House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-05-16 Daily Xml

Contents

HOVE RAILWAY STATION

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:28): My question is directed to the Minister for Transport Services. Minister, having seen a number of art exhibitions in railway stations, in particular, overseas, I would be really interested to know about the Hove station art project mural installation.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. C.C. FOX (Bright—Minister for Transport Services) (14:29): Thank you, member for Unley. It is, in fact, a train station, not a bus stop.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.C. FOX: I thank the member for this question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will be heard in silence.

The Hon. C.C. FOX: Installation has begun on a new 100-metre street art mural at Hove Railway Station. The mural has been painted by a group of young volunteers from the Hove area, along with their artistic mentors. The installation of this mural coincides with the 2012 National Volunteer Week and will provide a number of community benefits. Evidence has shown that, if a train or a tram stop is kept clean and attractive, the occurrence of unwanted graffiti and vandalism is reduced, not only at the station or the stop but—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.C. FOX: —also on nearby surrounds, including homes, fences and buildings. Where gardens and other landscaping is not possible, there are other ways of making the station and surrounding areas more attractive, and that is where the Hove station art project fits in.

The project's local participants (aged between 14 and 26) were given the chance to work with two local artists, Seb Humphreys and Joel Moore. Together they created panels which transformed the fence into a 100-metre long canvas featuring a tailored mural. The Hove station art project provided skills development, capacity building and opportunities for young people to participate in a program with a positive outcome. Art projects give students a greater understanding of art as a legitimate form as opposed to simply being graffiti vandalism. It has brought together the general public, school students, the local council and other community groups to introduce art at the station.

The project forms part of Adelaide Metro's community volunteer program which started in 1991. It was previously known as the Adopt-a-Station program and includes hundreds of volunteers taking care of dozens of stations across the network. I was recently at the Paradise Interchange—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. C.C. FOX: —indeed, yes—with the member for Hartley where we saw some great examples of local community art that have really helped bring that station together.

Installation of that mural will take about a week and I would like to thank the artists involved, along with the Adelaide Metro community volunteer program, the Adelaide Metro maintenance and engineering division, and the City of Holdfast Bay youth for supporting this excellent project.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Waite.