Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I also support the Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists Bill 2009 and the Tax Laws Amendment (Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists) Bill 2009 for the reasons very eloquently put by the shadow minister in charge, Senator Ronaldson. I am also pleased to note that the legislation picks up on many of the recommendations made by the Senate committee looking at Indigenous art and which reported some time ago.

I wanted to use the opportunity of this legislation to briefly pay tribute to a magnificent person, and an excellent and talented Indigenous artist, Barbara Sam from the Mount Isa region. She is an original Kalkadoon, one of the—as I often joke with her—warlike tribes from the north-west of Queensland. She is an excellent artist and I was delighted earlier this month to host a small ceremony in my office for the unveiling of a magnificent painting by Barbara Sam, entitled The landscape. I just want to read what Barbara Sam said about this painting:

The landscape you see is the beauty of this land; the river which you see has great source of food; the land that holds a great range of bush tucker; and that is how I see the country; the landscape.

The small ceremony in my office was attended by traditional owners who were welcomed by Ms Grace Smallwood, a significant and well known Indigenous person in Townsville. Ms Sam gave an explanation of the painting and there were also comments by Councillor Deanne Bell of the Townsville City Council. This was all done amongst some of the Townsville art community. I pay particular tribute to Barbara Sam. Her paintings have been hung in the Supreme Court of Queensland after a presentation to the Chief Justice. I understand from Ms Sam that she also made a presentation to the former Prime Minister, Mr Howard. I am delighted to have been associated with Barbara and I wish her all the very best for the future in her painting and in every other way.