THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
SENATOR THE HON LISA SINGH
SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SENATOR FOR TASMANIA
MEDIA RELEASE
BRANDIS CONFIRMS ARTS FUNDING ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
Today Minister for the Arts, Senator George Brandis, confirmed that Arts funding is on the chopping block under the Abbott Government.
Today the Minister has confirmed that funding for the arts, in our cities and regional areas, will be reduced under this government, Shadow Minister of the Arts, Mark Dreyfus said.
Senator Brandis has flagged that savings will need to be found from Arts in the coming budget.
Creative Partnerships Australia has already closed its offices in Adelaide, Hobart, and Canberra, Senator Lisa Singh said.
Today at Senate Estimates I asked the Minister how the smaller states and their arts organisations will be serviced after their offices have closed.
The Federal Government pulling out of these key states will severely reduce capacity to partner with business and corporates who have long supported the arts in these areas. It is a snub for artists and a snub for business.
This Government and Minister have clearly got their eye on big end of town, rather than smaller arts and community organisations.
Senator Brandis made the false claim that Arts had been neglected by the former Labor Government, saying funding to arts in the regions had been reduced, Mr Dreyfus said.
In fact Labor Governments maintained funding for the regional arts funding programs, Playing Australia and Regional Arts Australia, and contributed significant new funding to communities through Creative Australia and the National Cultural Policy.
Additional funding included $10 million to Creative Partnerships, $40 million for cultural infrastructure through the Regional Development Australia Fund, $37 million for Creative Futures Project Tasmania and $60 million to various Indigenous languages, visual arts programs and training programs.
MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2014
