Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The last 15 months has been very tough for many industries. One that has been hardest hit is the arts and entertainment industry, but it's coming back, and it's coming back through this government's $200 million RISE Fund. Another $25 million has already rolled out the door, supporting 66 arts and entertainment projects. So it was great to be able to pick up the phone and speak to Simon Luke of Sand Events in Port Macquarie and tell him that he'd been successful in securing $240,000 from the RISE Fund to bring the country to the beach. Beachside Country will bring top Australian and international musicians to Port Macquarie and also to Sandstone Point in Queensland, creating an energetic country music festival with food, trucks, street art and all kinds of performances at iconic beachside locations. Simon knows how to put on a show. He started Festival of the Sun 16 years ago and since then has produced over 30 festivals and worked with over a thousand artists and crew and, importantly, has created job opportunities for the arts and entertainment— (Time expired)

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