Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown)— On 6 July, I attended the opening night of Eden, a play by my talented constituent Daniel Scott.

Not only is Daniel a talented playwright, the performance also utilised his beautiful travel photography from his time as a travel writer for major media outlets.

I must say, it was fantastic to see such a thought-provoking production launch in Newcastle. Directed by Janet Nelson, the play was an insight for anyone who wonders about the impact of childhood trauma, and its spiralling effects on families and friends.

The arts have an important role to play in all our lives, brightening our days and providing food for thought, and the performing arts in particular have enduring a bruising few years in Australia.

It is thanks to the resilience and innovation of our creatives that the arts stand poised to come through the pandemic, and if Eden is any indication we have be entering a time of exciting and interesting creative output.

I was very pleased to have the opportunity to support the production of Eden. I want to thank the cast, Janet and Daniel for their work, and the Newcastle Theatre Company for staging the production.