (14:49): Thank you, sir. My question is to the Minister for the Arts. Minister, following last week's country cabinet, can you provide advice about the cultural opportunities in the Leigh Creek area?

The SPEAKER: The cultural attaché.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:49): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As Minister for Health, it is always great to travel to our regions to hear firsthand from doctors, nurses and allied health employers in our country health system. As part of last week's country cabinet, I visited the Quorn and Leigh Creek hospitals where I met with staff, volunteers and members of the Health Advisory Council to discuss various issues affecting health care in their local communities.

One of the most heartening things I found during my time in Leigh Creek was the level of optimism shown by the local community, which is banding together and looking to increase alternative industries in the area. Last Tuesday I joined other members of the cabinet in visiting the historic Ediacara Fossil Site in my role as Minister for the Arts. The fossils in this site are the oldest known, complex animal fossils on the earth and range somewhere between 635 million and 542 million years old.

It was great to have Professor Jim Gehling from the South Australian Museum and Professor Mary Droser from the University of California give us a tour and provide us with an insight into the incredible importance of this site—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: And, yes, the Treasurer does point out that she flew out from the United States specifically to take the cabinet through.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The Leader of the Opposition is very angry today, Mr Speaker. I don't know why he's angry. He's an angry young man.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: I know why.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: You know why?

The SPEAKER: I call the Minister for Health to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Mr Speaker, while the scientific community has been involved with the area—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: It's a great article.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned for making a display.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: While the scientific community has been involved with the area since that great South Australian Reg Sprigg discovered the fossils in the 1940s, the tourism potential of the site is something that is yet to be realised. I look forward to helping where I can to encourage interesting growth in this exciting area. In Leigh Creek one of the things that struck me—

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is called to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —was how, since the closure of the mine was announced, quite a few businesses have closed, creating many empty shopfronts in the town centre. I am pleased to inform the house—

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —that, with support of the Regional Development Fund, Arts South Australia, together with Country Arts SA and Alinta Energy, are creating a new Artist in Residence program, which will revitalise unused spaces in the town.

The program, which will start in April, will see three artists take up residence in Leigh Creek for up to four months to undertake a project inspired by the unique natural and cultural setting of the town and surrounding Flinders Ranges. The artists will undertake their own professional practice and will engage with the local community.

The expressions of interest for this project will open on 15 March, and I encourage members to promote and support this new initiative. Leigh Creek is such an important part of our state. I look forward to working with the rest of the government to provide opportunities to support this transitioning region.

The SPEAKER: The member for Colton.

Members interjecting: