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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-29 Daily Xml
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SOUTHERN THEATRE AND ARTS GROUP

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:39): My matter of interest today is something I have been looking forward to putting on the public record for a little while, and it is to do with the Southern Theatre and Arts Group, operating in the south with its home base located at Willunga in the old Willunga council chambers, which I had the privilege of opening for the Willunga council several years ago. When they amalgamated, the Southern Theatre and Arts Group were fortunate to have the opportunity to set up their home in that facility, and it does great work in bringing all sorts of arts and theatre to our region over the Fleurieu Peninsula.

I particularly want to put on the public record my sincere appreciation of the late Olive Reader, a dynamic lady who taught me and many others a lot about how to lobby; how to bring volunteers together; how to build enthusiasm; and how to show that, through volunteer commitment to something that you really believe in, you can bring a lot of opportunity and a lot of enjoyment to thousands of people. After leaving the House of Assembly, I was asked to open the Olive Reader Room at the headquarters of STARS. That was a great privilege for me and it delights me no end when I go into that facility now to see her name there, as no doubt it does for all of the hard workers for STARS.

Last week the Premier and the government held a community cabinet in the south, and I commend the Premier for naming a room at the Noarlunga theatre after Olive Reader. He also renamed the Noarlunga theatre building after the Hon. Don Hopgood, which I also support, because Don Hopgood has been a great supporter of particularly music development for young people in the southern region. I am delighted that Olive Reader has now been recognised for what, I would have to say, were her efforts, almost single-handedly, that ensured that there was no sale of the Noarlunga theatre at a time when the finances of the state were difficult and TAFE was not very interested in maintaining the facility. She brought the matter to my attention, I then did a lot of lobbying, and I had support from the Hon. John Hill, for which I thank him. As a result of bipartisan support, we saw that facility stay and, as I said, a room has now been named after her.

I will go further to say that Olive Reader saw that there were many young people of all age groups who had the capacity to develop certain gifts that they were given, whether it be in poetry, writing, arts, theatre or music. The number of events that STARS puts on over the year is dynamic. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend as many functions as I would like because of my workload, but, every time I go there, I am always very welcome. I have to say that Brian Reader has continued to maintain a great interest in that venue. I will not name all the others—they know who they are—but the committee is exceptional. There is a lot of great leadership in ensuring the further development of the arts in the south.

Personally, I would like to see more money put into country arts because, particularly in the south and in isolated and remote regions, country people—unless they happen to be in Mount Gambier, where there is a great theatre and facility—by and large throughout the state do not have the facilities that are available in Adelaide. Whilst those facilities are needed in Adelaide, a lot of country people cannot access them. The whole idea of STARS is to bring talent into the district so that people can go along and enjoy a daytime or evening performance and to develop the young people in the district. The talent in the south is fantastic when it comes to all sorts of arts performances. Scott Hicks is making a film down there and other films have been made in the region, and, with the music development in the schools, there is so much opportunity given to those people to develop further through STARS.

Whilst I only had a few minutes to put this on the public record, I will never forget and I will always love and appreciate Olive Reader. She has left a lasting legacy for me and many others when it comes to her love for the arts.

Time expired.

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