Film and Screen Industry

Mr KNOLL (Schubert) (14:54): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is positioning South Australia as a global player in the screen industry, and what benefit does that bring to the state, including jobs growth across the industry?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:54): I thank the member for Schubert for his interest and his question. Of course, South Australia has recorded the fifth—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —consecutive growth in screen drama production here in South Australia, achieving a record 15 per cent of this year's overall national drama—that is, twice our population share, punching well above our weight.

South Australia has achieved a new record-breaking high of $146 million of expenditure in the state on drama production and post-production, up 34 per cent on the previous year and—listen to this one, Mr Speaker—a whopping 71 per cent since the Marshall government was elected in 2018.

This pipeline of production is creating confidence in the screen workforce, and combined with South Australia's renowned livability and safe status it is attracting creatives and crew to live and work in South Australia. Of course, many people have returned to South Australia who have had to go interstate to do that work previously.

The Marshall government's Creative Industry Strategy estimates 1,350 jobs within the local screen sector, and South Australia is now internationally renowned as a premier destination for quality film production for multiple reasons—of course, world-class crews, facilities and locations with diversity and easy access. Nowhere else in the world can you go to the beaches, visit a forest, get to the outback within a couple of hours' drive. It is a prime location, and we are selling that to the world.

South Australia's globally recognised VFX sector provides post-production digital and visual effects (known as PDV) for some of the world's biggest productions. South Australia also has a growing independent games industry. Of course, South Australia was the first state to back that industry by providing a production rebate for work done here in South Australia.

Of course, the screen sector is changing in the midst of the global content boom being driven by the union of technology and entertainment (and, of course, we all know about the opportunities and the options for streaming at home now) and changing audience and consumption behaviour. Gone are the days where people were buying items and things with their money: they are buying experiences, and, of course, creative industries are benefiting from those purchases of experiences that people are buying.

Because of South Australia's strong response to COVID-19, significant opportunities, such as international productions, are emerging. International film producers look to South Australia as an attractive destination due to the containment of the virus, and, of course, our competitive currency.

The ease of shooting in South Australia is also very attractive. Our locations, our skilled local crew and our internationally renowned ability to deliver serves us well. There is no doubt that Hollywood knows about the Mortal Kombat production and how well we were able to pull together such a big production in such a short time and use so many local South Australians in that production.

Since resuming production in July, one of the first places in the world that saw the resumption of film production was here in South Australia. We have delivered a consistent pipeline of productions through to this year. Tomorrow night, don't forget to tune into the ABC's Aftertaste, which was shot in the Adelaide Hills. A Sunburnt Christmas, again, was shot here in South Australia. I saw that on Stan in the lead-up to Christmas—a lovely family night at home watching A Sunburnt Christmas. Gold and The Unknown Man, again, were shot here in South Australia, and, of course, last week we read about the biggest TV production ever in South Australia, The Tourist, being shot as we speak.