Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

No, I'm speaking to the motion and to the tendency to say one thing before the election, for the member opposite, and one very different thing afterwards. I'm just speaking of the propensity, unlimited as it is, for those opposite to say one thing before the election and one very different thing after the election.

The single most important creative cultural event that takes place in my electorate is Generations in Jazz. This is an event that brings 6,000 school students to a tent in the middle of a paddock. You can appreciate that that wasn't a very COVID-safe environment and, as a result, over a number of years that event was cancelled. It was on its knees, and, at the very time that those opposite were accusing us of turning our backs on the creative industries and the creative sector, I secured a grant of $350,000 for that event. That allowed that event to put on a gala performance, with much of that funding going towards artists who were having a very difficult time during COVID. More importantly, it meant that that event survived. It meant that there was a chance of that event taking place in my community again—6,000 school students travelling to regional South Australia for the ultimate band camp. For those opposite, criticism is one thing, and throwing stones from opposition is very easy. I tell you what's hard: governing. The behaviour of those opposite on this is an indication that they're not up to government.

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