Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

Victorian era art critic John Ruskin wrote in his book Mornings in Florence, in 1875:

Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts—the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three the only trustworthy one is the last.

Indeed, the hallmark of civilisation is predicated on the development of arts and culture within a complex society. But all too often governments neglect this critical element of society, instead focusing on the bread and circuses of large sporting complexes—which are important too.

We need to make sure we don't neglect the arts. It's therefore pleasing that the 2024-25 budget provides significant new investment in Australia's art and cultural sector. The electorate of Mayo, my electorate, has a thriving community art scene encompassing music, song, dance, theatre, sculpture, visual arts, painting and poetry. We have over 30 art venues and more than 20 community based art groups in Mayo such as Inkpot Arts, Stirling Players, Yankalilla Youth Theatre, Hills School of Theatre Arts, Stirling Community Theatre, Adelaide Hills Performing Arts Centre, Adelaide Hills Arts, Rockit Performing Arts, Theatre Bugs, South Coast Choral and Arts Society, Fleurieu Dance Collective and Laughing Llama Dance and Drama, just to name a few.

Preserving our cultural history is equally as important as creating an environment for cultural development. A great example of this is in Mayo: the Willunga branch of the National Trust of South Australia, which manages four heritage buildings and runs several programs. One of these programs is the Bassett Boys Schoolroom tour, which provides a unique learning experience for primary school students from reception to year 3 with a range of interactive activities. The activities are undertaken in the state heritage listed, single gabled schoolroom built of local freestone with a slate floor.

South Australia has a long history of supporting the arts. In 1998 we established the South Australian Living Artists Festival, known as SALA, to celebrate visual artists and their work. The annual SALA event, held every August, brings art to the people, creating exhibitions in small businesses, art galleries and public spaces. In 2024 more than 600 venues were involved in the event and more than 9,000 artists participated. In Mayo more than 140 exhibitions took place, and everyone in our community got involved.

Of all the arts, I believe the one that binds us most closely together is that of music. In the words of the great philosopher Plato, 'Music is the medicine of the soul.' Music taps into the very essence of what it is to be human. It can make us laugh, can make us cry or can make us be inspired. Put simply, nothing influences our emotions more than music. Live music venues provide musicians and patrons with the opportunity to share experiences and musicians with the opportunity to hone their art. Such venues encourage socialisation in a world where we are becoming more socially distant through the digitisation of life.

Arts and culture form the intricate cultural mosaic of our nation. Without it we would be soulless, and society would be devoid of any meaning. I very much support this motion and look for this and future governments to make sure that we always invest in art and culture. I applaud the great work being done with respect to funding the arts, and I look forward to the enormous creativity in the future and to what will happen in my community. It is a joy to attend SALA exhibitions and plays and to see young people perform on the stage for the very first time in their lives. I commend the motion.

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