MAJOR EVENTS BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 6 June 2013.)

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (16:16): I rise to indicate my support for the Major Events Bill. This bill represents a timely and appropriate response to the evolving requirements of the burgeoning events scene here in South Australia and to the fact that we will shortly be in a position to attract even larger and more significant local, national and international events to our state.

It is time that South Australia and Adelaide resumed their former fabled status as the Athens of the south. So many of the things that make Adelaide a great place to live and to share with visitors today can be sheeted home to premier Don Dunstan's foresight and initiative. Don Dunstan put Adelaide on the cultural map both locally and abroad.

The Dunstan decade, in terms of the cultural renaissance it embodied, was built on his support for the Adelaide Festival Centre, the Adelaide Festival and the State Theatre Company. He took action to protect the historically significant buildings in which we take such pride. He established the hugely successful South Australian Film Corporation. He was a champion of multiculturalism and of cultural exchange with our near neighbours.

Our arts festival was the most prestigious in the country, and the template it created had been followed with commensurate success by other states and territories. We owe Don Dunstan so much, and I take a moment to acknowledge his towering achievements.

In the intervening years, it can be fairly said that there have been periods of complacency concerning our position in the cultural fabric of the nation, and to me that is a great shame. However, Adelaide and South Australia are returning, particularly under this government, to their rightful place: in the vanguard of cultural, sporting, gastronomic, multicultural, community, professional and special interest festivals, events and conferences.

These festivals, events and conferences are far from being bread and circuses, or the experiences that some naysayers in our community would say are too expensive, unworthy of government assistance or simply frivolous and unnecessary. Nothing could be further from the truth. Benefits in terms of social and community harmony and cohesion—the benefits that spring from the creation of friendships between people from diverse parts of the world, from interest and participation in sport, from the creation of employment related to these events—are manifest. The economic benefits of such showcases in terms of business investment and tourism for our communities, our city and our state are beyond doubt.

A study carried out by Festivals Adelaide, an umbrella group that includes the Adelaide Festival, Fringe, WOMADelaide, Cabaret, OzAsia, Come Out, Feast, Film, SALA and the International Guitar festivals, was published earlier this year. It found that these festivals returned to the community about $5 for every dollar of government funding in 2012. It found that visitors to and artists in these events combined spent more than $58 million, excluding the proceeds of the sale of the 590,000 tickets—$58.1 million for the state economy in new income.

Meanwhile, in just one example on the sporting front, the 2012 Clipsal 500 generated more than $34 million and attracted 760,400 people. Let me mention just a couple of figures from the current year. The Advertiser revealed last week that the recent Cabaret Festival increased its box office takings by more than 20 per cent on last year—a runaway success with 40 sold out shows. The Santos Tour Down Under which was attended by more than three-quarters of a million people, including 40,000 from interstate and overseas, generated $43.6 million for our economy.

You only need to look at the 2013 events calendar released by Events SA to see the multiplicity and broad spread of the 94 festivals, sporting and other events listed and to note that the list is but a selection of what is available across the state and is designed to be a summary only. It is in this context of these issues that I turn to the bill. Our calendar of events is a precious asset in an increasingly competitive environment and it has become increasingly clear that, just as a number of interstate jurisdictions have already perceived, we require specific, dedicated major event legislation to regulate commercial activities so as to attract, retain and facilitate major events. As my colleague the minister pointed out in her second reading:

For the private sector to invest in a major event, the private sector has the right to expect that the integrity of its commercial investment will be protected and the smooth running of the event is ensured.

The minister also added that legislation such as that which we discuss today may be a significant or determining element in a private entrepreneur or international body deciding whether to bring an event to South Australia and cited the requirements of organisations such as FIFA, the IOC, the ICC, the International Rugby Board and the Commonwealth Games Association with regard to protection against infringement of activities associated with their events.

Our bid for matches as part of the 2015 Cricket World Cup is in fact contingent on enactment of appropriate legislation which must be in place for at least 12 months prior to that event. Infringements of sponsorship and other commercial arrangements are many and they can be very ingenious. Let's look briefly at some of these ploys. They can include ambush marketing, where a company associates itself with an event without paying the cost of being an official sponsor. Such infringements, particularly around the Olympic Games, have been numerous, and we are all familiar with those. These infringements reduce the value of event sponsorship and are unfair to event organisers and sponsors alike.

The sale or distribution of certain articles with the intention of profiting from a competitor's legitimate sponsorship investment is closely related to ambush marketing. One such instance is where, say, a sporting apparel manufacturer might distribute its goods, insignia or identifiable colours or symbols at a sports event where a competitor has purchased sponsorship rights. This is obviously to the detriment of the sponsor's commercial interests. Ticket scalping is also a well-known phenomenon. This needs little clarification.

Broadcasting regulation is important where a particular broadcaster invests large amounts in exclusive broadcast rights only to find that another broadcaster is covering, say, a part or stage of an event. Airspace and aerial advertising are also avenues for a company to try to leverage on another's events. Car sponsor X certainly would not want non-sponsor car company Y's aerobatics team appearing in the airspace above a sporting event for which X had paid a costly sum to secure exclusive advertising rights.

Meanwhile, logos, symbols, colours or branding can be used to suggest that an item is endorsed by an event's sponsor or perhaps a government body. Such paid endorsements are generally taken to denote a certain quality in the product and a legitimate link to an event. If a non-sponsoring merchandiser taps into and applies these logos or symbols the results are obvious. Sales of the legitimate products, the overall profits and the value of the business investment are all decreased.

Also within the ambit of the bill is public safety at major events. The government invests a huge amount of planning, logistical support and coordination in large public events, including police, transport, traffic management, emergency services, crowd management and venue hire. Crowd management in general, and in particular at entry and exit points, is of particular concern, needless to say as are the procession of incendiaries, obstruction, interference with events or other inappropriate behaviours. These matters are therefore addressed within the provisions. Clearly the value of private sector investment in major events in our state must be protected if these events are to be attracted and maintained. Without regulation, some investments may be compromised or withdrawn to the detriment of the event, the host and the community.

The opening of our redeveloped Adelaide sports stadium will herald a new era for South Australia. The best of new technology and design will combine with Adelaide Oval's famous heritage to provide a world-class, 50,000-seat facility, hosting football, cricket and a plethora of other major sporting and entertainment events for the revitalised Riverbank Precinct. Now is the time for us to seize the opportunities that present themselves to our initiative and our imagination.

The bill I have canvassed today will protect and enhance our investment in major events, safeguard the commercial interests and the certainty of organisations that have invested in these, enhance our local, national and international profile, provide an environment for the growth of current events and the attraction of new events, enhance the safety and enjoyment of patrons, provide suitable powers to organisations, police and other relevant parties, and provide appropriate penalties for those who seek to profit unfairly from the investment of others. For all those excellent reasons, and looking forward to the future of our vibrant city and our unique and beautiful state, I support the bill and commend its passage.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee.