Parliamentary Study Tour 8 July - 5 August 2006

Dr Duncan McFetridge MP Member for Morphett

Shadow Minister for Education & Children's Services Shadow Minister for Tourism Shadow Minister for the Arts

The purpose of the tour was to investigate issues and opportunities associated with my shadow portfolios of education, arts and tourism .

Places visited included Paris; Flamanville (Northern France), London, Chichester (south western England), Leicester (central England), Dumfries (south west Scotland); Irvine (west coast of Scotland), Edinburgh, Rochester (upstate New York), New York City .

CONTENTS

Tourism - Paris and London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Nuclear Power and Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Nuclear Energy - London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . 6

The Musee du Quai Branly - Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Aussie Rules UK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..9

Arts Council England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

West Dean College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Leicester Performing Arts Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

National Space Centre - Leicester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Solar powered parking ticket dispensers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..17

Scottish Maritime Museum - Irvine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Strong National Museum of Play - Rochester, New York State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Edinburgh Fringe Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..22

Edinburgh Fringe Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ..23

Guggenheim Museum - New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Education Shadow Ministers - London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Tourism - Paris and London

In Paris I met with Ms Lyn Tuit, who was the representative of the South Australian Tourism Commission for France and South Western Europe. It should be noted that Lyn Tuit has recently returned to South Australia as a part of the South Australian Tourism Commission . Her experience in Europe will be invaluable in recognising reasons why South Australians may be touring overseas but, more importantly, recognising opportunities and challenges to attract tourists from Europe to South Australia .

Paris, as the tourist capital of the world, attracts some 26 million tourists per year with 5%2% of these being from Australasia and Oceania . Certainly the French have recognised that tourism in Paris alone has created 140,000 direct jobs and almost as many spin off jobs and it is the city's top employer. It generates 8 billion Euros of immediate economic repercussions and annual revenue of 22 million Euros for the state from tourist tax .

South Australian figures pale into comparison with Paris, however, it should be recognised that in South Australia tourism employs 30,000 people and is a $4 billion industry . The opportunities to grow tourism in South Australia are recognised by most in the industry and by looking at cities such as Paris and learning from people such as Lyn, we will be able to grow this industry to maximise its potential as an economic generator for South Australia .

In London I met with the late Maurice de Rohan, Agent General for South Australia . Maurice, despite his illness, was as keen as ever to emphasise the opportunities we have for marketing South Australia as a tourism destination . The work that Mr de Rohan has done in his many years in London should not go unrecognised, even in a report such as this one. His input into the promotion of South Australia will be sadly missed .

The South Australian Tourism Commission's representative in London was Ms Tamara Bjordal who is the marketing manager for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Benelux and the Nordic region . I also met with Mr Rodney Harrex, who is the General Manager for Europe for Tourism Australia . Both Ms Bjordal and Mr Harrex were able to give me detailed information on the opportunities in the United Kingdom and Europe for promotion of tourism, particularly from South Australia . They were also able to present me with copies of a PowerPoint presentation on opportunities and challenges associated with marketing . 1

The South Australian Tourism Commission marketing summary for Europe makes interesting reading and points out that South Australia is now positioning itself with the "Brilliant Blend" logo and marketing program to attract what are called the 'comfort adventurers' . These are tourists who are slightly older; they are more than likely to be retired ; more than likely to be 'empty nesters' ; more than likely to be married, more highly educated and they have a wide range of interests including eating out, reading, gardening, theatre and photography.

1 This PowerPoint presentation is available for Members' viewing .

The South Australian Tourism Commission is also targeting the `self challengers' -this includes the backpacking and youth market, incorporating the working holiday visa scheme .

The key themes and experiences being promoted in the market by Ms Bjordal and her team are the good living in Adelaide, focussing on the Festival City and what the city has to offer ; nature and wildlife ; getaway to the accessible outback; food and wine; and the driving routes . I should point out one of the co-objectives of the SATC in London is to promote regional dispersal throughout the whole State and to encourage product development in wholesale programs .

While there has been a low awareness of South Australia within the travel trade, it was interesting to note at the Australian Tourism Exchange held recently in Adelaide (June 2006) that there were a number of UK buyers of Australian and particularly South Australian tourism opportunities and we are expecting a significant increase in tourists from the UK and eastern Europe as a result of the Tourism Exchange.

The key challenges pointed out for South Australia were a lack of identifiable icon, although Kangaroo Island is growing and is emerging as an iconic experience for both the USA and Europe ; and the limited air access into South Australia, however, with 24 overseas airlines flying into Adelaide there is some improvement yet it is still a key challenge for South Australia .

The diversity of the State is certainly a challenge but it is also one of our greatest assets although it makes the marketing of tourism a very complex message for both the consumer and the trade and of course the limited budget that has been put in place to market tourism . There is therefore a need to market smarter as well as harder to ensure that there is maximum value returned for the marketing dollar .

Literature and DVDs that were provided to me on my visit to the South Australian Tourism Commission are available for perusal by Members of Parliament .

Nuclear Power and Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

While in France I was invited to visit the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant owned by Areva at La Hague in Normandy in north-western France . The Areva NC plant at La Hague is the world's number one reprocessor. Their saying "new for old" sums up the role of the Areva reprocessing plant in La Hague . It receives spent fuel from nuclear power stations, extracts the uranium and the plutonium contained therein in order to process new operational fuel . It also solidifies residual waste to make it safe . After three to four years of use the fuel removed from the core of a nuclear reactor still contains between 94 - 96% of uranium and 1 % of plutonium . Although it has lost its initial efficiency it has not yet realised all its energy. The main mission of the Areva reprocessing plant in La Hague is to recover the energy potential remaining in the uranium and plutonium and recycle it into new fuel .

Spent fuel also contains highly toxic wastes at about 3 - 5% of the total volume. These are the ̀ ashes' of nuclear reactions - the results of fission - and they contain almost all of the radioactivity . Processing consists of separating useful raw materials from which non-useful waste or final waste which will be specifically packed to ensure optimum safety; it is extracted .

The reprocessing Areva plant activities in La Hague offer obvious advantages from an environmental point of view. Recycling reduces recourse to natural uranium sources. It also significantly decreases the volume and toxicity of radioactive waste in comparison to the direct disposal of spent fuel as we know processing . Reprocessing nuclear fuel is therefore in line with the policies of ecological responsibility and sustainable development, serving the greater good of the community and seeking the best compromise between the well being of present generations and the protection of future generations whilst sparing the planet's resources .

A quick example of the volumes being dealt with at Areva - if one hundred kilos of fuel are placed in a nuclear reactor, three years later you will find :

1 kg uranium-235 ; 95kg uranium-238 (2kg have been transformed into plutonium-239) ; 1 kg plutonium (out of the 2 kg produced from uranium-238, 1 kg has undergone fission ; 3kg of fission products .

The final waste residue is 3-4% of the initial 100 kilos of fuel - far less than is perceived by most people. They see the fuel turning into 100% waste which is obviously not the case - it is only 3-4% ending up in the waste storage .

Areva at La Hague can reprocess 1,700 tons a year of spent nuclear fuel . Since the plant started over 21,000 tons of fuel have been reprocessed . Half of La Hague's plant is dedicated to meet the needs of the French nuclear reactor program ; the other half comes to meet the needs of thirty or so foreign companies .

The Areva industrial complex in La Hague includes two processing plants commissioned in 1966 . It is located 25 kilometres from Cherbourg and covers 300 hectares . Almost 6,000 people work there full-time ; 3,400 of these are Areva NC employees . Almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs are linked to the plant accounting for 20% of the employment in the Nord-Cotentin region .

During my visit to La Hague I was continually amazed at the high levels of professionalism being exhibited by all employees of the company . From a power station to its reception and interim storage at La Hague plant, nuclear waste is subject to impressive and unceasing procedures that guarantees maximum safety . Safe transportation in specially designed road or rail containers is the first thing you see when you arrive at the reprocessing plant . The arrival of the `casks' as they are known which contain the spent nuclear fuel rods is closely monitored and these casks are automatically unloaded in sealed

rooms where the fuel is handled by robotic equipment . After the casks are unloaded the fuel is transported via special galleries into a storage pond where spent fuel will spend at least three years cooling. The cooling ponds at Areva La Hague have a capacity of 14,000 tons of fuel which during the three years of storage gradually loses its radioactive effect and thermic charges.

A short summary of how the fuel is actually processed once it has cooled is that the fuel rods are sheared into small pieces ; the uranium is dissolved out using a nitric acid solution and then using chemical separation facilities the uranium is separated from plutonium and other fission products . The uranium concentrated into a liquid form, uranyle nitrate, can be converted into gas or can be simply transformed back into an oxide ready to be recycled at a later date . These operations are carried out at the Areva plant at Pierrelatte .3 Plutonium oxide powder is packed in sealed cans; it can then be used to produce MOX fuel . This blend of plutonium oxide produced during the reprocessing of spent fuel and uranium oxide, MOX fuel, is increasingly used in nuclear power stations because it spares natural resources and uranium. This fuel is manufactured in specialised establishments in France ; it is at Marcoule Areva plant .

Once final wastes have been separated from recyclable matter they are processed. The principal wastes, fission products, are stabilised by a process of liquefaction . The metallic fuel structures are compacted . These two types of waste are packed into containers .

2 Picture shows use of remote-controlled robots. This type of handling makes it possible to limit exposure to radiation and thus limits the dosimetry of the inspection teams . 3 Picture shows UF4 to UF6 conversion plant, COMURHEX Pierrelatte, France

All gases and liquid effluent generated during the different operations are processed and thoroughly checked before being discharged . Fission products are stored for twelve months and then they are incorporated into a glass matrix which is then placed in stainless steel canisters . Once the treatment is completed waste product is returned to the owners of the initial fuel for storage . In France spent fuel is temporarily stored in a specific hall at La Hague until the French have decided upon another location for the long term storage of this long life nuclear waste .

It was interesting to note that the end waste represents 10 grams of waste per year per French person which is the same weight as a two Euro piece. I was most impressed by the efficiency of the process and was also amazed to learn of the small volumes of waste being produced from the initial volumes of fuel that was being produced from uranium possibly mined in Australia.

More information on what Areva does can be seen at www.areva.com. Areva has manufacturing facilities in over forty countries and a sales network in over one hundred countries . Areva offers customers technological solutions for nuclear power generation and electricity transmission and distribution . The group also provides interconnect systems to the telecommunications, computer and automotive markets. The business engages 70,000 employees in these operations all over the world . It is interesting to note that Areva is combining with Mitsubishi heavy industry to construct some of the world's latest and most modern nuclear power stations and is actively working with the Federal Government investigating the feasibility of constructing a nuclear power station in Australia.

After having visited the reprocessing plant, I was taken to the Flamanville nuclear power plant where two reactors are in operation and a third reactor-the Stage 3 EPR reactor - was being constructed .4

The Flamanville nuclear power plant is sited on a former granite quarry covering a surface area of 120 hectares, half of which is land reclaimed from the sea . EDF Flamanville's two nuclear power stations at the moment produce 1300 megawatts of power and provide enough power for Brittany and the lower Normandy areas of France . EDF Flamanville operates two of the 58 pressurised water reactors in France. I was highly impressed with the security and safety standards at Flamanville .

While at Flamanville I was shown the construction site for the Flamanville number 3 nuclear power plant ; this power plant will have a capacity of 1600 megawatts . Flamanville number 3 power plant, like all nuclear power plants, generates electricity without emitting any C02 and this one power plant alone will supply enough power for one and a half million people, that is, the state of South Australia .

4 DVDs explaining the Flamanville 3 project and the, new EPR reactor are available for viewing by Members of Parliament . 5 A PowerPoint presentation on the Flamanville 3 reactor is available for viewing by Members of Parliament .

Nuclear Energy - London

While in London, I met with Dr Brian Iddon MP, a Labor Member of the House of Commons. We had discussion on changing attitudes to nuclear power in the UK and we discussed the need now to upgrade the UK's current nuclear power stations . In fact, in the UK Financial Times of 11 July 2006, there was an article entitled "No More Splitting the Difference . Why Blair Foresees a Commercial Nuclear Age" which states "Mr Blair is today due to sanction massive and contentious private investment in a new generation of nuclear reactors, the first to be built since the 1980s."

Dr Iddon provided me with a copy of the "Energy Challenge . Energy Review Report" done for the British Department of Trade and Industry and released in July 2006 . In this report it points out that nuclear power provides 20% of the UK's electricity needs but most of these power stations are scheduled to close over the coming twenty years so the need to build new generation nuclear power plants is a high priority for the UK government. The Blair government believes nuclear has a vital role in the UK, not only in reducing emissions but also maintaining the diversity of the electricity generation mix. Copies of the Energy Challenge Energy Review Report 2006 are available from the Department of Trade and Industry in the UK and also available to purchase online at www.dti .g wuk/publications/index.htm i .

The Musee du Qua! Branly - Paris

In 1999 when the international architectural competition for the construction of the Musee du Quai Branly was launched, Jean Nouvel expressed his wish that Australian indigenous art should feature prominently in the museum's design . In deciding to integrate indigenous art within the architectural concept in this manner, his aim was to express the vitality and impact of

indigenous art as well as the importance according to contemporary art in this new museum.

Under the aegis of the Australian Council for the Arts a curatorial team was created to develop the project in 2003 . Along with the architect, Jean Nouvel, a team of eight Australian indigenous artists was used to finish the project with gigantic works of art . Having visited the museum, I can only say the finished project is spectacular . The ceilings on the ground floor, the first, second and third floors as well as the street fagade of one of the museum's four buildings feature work by eight of Australia's most important contemporary indigenous artists . The ceiling paintings are visible from both the street and the museum's gardens due to the transparency of the building and the clever use of mirrors .

In order to integrate their work into the structure of the building the eight artists (four men and four women) have used a variety of media and techniques, including paint, enamelled glass, etched glass, engraved cement and photography. Some of the works have been carried out on site in Paris while the rest have been created in Australia and freighted to the museum for installation . Each artist has one or more dedicated areas for their work within the building .

The artists were John Mawurndjul (West Arnhem Land); Michael Riley (Dubbo) ; Gulumbu Yunupingu ; Ningura Napurrula (Gibson Desert) ; Judy Watson ; Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford (East Kimberley) ; Lena Nyadbi (East Kimberley) ; and Tommy Watson (Gibson Desert) .

The artwork produced by these artists, having seen it in person, can be described as truly spectacular . However, the actual size of the area within the various exhibits is quite disappointing - less than 3% of the permanent collection of over 3,500 pieces from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas comes from Australia . Among the permanent works only a small number of acrylic paintings feature the work of Aboriginal artists, however, the small size of the actual exhibit is in many ways compensated for by the treatment of the whole building using Australian Aboriginal artists .

During my visit to the Musee du Quai Branly I spoke with a number of curators there and provided information on Kaltjiti Arts, one of the art organisations working within the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands in northern South Australia . I will endeavour to maintain a relationship with the gallery and foster further development of the exhibit and also work in with the Australian Embassy in Paris where there is a very large exhibition of Australian aboriginal art . I hope to be able to expand the number of art works from South Australian Aboriginal artists .

While at the museum, I was given a hard copy of Australian Indigenous Art Commission which will be placed in the Parliamentary Library for reading by Members of Parliament .

Aussie Rules UK

I had the opportunity to meet with Mr Brian Clarke, General Manager of Aussie Rules UK. Brian is an expatriate Australian lawyer who has given up his practice to devote this period of his life towards the promotion of Australian Rules football in British schools.

I visited the Carshalton Boys Sports College in North London; this school is situated in one of the toughest areas of North London in one of the largest government owned housing areas . The socio-economic issues are immense and the challenges faced by the teachers of the school, many of whom were expat Aussies, is enormous . However, the teachers I spoke to were relishing the challenge and enjoying the achievements they were obtaining .

Brian commented on the fact that Aussie Rules was a popular game with the boys of this area and it was referred to as a 'buzz' sport - this was not because of the aggression that was involved but because it was a very physical sport . I was able to view a short game of Aussie Rules played between two teams at Carshalton Boys and, despite the temperature being in the high thirties, their enthusiasm and also their ability was highly commendable, which was a direct result of Brian's efforts and those of the teachers at the school .

Brian has formed a team called the "Dragonslayers" which is representative of a number of schools he has been working with and this team was due to play against a Danish Aussie Rules schoolboys' football team . Since my visit to Carshalton, I have received an email to inform me that the English Dragonslayers thrashed the Denmark Vikings .

Carshalton Boys' football guernsey colours are black and gold and, since returning to South Australia, I have had discussions with the Principal of Brighton Secondary School and the CEO of the Glenelg Football Club who are now organising a relationship program to be developed between Carshalton, Brighton Secondary School and Glenelg Football Club . I have also been in touch with the South Australian National Football League and will be contacting the Australian Football League to assist Brian in his endeavours in the UK.

A visit to the Aussie Rules UK website www.aussierulesuk.com/dragonslayers is well worth the visit and I would strongly encourage any Member of Parliament visiting the UK to arrange a time to see Brian and give him as much support as possible, not only because he is developing Aussie Rules football but also the effect that being involved in this team sport is having on the young men playing it .

Arts Council England

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The Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England . Between 2005 and 2008 they are investing £1 .7 billion of public funds from government and the National Lottery to "put the arts at the heart of national life and people at the heart of the arts", affecting England's rich and diverse cultural identity, transforming lives and communities and creating opportunities for people throughout the country .

A meeting was arranged with Elizabeth Adlington and Jo Greggains in London to discuss the work of the Arts Council, however, due to a breakdown in communications we were not able to meet face to face . We did have some phone discussions and I was able to visit one of their offices and collect an amount of information on the way the Arts Council works and how they are funded.

The Arts Council pointed out to me that they have six major priorities over the next two years, they are:

"

Taking part in the Arts "

Children and Young People "

The Creative Economy "

Vibrant Communities " Internationalism "

Celebrating Diversity

To achieve in all of these areas the Arts Council is very aware of the fact they need to strengthen the support for performance partners in arts organisations and local authorities . The Arts Council's aim is for everyone in the country to have the opportunity to develop a rich and varied artistic and creative life, both engaging them as audience and participants .

The Arts Council is willing to support artists and organisations to take creative risks and follow new opportunities . The long term strategy will ensure that the creative sector has the capacity to capitalise on its past success so that it will continually expand into the future .

The Arts Council also discussed with me their focus on 2012 (the year which London will be holding the Olympic Games).

They believe that 2012 offers an unprecedented platform from which London's artists can develop world profile and markets for their work and the Arts Council will be prioritising initiatives to maximise these opportunities . The Arts Council will be working with the Greater London Authority, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and the Olympic Delivery Agency to plan for the cultural Olympiad and ensure a vigorous cultural legacy for London .

Here in South Australia with the World Police and Fire Games in 2007 there is a huge opportunity to advance South Australian artists and arts organisations to make the Police and Fire Games a platform for creativity and participation in the same way that the British Arts Council is making the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games a platform of creativity and participation.

Many of the endeavours or projects of the Arts Council are funded by the National Lottery and, while I am unaware of the total revenue available, just one project alone - the Jerwood Artangel Open - a new £1 million commissioning initiative for contemporary arts - is just one of many projects being worked upon . A dedicated Art Lottery may be something we could look at in South Australia . The website for the Arts Council England is www.artscouncii .orq .uk

Unfortunately the timing didn't permit me going to the English Womad while in London . Just as Adelaide's Womad is a highly successful festival, the Womad on the banks of the River Thames in London is a hugely successful enterprise running for a couple of days . This is the 17th year for Womad in London and the dates this year were the 28-30 July .

Some of the new features at this year's London Womad were the Tri-Span stage which hosted workshops in among cabaret shows ; the Little Big Top Tent, which I believe comes to Adelaide ; the Siam Tent and Open Air Stage ; the Village Stage; One World platform ; and the Spiegeltent bar which is a feature of the Adelaide Womad .

With the recent filming of the Indian film in Adelaide, it was interesting to see that Bollywood hoardings work out to be a prominent part of the London Womad ; there may be an opportunity to piggyback on that for Adelaide's next Womad . The other interesting thing that could be developed at Adelaide Womad is the "Taste the World" sessions in which artists performing at the festival cook up their favourite dishes and customs .

Part of the ticketing for Womad in London was a family deal where two children aged 13 and under could come for free, accompanied by an adult ticket buyer and there was a wide range of workshops specifically set up for children .

The London Womad can be visited on the net at www.womad .org

West Dean College

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West Dean College is situated in the south of England at Chichester in West Sussex . West Dean College is an adult residential college for continuing education in the visual and applied arts . Courses at West Dean include photography; drawing and digital imaging ; music courses ; art and craft summer schools ; blacksmithing, enamelling, jewellery and silversmithing ; pottery, ceramics, mosaics and glass; woodworking and musical instrument making; and tapestry weaving .

The main reason for the visit to West Dean was to compare the work being done there with work being done in South Australia in such places as the Jam Factory. There is a huge opportunity for South Australia to develop institutions where the arts can be taught, artists can come into residency and students can benefit from working with renowned artists .

The programs being run at West Dean are highly successful and have a worldwide reputation for excellence . The tapestry weaving workshops are of particular interest and are currently working on reproducing a number of large tapestries from the series, "The Unicorn Hunt" which date back to 1495-1505.

The originals of The Unicorn Hunt tapestries are in the Museum of Modern Art in New York; the college at Chichester and a workshop at Stirling Castle north of Edinburgh in Scotland are reproducing these tapestries for the finished works to be hung in the large dining hall of Stirling Castle in Scotland .

The opportunity in South Australia to establish a tapestry weaving workshop is one that should be investigated . While we have many high class artists working in South Australia in the glass, metal and wood areas, there is a limited number of artists working in textiles and no artists working in tapestry workshops . There is one medium sized workshop in Melbourne, Victoria, however, the opportunity exists for a tapestry workshop to be established here in Adelaide .

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Works are being produced by students in both Melbourne and at West Dean in Chichester but a number of commissioned works which return a considerable income to the college are also produced .

I met with Robert Pulley, the Principal of West Dean College and a number of staff members and they are extremely keen to establish a relationship with arts bodies here in South Australia . This is something I will be endeavouring to fulfil over the next twelve months. The opportunity to offer scholarships for people to study at West Dean is something I think we should also look at here in South Australia .

I would recommend to anybody interested in the visual and creative arts to visit the website of West Dean College www.westdean .orq .u k and see the marvellous programs they have in places

6 Information on the diplomas and Master of Arts course prospectuses are available for reading by Members of Parliament .

Leicester Performing Arts Centre

I met with Mike Candler who is the project director for the new Leicester Performing Arts Centre . Mike took me on a tour of the construction site and explained the features of the facility that was being built and soon to be opened. The centre was designed by internationally renowned architect, Rafael Vinoly and the building will be a unique structure in amongst the old woollen and textile mills for which Leicester was once famous . It is perhaps worth noting that, because of the development that is going on in Leicester such as the new performing arts centre and the new Eurostar terminal, the old textile mills are being converted into upmarket apartments which are selling between £300-400,000 . Along with the performing arts centre, this is part of the rejuvenation of Leicester from a purely working class town into a vibrant community which will soon boast even its own marina linked to the extensive canal systems in Europe.

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The performing arts centre will consist mainly of two auditoria situated either side of the centre stage. The two auditoria are different in size and scope - the smaller one will seat 350 and the larger one 750 people . Either auditorium will be able to access the stage providing very flexible performance bases . The fully glazed fagade of the building can be seen in a couple of photographs and this will enable the public who are passing by to look in and see what is going on at stage level . They will be able to see sets being built and other backstage activities going on .

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The funding for the performing arts centre is coming from the Leicester City Council, the Arts Council England, the European Regional Development Fund, the East Midlands Development Agency and the Leicester Shire Economic Partnership and there is also some private sponsorship . The range of funding sources is a good example of what could be used here in South Australia to develop some new arts and entertainment spaces along the North Terrace precinct .

While the Adelaide Festival Centre still is a wonderfully unique centre and it has some significant opportunities for performing art in South Australia, people in the creative industries are recognising that there is a need for a larger and more modern facility to be the home of contemporary art in South Australia . A building such as the Leicester Performing Arts Centre is certainly one that could be used as a model for what could be achieved here in Adelaide .

People reading this report may be interested ingoing to the BBC Leicester website where they can actually see web cam scenes of the building under construction and find out more about the actual performing arts centre itself.

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National Space Centre - Leicester

I was given a tour of the National Space Centre in Leicester by Ms Kirsty James. The space centre project originated in the mid 1990s and was cofounded by the University of Leicester and the Leicester City Council . Funding for the building of the space centre came from the Millennium Commission. The Space Centre is an award winning building and houses a blue streak rocket that was due to be launched at Woomera here in South Australia . A large range of exhibits, both static and interactive, is truly amazing and with South Australia's long involvement in the rocket industry and potential future for the space and rocket industry to be developed at Woomera, Adelaide would be an ideal site for a national space museum to be developed .

For readers of the report to find out more, they can visit the National Space Centre website at www.spacecentre.co.uk

Members of Parliament can also look at the large range of brochures obtained during my visit to the space centre . As it says in one of the brochures, `As space exploration forges ahead mankind will soon return to the Moon and travel to new planets - with the UK significantly involved in futures progress. So, today's visitors to the National Space Centre could be the astronauts of tomorrow." This applies to young people of South Australia as the people of the UK and I would strongly recommend that a space museum be considered by future governments for South Australia . An ideal name may be the "Andy Thomas National Space Museum" .

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Solar powered parking ticket dispensers

During my visits to the various European cities and towns I frequently encountered parking ticket dispensers that have small solar panels on the top which provide most of the power for these ticket dispensers .

I was particularly interested in the ticket dispensers in Edinburgh because the type of ticket that was dispensed had an adhesive tag on the back so that the ticket could be firmly affixed to the windscreen or side window of the vehicle . This was of particular interest to me as I recently received a parking ticket in Adelaide where the loose slip of paper dispensed by our parking ticket machines obviously blew off as I shut the door and so it was not displayed .

The adhesive tag on the back of the parking ticket has an advertisement for, in once case, a real estate company and in other case a crash repairer . The cost of advertising would largely offset the cost of providing what may be a slightly more expensive ticket in the first place but one that may be permanently displayed .

The fact that these parking dispensers were solar powered is something that we here in Adelaide could surely look at with our abundance of sunshine.

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Scottish Maritime Museum - Irvine My visit to the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine was hosted by John Addison . He is a young South Australian and is a well respected curator of maritime museums throughout Europe . I understand he will be returning to South Australia within the next twelve months and I hope to catch up with him to discuss the development of our maritime museum here.

My main reason for visiting the Scottish Maritime Museum was to look at what's left of the City of Adelaide - an iron and teak ship of the 1860s that was used in carrying passengers and cargo between London and Adelaide . There have been a number of press articles in the South Australian media regarding the City of Adelaide and its potential use as an exhibit here in South Australia. However, having seen the ship firsthand, the cost of undertaking transportation and then restoration of the hull to return the ship to a replica of what once was would be enormous . Costs have been estimated at between $3-20 million .

quote from a Sailing Card dated 1874

It is interesting to read in the history of the City of Adelaide that she was "built expressly for the Adelaide trade and noted for her quick passages, has a full Poop fitted with Bathrooms and every other comfort for the accommodation of Cabin Passengers" : She offered a desirable opportunity for a few Second Class passengers and also carried an experienced surgeon .'

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The trip from London to Adelaide took about 65 days depending on weather. In 1889 the ship was sold to T Dixon & Son in Belfast who re-rigged her and used her in the timber trade. In 1893 she was sold to the Southampton Corporation and used as an isolation hospital . In 1923 she was sold to the British Admiralty and was renamed HMS Carrick when she was moved to Irvine and converted to a training ship for the Clyde Division of the Royal Navy volunteers . In 1990 she was sold to the Clyde Ship Trust for £1 by the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Club and the hull of the ship is now in a dry dock adjacent to the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine.

Funding for the restoration of the vessel was initially allocated by the Scottish Maritime Museum, however, this ran out in 1999 and the ship has unfortunately been decaying in the dry dock ever since.

The vessel is considered very important in an international context because she is the only wooden sailing passenger ship from the 19th Century to survive in England, she is the oldest of only three composite vessels to survive worldwide and she is the earliest surviving clipper ship .

Within the UK category of historic ships, she has been placed in the top ten vessels and she shares this status with vessels like HMAS Victory, SS Great Britain and the Cutty Sark; she is the most important historic vessel in Scotland .

It is unfortunate that unless some philanthropic source of funding is found the most likely fate of the City of Adelaide will be an archaeological deconstruction of the ship. In layman terms it will be broken up, some parts will be salvaged for display but the hull itself will be lost forever other than from pictures and drawings .

In 2001 the trustees of the Scottish Maritime Museum expressed concern over continuing the rental costs for the restoration slip compounded by a lack of funds to restore the vessel . The Duke of Edinburgh convened a conference in September 2001 to discuss the future of the vessel . Representatives at this conference included the National Historic Ships Committee ; the Maritime Trust; the Australian High Commission; and representatives of the State of South Australia, the City of Sunderland, Historic Scotland and Scottish Executive.

The Sunderland Maritime Trust and Save the City of Adelaide 1864 Group based in Adelaide both presented the conference with a proposal for the vessel to be restored and displayed in their cities, however, four years on little has progressed. The City of Adelaide 1864 Group was trying to obtain charitable status with the Australian taxation system to allow it to commence fundraising but this seems to have stalled and the latest proposal now is for a British entrepreneur to float the hull down to a site in England where it would be restored and used as a tourist attraction .

My information from the curators at Irvine is that the most likely outcome will be an archaeological deconstruction of the vessel unless the Australian and South Australian governments, along with business and other philanthropic sources of funding can be found to bring the ship to Australia and restore it to a semblance of what it was.

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It was interesting to note in the Maritime Museum there was also a canoe that is a replica of a canoe that was used to paddle down the length of the Murray River . The sides of the canoe were decorated with aboriginal artwork and a small flag flew from the stern of this canoe with the name "Goolwa" proudly displayed . Although this canoe was only a replica its links to South Australia were noted and certainly supported by John Addison, the curator .

The potential for the development of the Maritime Museum here in South Australia can be seen when you compare it with what has been done at Irvine and the opportunity exists to use the resources, expertise and experience that John Addison has when he returns to South Australia . I intend to contact John to ensure that he is not lost to South Australia .

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Strong National Museum of Play - Rochester, New York State

I was hosted by Joan Hoffman, Vice President for Education. This museum has existed for a number of years in Rochester and has just undertaken a $37 million expansion making it one of the largest children's museums in the world. The museum not only provides an amazing collection of children's toys and items of memorabilia associated with young people but also is a vast educational resource and brilliantly displays and explains the strong relationship between play and learning .

Among the museum's exhibitions is a large butterfly garden ; this is just a small part of a large interactive display of how children learn through play .

The national toy hall of fame is something that could be established here in South Australia and the idea of developing a children's museum certainly has been investigated by former Members of Parliament Joan Hall and Malcolm Buckby. The Strong Museum of Play, however, goes much further having a strong interactive and educational focus with

Reading Adventureland, What's Hot in History, the Field of Play and many other exhibits .

The national toy hall of fame at the Strong Museum recognises toys that have been engaged in delighting multiple generations and toys that have obtained iconic status and longevity. They include alphabet blocks ; Barbie dolls; Lego; Scrabble ; the slinky spring ; Teddy Bears; Tonka trucks and other toys such as Etch-A-Sketch and the Frisbee .

In the Field of Play the aim is to illustrate to grown ups how play is vital to young people's development and talks about how play begins as an inspiration and impulse and how play is good for body and brain . All the exhibits focus around the six major components of play - anticipation, surprise, pleasure, strength, poise and understanding .

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More information on the Strong Museum of Play itself, can be found at www.museumofplav.org

I see a museum of play being an ideal opportunity to develop yet another place for tourists to come to Adelaide . The recent demise of the Investigator Science and Technology Centre has to be lamented and the Museum of Play in Rochester illustrates the need to put money into building centres where we are encouraging children to learn by interacting and learning by playing . Here is another opportunity for South Australia, similar to the National Space Museum and similar to the Guggenheim Museum developing as another tourist precinct .

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

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In Edinburgh I met with Paul Gudgin who is the Director of the Edinburgh Fringe . Paul explained to me some of the features of the Edinburgh Fringe and the way it was financed . The main object of my visit with Paul was to find out whether there would be any benefits or hazards involved in the Adelaide Fringe becoming an annual event. Paul was very convincing in that I came away confident that the move to stage the Adelaide Fringe annually would be the best thing that could have possibly happened to enable the Adelaide Fringe to expand . The Adelaide Fringe is second in the world to the Edinburgh Fringe and, if handled appropriately and given sufficient seed funding by the State Government, it could quite possibly become the largest Fringe Festival in the world.

This year's Edinburgh Fringe was the 60th Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was held between 6-28 August . In a similar way to Adelaide, the list of shows at the Fringe included children's shows, comedy, dance, theatre, events exhibitions, musicals, opera and theatre.

The Edinburgh Fringe has over 16,000 performers; 1,800 shows; and sold 1 .3 million tickets in 2005. None of the performers are invited to take part, they all use small and unconventional theatre spaces and are obliged to take all of their own financial risks - flourishing or failing according to public demand . This is the same as the Adelaide Fringe .

I hope that the State Government continues to fund the Adelaide Fringe and promotes it in such a way that it does become at least equal with the Edinburgh Fringe or, hopefully, even bigger and better than the Edinburgh Fringe . To visit the Edinburgh Fringe website go to www.edfringe .com

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While in Edinburgh I spoke to other festival organisers . One particular festival that attracted my attention was the Festival of Politics that was held in the Scottish Parliament in late August . This festival exposed the workings of the Scottish Parliament and had various events such as the World Press Photo Competition ; talks by world famous personalities such as Sean Connery; and other interactive sessions where issues such as the Middle East, making money in Scotland, innovative democracy and world trade and the free market were put up as topics that were aimed at including people of all ages and all backgrounds. For more information visit www.festivalofpolitics.org . u k

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Guggenheim Museum - New York

I met with Mr Nick Simunovic, Guggenheim's Director of Corporate Development at their Hudson Street, New York office . Guggenheim Museums are well known around the world after the first one was opened in New York in 1959 . The Guggenheim Museums are initially known for the breathtaking architecture of their buildings but also the works of art they contain .

There is no Guggenheim Museum in the southern hemisphere. Plans were investigated for a Guggenheim in Melbourne a number of years ago; these failed to eventuate and, recently, plans for a Guggenheim in Rio De Janeiro also fell over .

Discussions with Mr Simunovic were regarding the potential for the establishment of a Guggenheim Museum in Adelaide . This would be a multi-million dollar exercise, however, the iconic name of the Guggenheim Museum would be a huge tourist attraction for South Australia . The establishment of a Guggenheim Museum would need to be sponsored by both the State Government and corporate investors as the total cost of developing and maintaining such an establishment would be in the vicinity of $200 million . The return to the State, both in tourism and in making the South Australian Guggenheim a focus for contemporary art in Australasia, cannot be underestimated .

The mission statement of the Guggenheim Foundation reads "The Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation is to promote the understanding and appreciation of art, architecture and other manifestations of visual culture, primarily of the modern and contemporary periods and to collect, conserve and study the art of our time . The Foundation realises this mission through exceptional exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives and publications and strives to engage and educate an increasingly diverse international audience through its unique network of museums and cultural partnerships ."

Adelaide's own South Australian Museum has the world's best collection of aboriginal artefacts . Combined with the diverse and exceptionally good range of aboriginal artwork produced here in South Australia, this would provide a focus for the establishment of a Guggenheim . The opportunity to then use a Guggenheim Museum in Adelaide as a site for contemporary art but more broadly any of the creative industries, is something that should be investigated . The opportunity should not be discarded because of the costs of establishing such a museum . The long term benefit for South Australia in providing yet another unique experience is something that must be regarded highly . To visit any of the Guggenheim sites - www.guggenheim .org

If a Guggenheim Museum, a National Space Museum, a National Museum of Play were to be located in a suitable precinct such as the West End of North Terrace, above the railway land, then the unique tourism opportunities and synergy that would be presented by these three institutions would be, in my opinion, a real winner for South Australia .

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Education Shadow Ministers - London

During my visit to London I met with the Honourable Nick Gibb MP, Shadow Minister for Schools . Nick discussed the future of education in the United Kingdom and talked about the way school trusts were being used to allow for more independence of school governance and total school management, including the hiring and firing of teachers . The opportunity for commercial sponsors to assist in providing capital for schools was also discussed and is an ongoing topic of discussion within the UK.

Nick provided me with copies of the Education and Inspections Bill and also the research paper behind it . The major provisions of the bill relate to school organisation ; the role of local authorities ; school admissions ; measures to tackle failing and underperforming schools ; new specialised diplomas for 14 to 19 year olds ; school discipline ; and the scope of parenting orders and parenting contracts . School travel arrangements and nutritional standards for food and drinks supplied in school premises were also included in this bill .

The Education and Inspections Bill is one that I will be studying in detail and if there is an issue within this bill that will improve the education of our children in South Australia or the running of schools in South Australia I will prepare discussion papers for consultation and possible introduction of amendments to the education legislation .

Nick Gibb also gave me copies of the House of Commons Education Skills Committee Report "Teaching Children to Read" ; a copy of a document discussing a seven year longitudinal study on the effects of synthetic phonics teaching and reading on spelling and attainment ; and a document from the Department of Education and Skills regarding an independent review of the teaching of early reading .$

While in London I also met with John Hayes MP, Shadow Minister of Vocational Education. John was interested to discuss with me the role of TAFE in South Australia and we discussed the differences between further education in the UK and the organisation of technical and further education here in South Australia . I came away with the firm opinion that the TAFE system we are using in South Australia is superior to the opportunities offered to school leavers in the UK.

8 These documents are available for perusal by Members of Parliament .