COAST AGAIN PROVES IT PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT

WHAT an amazing weekend for big anniversaries — the 40th running of the Gold Coast Marathon was sold out for the first time in its history, and in their 60th year, the Logies have arrived in what is becoming the undisputed home of screen production in Australia.

Hosting the Logies on the Gold Coast has seen hundreds of actors, producers, writers and directors descend on the city. Just like the Commonwealth Games, hosting the Logies proves conclusively that the Gold Coast punches above its weight.

It also shows the benefits of an increasingly diversified economy — even in the middle of winter, visitor numbers will be very high with so many major events underway.

Aside from the fact that June at Broadbeach is much warmer than May in Melbourne, the stars who walked the red carpet last night learned that this city has the capacity to handle any size of screen production — not just traditional cinema blockbusters, but an increasing array of local productions that are tailormade for TV or tablet.

The rise of Subscriber on Demand Video or SVOD has brought huge change to the way productions are financed, and they create amazing opportunities for Queensland ideas and stories to be turned into reality. That’s why I was so pleased to announce over the weekend that Screen Queensland and streaming service Stan will collaborate to bring up to four homegrown productions to life.

My commitment to the screen industry is for the long haul. As we build the knowledge and talent across all the creative and technical skills that make up the screen industry, we create the opportunity for young people to plan out a career in this growing industry – or for those local stars who’ve gone overseas to ply their trade to return home to Queensland.

Congratulations to everyone involved in a weekend that once again showcased the best the Gold Coast has to offer.