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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-04 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS

Ms CICCARELLO (Norwood) (11:23): I move:

That the 309th report of the committee, entitled Adelaide Entertainment Centre Facility Enhancements, be noted.

The government built and opened the existing Adelaide Entertainment Centre facility in 1991, to enable South Australia to attract and stage world-class live entertainment for the benefit of the South Australian community. The committee was told that the centre's tired presentation was hindering higher opinions and positive feelings towards it within the South Australian community. This has the potential to negatively impact on future concert attendance and the ability of the centre to attract major international concerts or events and compete with other venues in the Asia-Pacific region. This is a view supported by Australia's four leading concert promoters.

The Adelaide Entertainment Centre is proposing to construct the following facility enhancements: a dynamic entry statement, which will be a distinctive, contemporary identity out to Port Road; a new medium-sized live entertainment venue to stage cost-effectively and more readily attract medium-sized contemporary live performances or concerts to South Australia for audiences of up to 2,500 people; expansion of patron service areas to provide additional patron comfort and improved services during concerts or events; and dressing of the Port Road frontage, to promote upcoming concerts and events, consistent with existing heritage buildings and the requirements of the centre.

The entry structure will feature a steel primary supporting structure forming a dome geometric shape. Aluminium extrusions will be fixed to the primary structure and lit to create spectacular visual effects which provide the dome structure with a multicoloured changeable glow. The dome, which is approximately 18 metres in height, will be semi-enclosed and will feature four-metre high glass walls and doors. Once inside the dome, patrons will have access to the existing arena, new performance venue and courtyard facilities.

The new live performance venue has been designed acoustically to ensure sound quality. The venue will be approximately 15 metres in height to allow for excellent rigging capabilities throughout the venue. The new venue's entry foyer walls will be glazed beneath a rectangular void structure, with vertical panels featuring lighting, to achieve highly impressive effects similar to that featured in the giant entry structure. The new venue will feature loading dock facilities, which will enable two semitrailers to bump in/out at the same time. It also features backstage dressing rooms and other associated facilities to cater to the needs of touring productions.

Adjacent to the new venue we will be a new kitchen facility. The kitchen will service the new performance venue's function catering requirements and will enhance the servicing of hot food outlets in the foyer of the main arena. A sound-rated operable wall and two bars are to be installed in the new venue to allow the centre to holds multiple functions in the space simultaneously.

The Port Road streetscape will be improved with high-quality paving and banner polls featuring details of upcoming events. Pedestrian and traffic safety and side access will be enhanced through the construction of a vehicle drop-off and collection ingress off Port Road and beneath the dome.

By doing nothing, South Australia would not remain competitive with interstate and overseas venues within the Asia-Pacific region; resulting in international artists and events increasingly bypassing Adelaide, which would have adverse consequences for the South Australian community. However, a new venue would cost over $350 million. This was deemed inappropriate, given that the centre remains structurally sound and a highly functional building for the staging of major international live concerts and events.

The project will increase the life of the venue by up to 30 years. This will provide the best value for money outcome for the state as it will deliver a highly impressive, competitive facility whilst saving taxpayers the hundreds of millions of dollars required to build a new facility. Analysis of the South Australian Strategic Plan population targets, the Australian Bureau of Statistics population projections, and the centre's attendance data indicates that the current capacity of the venue will meet the medium to long-term needs of the South Australian population.

By enhancing the existing facilities, it is intended to:

ensure that South Australia continues to fight above its weight in attracting world-class contemporary live entertainment to Adelaide for the benefit of South Australians;

improve the AEC facility so that it remains one of the leading indoor arenas in the Asia-Pacific region;

achieve a significant architectural and construction outcome that champions sustainability principles and makes South Australians proud of their premier entertainment venue and optimises operating costs over the life cycle of the extended facility;

increase South Australia's capture rate of medium-size acts touring Australia;

improve accessibility by enhancing public transportation linkages to the venue;

foster the development of a vibrant entertainment and multimedia precinct on the AEC site; and

build new revenue streams to further safeguard the AEC against downturns in international touring so that it continues to trade profitably from an operating perspective.

The facility enhancements will increase the centre's gross operating profit from $1.53 million to $2.06 million per annum and net operating profit from $192,000 to $647,000 per annum; that is, the operating profitability of the centre will increase with the introduction of the facility enhancements, and the centre will continue to cover its operating expenditure. The centre received a $50 million increase in investment expenditure from the government for this project in 2007-08. The total estimated project cost is $51.93 million, of which $1.93 million will be funded from interest earnings.

Based upon the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public work.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:29): Once again, I rise to support this project. Obviously, the enhancements to the Entertainment Centre require a large amount of money but, quite frankly, the centre is tired, outdated and needs substantial money spent on it. The centre is used for the large activities in question that take place in South Australia and, as such, it needs to be truly beneficial to the state and to meet the standards that are required to attract acts and various forms of entertainment to South Australia. I have attended a number of functions at the Entertainment Centre. They are always enjoyable. I have the utmost confidence in the CEO, Mr Anthony Kirchner, and I also have a lot of confidence in the board under Bob Ford and his crew.

It is a well-run facility that is turning a profit and, as such, these things were taken into consideration when I made my judgment, as I am sure was the case for other members of the Public Works Committee when they balanced up how they would view this project. The project was presented to the Public Works Committee in a professional manner with plenty of information. It will serve the people of South Australia for a number of years when this upgrade takes place and, indeed, they can have some pride in this facility.

In these stringent and difficult financial times that we have entered into, I am not quite sure whether South Australia, or Australia as a whole, has come to grips with where the rest of the world is at this stage, and I am sure that we face most uncertain times. I am not sure that those in government at both state and federal levels have either the nous or the political and financial acumen to get the state through our situation. The judgment is out on the federal government's announcement from yesterday.

However, I have concerns that people will just not have the money to spend on luxuries, and going to entertainment venues to see shows is a luxury that we have taken for granted for a number of years—although, in saying that, I do not wish to be negative. I am sure that those in the right places will look long and hard at this project and make a decision on whether or not it goes ahead. It will be beneficial to the building and associated industries, so I dare say it will go ahead because we have the money in hand anyway.

As I indicated, I support the project. I look forward to seeing the completion of the project and an A1 venue in South Australia. It opened in 1991, which is a long time ago now, and things need a bit of a freshen-up from time to time. It is an expensive freshen-up, but I support the project.

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (11:33): I have some brief comments. I fully support the upgrade of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. I think that any study will show that the more attractive a venue, the more likely you are to attract custom, so it is a good investment to make a facility the very best you possibly can, because it will be repaid through increased attendance and patronage.

I have mixed feelings about the Entertainment Centre because, when I was the former minister for youth, the Hon. Dean Brown (then premier) asked me to take a group of young people to listen to AC/DC. I do not know whether it is anything spooky because he is Dean Craig Brown (D.C. Brown) but I would have to say it is not quite my cup of tea when it comes to music. Some people would say I was not normal before the concert—I certainly was not normal after the concert because, as I say, it is not my type of music. I thought it was to do with electricity, but I found out it was allegedly to do with music.

The other interesting thing that happened in relation to the Entertainment Centre was that John Olsen did not want me in the ministry for reasons that I understand (he told me that he had to look after the people who put him there). I still had an invitation to go to the Entertainment Centre for a concert of some kind, and the incoming minister, Scott Ashenden, said that he wanted those tickets back, because he wanted to promote business. I have mixed memories of that.

I have been there on many occasions for high school musicals, the police tattoo and so on. I think it is very important that the facility is of top quality. Adelaide is a great place for entertainment and the arts, strongly promoted by the Premier and assisting minister Hill. I think it is essential that we have facilities that people can go to, and it is critically important that we have facilities that the average citizen can afford to go to. I am a great believer in allowing anyone and everyone the opportunity to participate in concerts, the arts, and so forth, and in not allowing them to become simply reserved for the wealthy or the elite. I commend this project, and I look forward to its speedy conclusion.

Ms BREUER (Giles) (11:35): I will just speak very briefly about the Entertainment Centre. The thought of going to something that can house so many people and is so huge has always somewhat put me off going. I have been to only two shows at the Entertainment Centre. I went there many years ago for a Sting concert and I have not really bothered to go to many concerts there since, because I thought that it is just too huge and you cannot see.

But last night I went to the Jose Carreras concert there, and I have to say that it was one of the most spectacular concerts that I have ever been to. It was absolutely wonderful. A number of times, I had tears running down my face because I was so moved by the music and what was happening there.

I have to say that, even though I was a long way from the stage, the magic of being in there, of hearing someone as famous as he is with such a beautiful voice and Fiona Campbell who also performed and our wonderful Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, made it a magic night. The venue was wonderful, and I think we need to encourage as many major world acts as we can to come there. I think that this project will certainly assist in that regard. I think that we can be very proud of that centre, and we can have anyone from anywhere come and perform there. I fully support this project.

Motion carried.

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