South Australian Film Industry

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills. Can the minister update the house on recent facility upgrades at the South Australian Film Corporation?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Industry and Skills) (15:01): I do thank the member for Heysen. He is a very cultured man. There is no doubt that he has an interest in the creative industries here in South Australia. Last week, I was pleased to open the Made in SA showcase as part of the Adelaide Film Festival. The showcase is a celebration of the next wave of exciting and passionate screen and production talent. We are strengthening the industry here in South Australia.

New entrants into the industry come through a variety of pathways. They might have joined the industry as a graduate from one of our universities or perhaps taken a screen apprenticeship and skilled up across a variety of roles required in the film industry. The Adelaide Film Festival's opening night film, Hotel Mumbai, showcased many extremely talented South Australians, including Anthony Maras, Julie Ryan, Nick Matthews and Tilda Cobham-Hervey, just to name a few, many of whom premiered their work previously through the Made in SA showcase.

Those working in the industry, particularly new entrants, will continue to develop and refine their skills, especially as the industry embraces new technology. The Made in SA showcase celebrates the best that South Australia's emerging talent has to offer: new directors, new writers, new producers, directors of photography, crews and on-screen talent. It's terrific to see so many young people choosing a career within the creative industry sector here in South Australia. The challenge for us as a government, of course, is to ensure those opportunities remain for them in South Australia as their careers blossom and as they become professionals in the sector.

The Adelaide Film Festival, in general, has always provided a valuable platform to launch and celebrate new South Australian talent. To harness the strengths and economic potential of the screen industry, we are very pleased now to have the film industry within the industry and skills portfolio. We see it as a significant industry here in South Australia, so it only makes sense that it be treated as a serious business that has a huge potential to grow, and it can do that in the industry and skills department. The complexity and breadth of talent and skills required to create great films are not always appreciated, from music composition to writing and from carpentry through to animation, special effects and cinematography.

The Marshall Liberal government is a strong supporter of the screen industry through the South Australian Film Corporation, and the Adelaide Film Festival and the film festival fund, and is delighted to enable and to support the careers of new entrants into the South Australian industry.