House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-04 Daily Xml

Contents

FILM AND SCREEN HUB

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:24): My question is to the Premier. How much of the budget for the $45 million film and screen hub to be constructed on the Glenside Hospital site has been spent to date, and why has construction of this facility commenced before the zoning on the campus has been changed and is still out for public consultation?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:24): My advice was that construction was going to begin later this year, but, quite frankly, I am pleased that in terms of infrastructure spend it is going ahead. The film industry wants it. The film industry is a very important part of not only our arts industry but also a very important part of defining our state. Anyone who has been down to the Hendon studio knows it is substandard. If we are to keep winning awards for great films that are shot here—films, for instance, such as Look Both Ways that not only featured at Cannes but—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: What about that great silent film?

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —yes, we will get on to that in a minute—but also won just about every AFI award. Then, of course, there is Ten Canoes, which I understand won the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival and then went on to win virtually every AFI award.

What the film-makers, producers and investors said to us is that, if we are going to keep making films in this state we need decent studios, and that is what we are delivering to them. I think it would be great to see the Liberal Party joining with us and supporting the film industry. I have been to film studios, as has, I know, the deputy leader. This will be the most beautiful film studio in the world, with that fantastic visage at the front—better than even Warner Brothers. I will see if I can ask someone to get copies of some of the films like The Honourable Wally Norman, Dr Plonk and even Run Rabbit Run, so that you can get a flavour for just—

An honourable member: And the Bollywood film.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: And the Bollywood film, which is Love Story 2050, just to see the kind of local talent that we are nurturing in this state.