Thursday, 21 March 2024

Ministers statements: creative industries

Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Minister for Development Victoria, Minister for Precincts, Minister for Creative Industries) (14:14): The Allan Labor government understands the importance of Victoria’s $38 billion creative economy. It is why we have invested $3 billion in the creative industries since coming to office and developed our Creative State strategy that leads the nation. There are over 320,000 creative jobs in our state, and our creative events and festivals help drive our visitor economy too, driving jobs in tourism and hospitality.

There has been plenty happening. The National Gallery of Victoria’s Triennial has seen 530,000 ‍visitors come through the doors, including 14,000 children who joined the NGV Kids Summer Festival. We have had the wonderful Photo 2024 exhibition and the fashion festival, and Midsumma had 280,000 visitors.

Jacinta Allan: You’re a fashionista.

Colin BROOKS: I am. Melbourne Recital Centre is smashing box office figures, with its strongest quarter 1 ticket sales in close to a decade. Warrnambool Art Gallery has the wonderful Lisa Gorman ‍+ Mirka Mora exhibition. Hamilton Gallery’s Emerging from Darkness runs until 14 April. The Bendigo Art Gallery has just opened its latest exclusive international exhibition, Paris: Impressions of Life 1880–1925, another big Bendigo blockbuster. ACMI’s Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature has attracted over 60,000 visitors. Melbourne Museum’s Titanic exhibition had 230,000 tickets sold in less than a hundred days. As the Leader of the Opposition should know, the captain of the ship went down with the ship.

There have been a lot of events happening in the creative space this year – a close second to the number of media events that the Leader of the Opposition has called this week. But at least people are turning up to our events.

The SPEAKER: The minister was never this funny when he was Speaker.