Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On 7 March I had the honour of joining with local indigenous artists in the Port Hedland community, which is in my electorate of Durack, to celebrate the opening of the Spinifex Hills studios. It was a pleasure to not only officially open the first dedicated, professional indigenous art centre in Port Hedland, but to represent the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss, on this significant occasion.

These studios are a fantastic example of what can be achieved with private and public funding, with the federal government committing almost half a million dollars to this project under the Regional Development Australia Fund, and almost $2 million was committed by BHP. I am sure future projects out of these studios will inspire the Port Hedland community and its visitors as I have been.

The studios have been professionally designed to incorporate room for painting, 3-D work, exhibitions, and visiting artists' residencies. Supporting Australia's regions and enhancing the economic development of communities is a top priority of the Abbott led government. I look forward to playing my part in gaining more funding for these important community focused projects, both in Port Hedland and across the Durack electorate, through the new Community Development Grants Program.

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