Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I rise to note two significant events in Australia’s cultural and film history that have taken place over the past week. The first is the news today that the film Samson and Delilah, directed by Warwick Thornton, has won the coveted Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. I know I join with all those in the House in offering our congratulations to Warwick Thornton and the cast and crew of the film. This film has had significant investment from the Indigenous film unit of Screen Australia, and I think it is a great testimony to the investment that that unit has made in Mr Thornton’s film. Having seen the film—it is powerful and at times harrowing—I can testify to the outstanding job that Warwick Thornton has done. This award is really significant and it will ensure that the film has a wider viewing audience. I certainly encourage all Australians to take up the opportunity to see Samson and Delilah. It received the audience award at this year’s Adelaide Film Festival and it is a film of great, powerful, moving images and performances.

I also take the opportunity to very briefly note the passing of eminent actor Bud Tingwell, a giant of screen in Australia with performances ranging from a number of television series, including Homicide, to his performance in the film The Castle. Bud Tingwell was a mentor to many young actors. He was a continual presence in our television and screen industry for decades, particularly in the work that he did with Crawford Productions, and he will be sorely missed. I note as well his distinguished record as a Spitfire pilot in World War II. I was able to attend the service commemorating Bud Tingwell’s passing, along with many people from the television and entertainment industries. He was a generous man of good heart and a great actor, and his extraordinary service and wonderful personality, more than anything else, will be sorely missed.

Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors, Tourism and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I join with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts in congratulating Warwick Thornton, a 38-year-old graduate of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School who has made Australia proud. He certainly is a role model for Indigenous Australians everywhere and also for those who are involved in Australia’s film and TV industry. To be acknowledged, rewarded and recognised in such a prestigious way—with the Camera d’Or award—at the Cannes Film Festival is truly very significant. The particular significance of the film Samson and Delilah is its story. I have not had the privilege of seeing the film at this stage, but the fact that both Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton, who we all know are not always in uniform agreement, gave this film five stars in no small way underscores the significance of this film, which is considered to be a dark, poignant love story where essentially the entire story is told through pictures rather than through dialogue.

I also join with the minister for the arts in acknowledging the passing of a great icon of the Australian film and TV industry, Bud Tingwell, who passed away at 86 years of age on 15 May 2009 at 8.15 am. The opposition joins with the government in conveying its condolences to his daughter, son and surviving family members, and we acknowledge this tremendous man and the impact that he has had on the Australian film industry in such terrific titles as The Castle, Breaker Morant and Puberty Blues.