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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-10-20 Daily Xml
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ADELAIDE FILM STUDIOS

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:51): My question is to the Premier. Premier, could you advise the house with regard to the Adelaide Film Studios and the official opening of those studios tonight?

Members interjecting:

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) (14:51): Not much support on the other side for the film industry, obviously, but anyway—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: I was talking to some people just down the street the other day (I think their names were Jenny and Graham Bing) about how important the film industry is for us in terms of defining our state and telling its stories. I want to thank the honourable member for the question because it is a significant one, and one that I welcome on my last day in this job as Minister for the Arts.

The South Australian film industry is about to embark on an exciting new era. It is almost 40 years since the Film Corporation was established under Don Dunstan, and it used to receive bipartisan support—for instance, when David Tonkin was the chair of the South Australian Film Corporation. It was a trailblazing institution that soon came to symbolise the genesis of the Australian film industry as we have come to know it.

Tonight, I will be officially opening the brand-new $48 million Adelaide Studios—an outstanding new facility that will enable the Film Corporation to continue its acclaimed work and prosper and grow. And why will I be opening it tonight? Because it has just been completed, and that is when buildings are usually opened—when they have just been completed. As much as I hate to burst the bubble of the whingers and the snivellers and the snide, I did not determine the date on which it would be opened. This spoils the story, I know, and I always hate to do that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That was determined by the South Australian Film Corporation back in April of this year—months before I announced I would be stepping down.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: They don't like it, and I am sure that those opposite who are coming along won't, like me, be paying for my ticket or for my family's tickets, but, never mind, that's the way they are. Evidence that the opening date was determined back in April has been sent to various media outlets, which I am sure that they have received with glee, and I am sorry if it kyboshes members opposite's 'final party' scenario, but you just have to—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It's an email—no, no, no. I agree, I think—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Look, this is a time for transition on both sides of the house. This is the time for the young to come down from the back to the front. It's a time for generational change. Just think of that slogan, the member for Norwood, the member for Stuart, 'It's time'—or maybe my friend Martin Hamilton-Smith still has that field marshal's baton in his knapsack.

Just in case anyone, any person who is not fair minded, says 'it must be spin', there is an email between the communications director of the South Australian Film Corporation, Sharon Cleary, and a publicity firm in which a series of dates are discussed in the lead up to the opening. That email is dated 29 April 2011. It discusses these dates—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It discusses the tenants welcome day being 3 August—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you are warned for the final time.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It is very hard to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I can't hear the Premier.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The Film Corporation's 29 April memo talks about the tenants welcome day being on 3 August, the industry orientation day being 17 August, the community open day on 11 September—that is the day it was on—and the gala opening, including the media futures forum which runs today between 12 noon and 4pm, tonight Thursday 20 October. And all of it has come to pass as planned, just as the same timetable was agreed to for the Olympic Dam negotiations, but I hate to spoil the spin of some people who prefer spin to the real story.

As it happened, I decided that, given the significance of these magnificent new studios, and given that I have proudly been the longest serving Minister for the Arts in the history of this state, ably assisted by the best partner arts minister in the world, John Hill, my last act as Premier would be to officially open the studios. It is an event that should be celebrated by members in this place.

Our film industry is iconic in South Australia, and it has been my firm determination not only to keep the industry sustainable but to see it rise to new challenges and go boldly forth into the future. You only have to look at the success of the recent productions supported by our Film Corporation such as Oranges and Sunshine, which has taken more than $3 million in box office earnings, to know that the SAFC is establishing an excellent niche in the market. I know members opposite are not much interested in the arts.

The Hon. K.O. Foley: I am.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Kevin Foley is interested in the arts in a minute. I know there was a day when Di Laidlaw walked into the cabinet and said, 'Have I got a festival director for you! Peter Sellars.' I can imagine what they would have said, 'That is fantastic. That is the guy who did the Pink Panther movies. That'll be a winner.'

Despite its disturbing subject, Snowtown has won audience and critical acclaim, including a special mention from the Cannes Jury President. Cannes is a place in France sometimes featured in books by James Thurber. Red Dog has become—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That's right. Sometimes even in books by Albert Camus. Red Dog has become the biggest earner ever backed by the SA Film Corporation. It has taken more than $20 million at the box office, surpassing Shine as well as that Australian cinema classic Muriel's Wedding.

This builds on the impressive film credentials developed since 2003 by the Adelaide International Film Festival (the Adelaide Film Festival). The Film Festival, initiated by this government, not only studies and celebrates films, it makes them as well. It is one of the few film festivals to invest in film and invest in film development.

It has premiered titles such as Look Both Ways, Ten Canoes and Samson and Delilah, all of which have gone on to be named Best Film at the AFI Awards. In fact, Look Both Ways and Ten Canoes werecelebrated and Ten Canoes was award winning at the Cannes Film Festival. Of course, other film festivals now fund movies, and more in due course will catch up, but here in South Australia we did it first.

For that, I should thank the inaugural and outgoing Chair of the Adelaide Film Festival, Cheryl Bart, whose contribution over the past nine years to our film industry has been immense. I am delighted she is staying on as Chair of the Film Corporation. I will be announcing her successor at tonight's film studios opening event. I also want to thank Katrina Sedgwick who is stepping down as the Film Festival's director after nine years. She has been the festival's driving force since day one and has helped it grow to be one of the top 50 film festivals in the world. Importantly, the world is once more taking notice—as it did in Don Dunstan's day—of films that are created and supported here in South Australia.

I read the other day a bizarre article, it was one of those gotcha pieces that said—wait for it—that the South Australian Film Corporation has been investing in films, has been paying to have films made here. That is what it has been doing since 1972, that is its purpose. Of course, that is why this outstanding new facility is as important as it is exhilarating. It will provide the facilities and the backing that allowed the South Australian Film Corporation to continue shaping our cultural identity. It is going to be a great pleasure for me to open the studios tonight.

Can I just say, in tribute to Kevin Foley, that the one job I would never, ever give him was to act for me as acting minister for the arts when I was overseas. Not for one single nanosecond was I prepared to inflict Kevin Foley on the arts in this state, although I did make Patrick Conlon minister for women's affairs!

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