Helpmann Awards

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (14:47): My question is to the Minister for The Arts. How is the South Australian arts community being represented at this year's Helpmann Awards?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:47): On Monday night, the Helpmann Awards nominations were announced and I am very proud of the huge number of South Australian artists and arts organisations that are recognised in this year's awards. Rachel Healy and Neil Armfield promised an Adelaide Festival to cement us as Australia's best artistic festival and they have delivered, with Handel's Saul earning a staggering seven nominations, including Best Director to Barrie Kosky, as well as Best Male Performer and Supporting Male Performer, Best Lighting, Best Musical Direction, Best Scenic Design and, the big one, Best Opera.

Restless Dance Theatre's unforgettable festival performance Intimate Space is up for Best Dance Production, and Concerto Italiano is nominated for Best Chamber Concert. The incredible acrobatic troupe Gravity & Other Myths, which is born out of the western suburbs-based Cirkidz—and based in your electorate, I think, Mr Speaker—has also earned national acclaim for their Adelaide Festival production Backbone, with nominations for Best New Australian Work and Best Choreography in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production. The crew is touring around Europe with the production, and is doing us proud.

The festival has also earned a nomination for Best Sound Design for their co-presenting of The Encounter. Local company Windmill Theatre has also received a couple of nominations. While the film makes waves around the world, the theatre version of Girl Asleep joins Gravity & Other Myths with a nomination for Best New Australian Work, and Amber McMahon is nominated for Best Supporting Female Actor. Last year the State Theatre Company shook the Adelaide Festival Theatre with their stunning production of Andrew Bovell's Things I Know to Be True. Adelaide girl and former Cirkidz-trained performer Tilda Cobham-Hervey joins Amber as a nominee for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Things I Know to Be True, which is also up for Best Play.

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is also in the mix, with Paul Kelly and Camille O'Sullivan's Ancient Rain, presented by Adelaide's Brink Productions, nominated for Best Original Score, and last year's incredible presentation of Sven Ratzke's David Bowie-inspired performance Starman up for Best Cabaret. Alongside Sven is Adelaide's own Jimmy Barnes, and although not technically SA based, they are Adelaide Fringe favourites, Betty Grumble and Hot Brown Honey.

WOMADelaide is hoping to go back to back with their nomination for Best Contemporary Music Festival, with Samantha Hines presented by WOMAD up for Best Female Dancer. Finally, the already announced 2017 Sue Nattrass Award, which recognises outstanding contribution to Australian live performance, is this year going to our very own Rob Brookman.

I place on the record my congratulations to all the nominees. The number and diversity of the nominations show what an incredible arts sector we have in South Australia. I encourage everyone to tune in on 24 July when the winners will be announced.