Crown Solicitor's Office Art Prize

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (14:49): My question is to the Deputy Premier in his role as Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General update the council on the recent fundraising activities of the Crown Solicitor's Office through their annual art prize event?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for his question, and I would most delighted to do so. I appreciate the honourable member's interest in artistic endeavours. He is exceptionally well known for his interest in high and fine art and very gifted in these endeavours as well.

The Crown Solicitor's Office has been a long-time supporter in many ways of JusticeNet, which as many of you know do pro bono legal service work and coordinate vital and free help for individuals and not-for-profit organisations that can't afford a lawyer. JusticeNet SA offers critical services such as Pro Bono Connect, which links clients with private legal practitioners with pro bono legal representation when other avenues for assistance have been exhausted. JusticeNet SA also provides crucial services such as a refugee and asylum seeker assistance referral scheme, a Federal Court self-representation service and a homeless legal outreach service.

There is a long-running tradition at the Crown Solicitor's Office of hosting an annual art show to raise funds to support JusticeNet SA, putting on an incredible display of some of the incredible artistic talents from within the Crown Solicitor's Office team. Every year, the Crown Solicitor's Office art prize provides an opportunity for Crown Solicitor staff to come together as a whole to enjoy some art, celebrate their non-legal talents and raise funds for a very worthy cause.

It was a pleasure this year to speak very briefly and present the awards at the art show for the people's choice award. Crown Solicitor's Office staff democratically voted for the people's choice award, and the winner that was presented was Seisia Kane, for her stunning watercolour painting of the Supreme Court entitled All Rise, which sold on the night for an impressive $950 and is now proudly on display at our Supreme Court.

I have been informed that this year's art show raised a record breaking $6,501 for JusticeNet, which is quite remarkable. Everyone involved, both artists and buyers, should be very proud of this remarkable fundraising effort. I am sure if the Hon. Reggie Martin wanted to put one of his watercolours into the Crown Solicitor's Office art show I would be happy to sign my name to it and do that this coming year.

The event was attended by over 100 people, including members of the judiciary, the Minister for Arts in the other place and the Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia. The coveted Crown Solicitor's art prize went to Franchesca Patient for her cotton thread piece, entitled Make a Wish, which sold for $400 to none other than the Director of the South Australian Art Gallery. A special award was also presented to Joe Maniscalco as the founder of the CSO art prize and to the civil litigation employment law group for their imaginative artistic description titled Steed of Release, which sold for $300.

I commend all those who were involved in this heartwarming event and contributed many impressive artworks to such a worthy cause. To get together and be able to socialise as well as raising funds for an exceptionally valuable South Australian organisation is indeed a wholesomely good thing.