Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about a wonderful event that's taking place within the federal electorate of Hindmarsh. It is Adelaide's spectacular annual four-day festival of music, arts and dance that celebrates cultural and creative diversity: WOMADelaide. It had been held since 1992 in the beautiful Botanic Park in Adelaide's CBD. I encourage any member who is in Adelaide on the weekend to visit this wonderful festival.

Each year WOMAD shines the national spotlight on South Australia's cultural and creative riches. It attracts locals from every corner of our state, visitors from across the nation and, really importantly, visitors from all over the world. They will converge on Adelaide this weekend. It generates tourism and money for the economy. It has contributed immensely to the flourishing artistic creativity of our state. It has provided artists with opportunities to perform.

This wonderful summer festival showcases a plethora of artistic performances annually and has increasingly gained worldwide recognition in recent years. It has been referred to as a world-class festival. It is renowned around the world. The performers this year include living legend, civil rights icon, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Award winner Mavis Staples. We should be supporting festivals like this that put money back into the economy, entertain us and give us a flourishing arts community.

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