Federal Labor Arts Policy Discussion Paper

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Federal Labor Arts Policy Discussion Paper
This discussion paper is the second stage of the review and
development of Labor's arts policy and follows the call for
submissions made by Labor's spokesman for the Arts, Peter
Garrett.
A number of the issues raised via the submission process are
considered in this document. The existing policy informs this
review process and it is anticipated that much of the existing policy
will be retained, albeit in revised form.
Additionally those recommendations of the Myer Report which
have not been acted on by the Howard Government would, as a
matter of urgency, be addressed by Labor.
The release of this discussion paper offers an opportunity for
feedback from all interested parties and comments are welcome.
This paper uses the phrase “Labor will consider. . .” to identify a
policy option.
The final stage of this review will encompass the drafting of new
policy and its consideration and adoption through the formal
process of the federal party.
Please provide any comments by August 25 to
[e-mail], or c/- PO Box 249 Maroubra
NSW 2035. Further copies of this paper are available upon
request.
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Principles
Labor is strongly committed to a vibrant, diverse and wellsupported
arts sector in Australia.
Labor recognises the work that artists produce gives an
immeasurable, sustaining dimension to the life of the nation, and
that the Arts as a significant field of endeavour are worthy of
support in their own right.
Labor believes access, equity, education, excellence and
innovation are foundation principles for arts policy and that a
healthy arts sector is emblematic of a healthy democracy.
Labor is committed to developing policies that provide greater
opportunity and capacity for the community to discover, create and
enjoy the Arts at the local, regional, state and national level.
Labor will, through a mix of: direct government support, taxation
measures, partnerships with State, Territory and Local
governments and communities, and partnerships with the
corporate sector and non government organisations, aim to
increase the overall level of support to the Arts.
Labor recognises that the existing funding arrangements for the
Arts are both unsustainable and in some cases unsatisfactory, that
there is growing financial pressure on numerous arts bodies and
individual artists, and that with few exceptions, artists are very
poorly rewarded for their contribution.
While accountability and efficiency are essential in arts
organisations, it is possible for bureaucracy to waste resources,
even to be a brake on creativity, risk and innovation – all of which
are essential to the Arts.
Labor will explore new ways of putting arts funding on a long-term
sustainable basis, to move from the historical pattern of funding
crises which up to now has characterised the arts sector.
Labor is committed to freedom of artistic expression, to strict arms
length funding, and to removing any opportunity for government to
influence decision-making processes in the Arts.

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Consistent with Labor's strong commitment to education is the
recognition that a child who grows up experiencing the Arts will
carry that experience through life in various guises including: as an
individual artist, a community artist and arts worker and as a
supporter and consumer of the Arts.
Children who grow up producing culture as well as consuming it
experience personal and societal well-being and self-affirmation.
Labor recognises the profound cultural and economic contribution
Indigenous art makes to Indigenous communities and the nation,
and is strongly committed to enhancing and strengthening
Indigenous arts practice.
Labor will encourage the growing dialogue between various
cultures in Australia, recognising this is a wellspring of creativity
with new aesthetics and stories emerging, especially from the
young.
Labor recognises that nurturing and facilitating creativity will
increasingly be central to the ability of societies to build and
sustain new knowledge-based, information-rich industries and that
new media forms which are creative by nature, will play a crucial
role in this growth.
Labor understands that artists are well placed to be new cultural
entrepreneurs. Cultural content creation in countries like Britain
and Japan has become a key generator of economic value in
areas such as cinema, television, popular music and online.
Labor believes Australian cultural industries need to be a part of
this new economy and that by tooling up our young people
Australia can move towards self-sufficiency in cultural capital and
become an exporter rather than just an importer of niche and
popular arts.
Labor understands that increased synergy between artistic
creativity, innovation and economic activity, if encouraged and
supported, can make a significant contribution to the cultural and
economic vitality of cities and regions.
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Labor acknowledges that increasing understanding of the
contribution arts makes to our culture is a necessary task for
government.
Labor believes that as the century unfolds the nature of our society
will, in significant ways, be determined by the energy and vision of
Australian artists and the creative expression of all our citizens.
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Overview
Labor, building on a longstanding tradition of support and
enthusiasm for the Arts, is strongly committed to a vibrant, diverse
and well-supported arts sector in Australia.
Labor, particularly through the period of the Whitlam Government
and with the Keating Government's 'Creative Nation' policy, treated
the Arts as an important part of Australian society and believed
that supporting the creative endeavours of Australians was a key
responsibility for the national government.
Labor notes that the amount received by way of financial support
and subsidy for ‘Culture’ is small in comparison to other sectors of
the economy.
Recognising that there has been a relative decline in
Commonwealth funding of the Arts compared with State and
Territory funding, Labor is committed to addressing that trend.
Labor also recognises that at present there is a growing imbalance
in trade in cultural goods which is not commensurate with the
creative capacity and potential of Australians and Australia’s
cultural sector.
Labor will institute measures which enhance and assist the audiovisual
and performing arts and craft sector, so as to seriously
address this persistent deficit.
In particular Labor will look closely at developing and pursuing
policies which energetically foster the development of creative
cities and creative communities.
It is here that much that is exciting and productive in arts-based
activities, which can complement community development,
innovation and social well-being, is happening.
Finally the Labor tradition for encouraging and supporting the Arts
and emphasising creativity, access and participation needs to be
enlarged:
1) To accommodate the profound economic and technological
changes underway in an increasingly globalised world, where
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communities and economies cross borders via web based
platforms and where artists, especially those working in new
media, are often at the forefront of these changes.
2) In arts education, which provides the basis for a vibrant and
creative arts practice that expands the artistic activity of the nation
and fosters lifelong involvement and affinity with the Arts.
3) To ensure the opportunity for Australians to participate in and
enjoy the Arts in communities is increased and sustained,
irrespective of where they live or how much they earn.
4) To consider whole of government approaches including: federalstate
cooperation, government-private partnerships, increased
cooperation between government departments, greater integration
of research, development and arts practice, and enlarging
international arts outreach - all are needed.
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New Media
New media forms offer exciting new opportunities to hear, see and
experience Australian stories and perspectives on the new
platforms which will become increasingly central to our cultural
landscape into the future.
The emerging ‘new media’ practices already make a significant
contribution, especially in the critical area of content, to the new
digital economy as well as representing some of the most
innovative and exciting work produced by artists.
Labor recognises the cultural and economic importance of creative
practice in new media and the productive diversity of the field
which runs from cutting edge digital art to high-tech industry
growth areas such as games and multimedia design.
Labor will strengthen the potential links between the conceptual
inventiveness, design skills and technological know-how that new
media practice can develop and the fast growing industry sectors
such as games and multimedia design.
Labor will consider expanding the range of assistance measures to
include those which facilitate an enterprising approach to creative
practice.
Labor will consider ways to encourage maximisation of Australiansourced
creative content in new media programs, exhibitions and
installations.
It is also clear that new approaches and forms of cooperation
between universities and research institutions, the private sector,
arts organisations, individuals and governments are needed to
harness and further develop this industry.
Labor is committed to innovation reform including providing greater
incentives for increased and additional R&D investment,
complemented by research of markets both in Australia and
overseas.
Labor will consider means to ensure that creative practitioners are
afforded better information and access, where appropriate, to
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existing industry development and R&D schemes of support eg.
ARC Linkages, R&D Start, Export Market Development Grants.
Labor will consider developing initiatives to grow the economic
sustainability of creative practice, assisting artists towards greater
independence and income generation. These would include: soft
infrastructure such as arts enterprises clustering in existing
precincts and buildings, best practice training in small business
practice essentials, and mentoring in entrepreneurship.
Labor will specifically consider implementing the Myer Report
recommendation (11) of an ‘IT Bank’ for artists working in new
media to enable a technology loan facility supported by
Commonwealth and State governments, operating through public
galleries.
Labor will consider enhancing the opportunities this provides by
seeking a technological vendor to partner in providing such an IT
bank.
Labor will encourage continued and enhanced commitment to the
Arts by the ABC and SBS. Looking ahead to the digital TV future,
Labor will also encourage innovative opportunities that their digital
channels offer for enhanced arts programming and audience
growth.
Labor will ensure new digital media is afforded due recognition and
that flexible peer assessment in funding, including sufficient
integrity in Australia Council processes, is undertaken.
Labor will ensure galleries and cultural institutions have the
capacity to display, archive and store digital art.
The digital content industry
Labor notes Australia has a large current account deficit in cultural
goods (more than $2.7 billion in 2002/03; ABS, Arts and Culture in
Australia: a Statistical Overview, 2004) including a deficit of around
$2 billion per year in the digital content industry.
Labor will consider the development and support of a Digital
Industry Plan encompassing the many aspects of the digital
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content industry but importantly including enhanced skills training
and education for artists.
Such a plan, which is beyond the remit of arts policy, would include
development of an enhanced investment framework to permit
increased and targeted investment in innovation, creating
pathways for producers and distributors, government and the
private sector and artists and technologists to work cooperatively.
Labor recognises that the games industry has already achieved
significant success with very little direct support from government.
In the light of rapidly concentrating trends towards foreign takeover
of local companies, it is important to support companies which
wish to retain intellectual property (IP) in Australian hands, and to
renew investment strategies for the industry and ensure that the
unique mix of creative, technological and business skills required
in this dynamic global creative industry are developed on best
practice bases here in Australia.
Labor, through its ‘Innovation Blueprint’
(www.alp.org.au/download/060710_sp_innovation_blueprint.pdf),
intends to reform existing R&D arrangements and develop new
mechanisms aimed at increasing the capacity for innovation and
economic potential to ensure that effective assistance to the sector
is maximised.
Labor will consider increased investment and support for the digital
sector in the areas of IP, government procurement and export, and
investment in innovation.
Education
All Australian students should have the opportunity to learn and
experience creative writing, visual arts, film/video-making, digital
creation and crafts, music and performance whilst in school.
There is abundant evidence of the positive effects that activities
such as learning and performing music produce, including the
development of communication and cooperation skills and
enhanced literacy and numeracy.

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Labor has previously identified that the area of music education in
particular has suffered considerable neglect, and this remains an
important area which Labor will address. Only 23% of state school
students have access to music in comparison to 80% of students
in non-government schools. (The Music Council of Australia,
‘Trends in School Music Provision in Australia’)
Labor will consider the recommendations of the ‘National Review
of School Music Education Report’
(www.schoolmusicreview.edu.au) with a view to addressing the
deficiencies in music education at present.
Labor will also consider substantially expanding the schools
touring program as undertaken by organisations like Musica Viva,
and in drama, the Bell Shakespeare Company, to include
supporting productions to tour in schools and provide schools with
the opportunity to experience performances in theatres and
concert halls.
Labor will also review the issue of the provision of music education
through the entire education system, working with State and
Territory authorities, teacher employers and with universities to
create a comprehensive music education in our schools and
educational institutions.
Labor will consider supporting programs which provide for
professional arts practitioners to participate as ‘artists in residence’
in schools and as sessional staff in universities.
Labor will review the current role of the Australian National
Academy of Music to determine its viability as a teaching and
training institution.
At present specific recognition of artistic achievement by peers
does not happen in Australia. There is no body which can
undertake this task as well as providing a source of independent
advice on arts policy to government, unions, academic institutions
and the public.
Labor will consider extending the mandate of the Australian
Academy of the Humanities to include arts practitioners and to
provide a source of independent advice on the Arts.
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Investment in the Arts
Labor will, through a mix of: direct government support, enhanced
tax and other arrangements, partnerships with State, Territory and
Local governments and communities, and partnerships with the
corporate sector, aim to increase the overall level of support to the
Arts.
Australians are highly competent, innovative arts practitioners. The
lack of private investment in the Arts currently impedes the growth
of the arts sector.
And with up to one million younger Australians working overseas,
many in arts related areas and often because of the lack of
opportunities at home, it is essential to harness their abilities to
make a contribution to Australian cultural and economic life.
Significant additional investment is needed across a range of
activities including film, the performing and visual arts and crafts,
arts promotion, digital art, and importantly in cross-disciplinary
work between artists and other professions to provide a fuller
opportunity for the Arts to flourish.
Labor will consider amending the R&D Tax Concession Scheme to
include projects that fall outside the science and technology
criteria.
Labor will specifically consider amending Section 73 B of the
Income Tax Assessment Act to enable the conduct of research
conforming to recognised expertise and methodologies in the Arts,
social sciences and humanities to be included.
Labor will consider ways to allow creative and non-published
research and performance to qualify for research grants.
Labor will consider providing that artistic organisations, subject to
strict criteria, be classed like community not-for-profit organisations
for taxation purposes.
Labor will consider amending the Copyright Act so that sculptures
and artistic works permanently on display in public contain the
same copyright protection as other artistic works.
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The Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) is intended to
facilitate and increase the amount of private sponsorship and
philanthropy in the Arts. Labor will consider reviewing the
performance of AbaF to determine whether its functions can be
further enhanced.
There has been increased attention given to securing private
investment in recent years but the levels of sponsorship and
donation remains low, with figures showing 0.6% of total
philanthropic donations going to the Arts compared with 8.9% to
sport and recreation. (M. Kessler, ‘Big Picture’ research reports
and interviews, Private Sponsorship and Philanthropy)
Labor will consider implementing the relevant recommendations of
the Myer Report including amending the Cultural Gifts program to
permit 125% deductions for gifts of new works by contemporary
Australian artists to public collecting institutions.
Labor will consider implementing an expanded visiting artists
scheme to facilitate the return of Australian artists and as well to
encourage prominent and emerging artists from overseas to
regularly visit.
Indigenous Art
Labor recognises the profound cultural and economic contribution
Indigenous art makes and is strongly committed to enhancing and
strengthening Indigenous arts practice.
In particular Labor notes that Indigenous art is one of the few
current ways that Indigenous people living in remote areas have to
engage in meaningful work and that such activity makes a
fundamental contribution to alleviating poverty and enhancing
cultural practice.
Aboriginal Art Centres play a central role as co-operatives which:
produce significant amounts of Indigenous art, promote
professionalism and ensure adequate return of proceeds to
Indigenous people and their community organisations.
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They also fulfil a wider function by offering a location which
provides more general assistance to communities who experience
inadequately developed social institutions.
Labor will expand policy in the area of Indigenous art paying
special attention to ensuring the sustainability of existing Aboriginal
Art Centres, addressing the problems of authenticity and copying,
and reviewing existing programs, including those of the Australia
Council, which contribute to Indigenous arts.
Labor will consider ensuring an expanded capital works program
for Aboriginal Art Centres is put in place to meet the current level
of need for maintenance, refurbishment and construction of new
facilities.
Labor will consider additional support for business training,
including in governance, to enable Aboriginal Art Centres to
develop business plans.
Labor will consider the implementation of the Myer Report
recommendations applying specifically to Indigenous arts
practitioners.
Labor supports the introduction of a national licensing scheme for
dealers in Indigenous art, and the adoption of a national Code of
Conduct in the Indigenous art industry.
Labor has long been committed to the introduction of a resale
royalty scheme which would provide additional income to
Indigenous artists when their work is resold in the art market.
Labor will support the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry to
investigate bootlegging and unauthorised reproduction of
Indigenous arts and craft and to consider the best means of
providing additional protection for Indigenous cultural heritage.
Sustainable employment
Labor believes the work that artists produce shapes our identity
and gives an immeasurable, sustaining dimension to the life of the
nation, and that the Arts as a significant field of endeavour are
worthy of support in their own right.
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That many artists are very poorly remunerated has been well
documented (‘Don’t Give up Your Day Job’, Throsby & Hollister).
This situation continues, notwithstanding the overall modest
increase in funds generally available for the Arts over the past
decade.
Labor will review the current state of artists’ incomes and develop
policies to redress this situation.
Labor will consider reviewing the fellowships and grants schemes
that operate through the Australia Council to ensure a fair and
sustainable allocation of support is made possible.
Labor will specifically address the issue of young and emerging
artists and introduce programs which provide start up assistance
for emerging professional artists.
Labor will consider implementing a program of mandatory
presentation by major performing companies of work created by
and featuring young and emerging artists.
Labor will consider requiring the major companies to increase their
support of training programs to enable graduating artists the
opportunity to build practical knowledge and skills.
Labor will require the Visual Arts and Craft Board to mandate the
payment of artist’s exhibition and loan fees in publicly funded
institutions to visual and craft artists.
Labor will consider introducing initiatives which enable artists
currently on welfare greater opportunity to produce work and
generate employment.
Labor will consider development of a ‘Social Security and the Arts’
policy that harmonises current Australia Council, Centrelink and
Australian Tax Office rules, reframes JobSearch requirements so
as to permit new employment opportunities to be maximised and
considers the most equitable way to treat earnings and royalty
payments for artists currently receiving welfare.
Labor recognises that artists often have the opportunity to produce
unpaid work which contributes to the social, economic and cultural
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life of the community and increases the likelihood of paid work at a
later stage.
In some instances art professionals end up performing routine
tasks through Centrelink whilst existing opportunities for on going
work cannot be taken up.
Labor will consider adding ‘participation in arts projects’ under the
criteria for employment and community participation in work for the
dole where it is likely that such participation will improve a person's
prospects to gain employment or private income.
Labor will consider expanding support for NEIS (New Enterprise
Incentive Scheme) to assist practitioners in small business
development.
Labor will ensure the ruling on workable tax concessions takes into
account the current economic and employment experience of
artists so as to enable non commercial losses to be claimed in
relevant cases.
Culture and the Arts
The question of whether a more comprehensive cultural policy
should be developed by the Labor Party is already being keenly
debated and needs thorough consideration.
Labor believes that increasing understanding of the contribution
arts makes to our culture and the relationship between culture and
the Arts and beyond is important and would assist in general policy
development and in enabling a more effective whole of
government approach to the Arts.
Labor will initiate a nation wide round table discussion, including
arts practitioners, academics, government departments, arts
organisations, private sector creators and individuals, to address
the need and desirability of producing a cultural policy.
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Freedom of artistic expression
Labor is committed to the guarantee of freedom of artistic
expression for artists and ensuring that artistic expression, and
decision making in relation to arts funding, is quarantined from
political pressure by government.
Labor will insist on maintaining arms length funding and ensuring a
transparent process of independent board and ancillary
appointments as described in the current policy.
Labor will ensure that legislation, including that intended for
national security, does not impinge on artists' legitimate
expression. Labor is committed to repealing the Sedition
provisions of the Anti -Terror Bill No 2.
Australia Council
Labor is committed to there being a body separate from
government responsible for: the delivery of funding for new and
existing arts programs, to act as an advocate for the Arts and to
work closely with arts organisations and individual artists.
Labor will consider streamlining the number of existing grant
making bodies, and ensuring there are rigorous peer review
processes in place.
Labor will consider placing a limit on the number of repeat Board
appointments to ensure diverse and new representation, including
young people and arts entrepreneurs, is a feature of these bodies.
It is a matter of real concern that the bureaucratic requirements
imposed on artists and arts organisations by the Australia Council
and in the arts funding arena generally shows no signs of
diminishing.
Whilst recognising that maintaining accountable and rigorous
funding processes are fundamental to the Australia Council, Labor
will consider implementing greatly simplified and speedier grant
application processes.
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Labor will consider retrieving all existing programs from DCITA and
placing them under the Australia Council.
Labor will consider modifying the efficiency dividend calculation for
arts funding. The past series of reforms (including the efficiency
dividend) instituted up to now have, for the most part, ensured that
arts organisations operate more efficiently. But even though the
dividend in some instances has been suspended, labour and
ancillary costs continue to rise, and a number of arts bodies
operate on the threshold of insolvency.
Labor recognises the special need for arts bodies to have
additional funds to provide some margin for risk and
experimentation, and to try new audience development ideas.
Labor is committed to ensuring that dance and small to medium
sized theatre organisations are given every opportunity to flourish.
Labor would ensure, for example that in relation to dance, the
Australia Council develop a Dance Action Plan as identified in the
‘Resourcing Dance’ review (Australia Council February 2004).
And in relation to small and medium-sized theatres, that the
Australia Council develops a Small and Medium-Sized Theatre
Action Plan, drawing on the ‘Small to Medium Performing Arts
Review’ and the ‘Make It New?’ discussion forum.
Labor will consider reviewing the system of fellowships and grants
to determine the fairest and most effective way of supporting
artists in the course of their career.
Film & Television
Labor acknowledges the enormous contribution the film and
television industry has made to the cultural life of the nation and
the significant amounts governments have provided to the film
industry.
Labor will review the effect of free trade agreements to determine
the impact on the levels of Australian content, including: drama,
documentary and children’s programming on free to air and
subscription television services.
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Labor recognises film is one of the most powerful of contemporary
creative expressions, that the film industry is capital and talent
intensive and that Australian creativity and stories are more often
experienced through film than many other art-forms.
Labor views with concern the recent trends in the Australian film
industry with fewer and less successful films made and with
substantial human resources and infrastructure remaining
underutilised.
Labor will work with all sections of the film and television industry,
to develop a Strategic Film Industry plan.
Labor will consider merging the AFC and FFC to produce greater
synergy of operation, as well as exploring whether there are
additional consolidation measures that could include the AFTRS
and Film Australia, and refining existing, as well as developing,
new taxation and other measures, to harness increased private
investment for the film industry.
Labor will explore renewing the broadcasting fund in order to
provide a pool of funds for independent TV production.
Labor will ensure the ABC and SBS are adequately funded and
that Board appointments are strictly arms length.
Regional
Labor recognises regional communities are enriched by a healthy
arts presence which provides for greater cultural amenity as well
as increased economic activity and enhanced social engagement.
In particular Labor believes it is vital that young people in regional
areas have access to creative opportunities and are encouraged to
participate in the Arts.
Labor recognises the important role that Local councils play in
supporting and developing the Arts in regional areas and will
examine ways to improve cooperation between Federal
government, State government and Local councils.
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Labor will maintain the regional touring arts programs and further
consider ways of assisting Local councils and State governments
to better secure and protect arts venues with heritage significance
in regional areas.
International
Labor believes the scope for Australian artists and their work to
find and establish outlets overseas is huge and remains
significantly untapped. New digital art, Indigenous art, novels and
non-fiction, and some medium sized specialist touring companies
have all made significant inroads overseas.
Labor will ensure that there is adequate recruitment, training and
appointment of cultural officers with broad arts experience to
Australian embassies abroad, and that cooperation and
communication between DCITA and DFAT in relation to arts,
including cultural exhibitions, export markets and skill sharing, is
enhanced.
Labor will consider establishing an international arts information
database detailing Australian artists’ work and international
programs, trade fairs and exhibitions to enable better information
flows concerning Australian artists and international activities.
In 2005, following extensive international negotiations, the General
Conference of UNESCO approved (148 votes for, two against, four
abstentions – including Australia) the Convention on the Protection
and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
The convention identifies the need to promote and protect cultural
diversity, without hindering current legislative frameworks in
signatory countries.
Labor will ratify and give effect to the UN Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
and consider ratifying the Convention for the Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Labor will ensure artists’ copyright is adequately protected, at the
same time as exploring new regimes for the maintenance of
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intellectual property which do not impede the spread of ideas and
works in the digital domain and elsewhere.
Research and Creative Activity
The development of ‘creative industries’ policy is now a primary
task of government and substantial research and discussion is
underway as to the best means of amplifying Australia’s potential
in this area.
Labor has long recognised the need for a significant investment of
political, financial and intellectual capital in the creative industry
agenda, as the potential for sustainable economic growth is
significant.
Creative research is central to the growth of arts and innovation
and increasingly draws across disciplines and involves emerging
technologies.
Labor will consider reviewing the current framework for Australian
Research Council grants to consider allowing creative and nonpublished
work the opportunity to qualify.
Labor will consider reviewing the Commonwealth frameworks for
research to ensure it addresses creative activity.
Labor will consider establishing an online artists' data base and
web directory of resources to enable artists to profile their work
and communicate with galleries, festivals, literary agents,
government departments and others to better facilitate the
placement of work.
Parliament
Labor will ensure the Parliament House collections policy includes
diverse works of artists - emerging and established.
Labor will consider establishing a Parliament House collection
loans scheme to enable the display of works on a rotating basis in
schools, communities and local councils.

[Niemmy]

Peter Garrett MP
Shadow Minister for the Arts

Transcript of speech, Labor's New Directions for the Arts launch, Sydney 14 September 2007

E & O E – PROOF ONLY

Subjects: Labor’s support for the Arts, Resale royalties, Arts and music education, Young Artists, Australia Council, Digital content

GARRETT: Arts will become increasingly central to our national wellbeing and prosperity.

There is no doubt that the Arts reflect the nation’s soul. They are the mirror that reflects who we are as a people. And it’s our contention that for 11 years the Arts have existed more on the margins they have in the centre of our political and social and cultural engagement.

So I am absolutely delighted to be able to introduce to you today Labor’s New Directions for the Arts and identify some of the key elements we’ve located as being critical to having a strong and vibrant artistic cultural endeavour in this country.

The first thing to say is that Labor has a strong tradition of the supporting the Arts. It’s a tradition that was clearly manifest in the period of the Whitlam Government and Prime Minister Paul Keating in his term. He was a very strong powerful advocate for the Arts.

We haven’t had leadership from Government at the Federal level that has spoken to the good purpose and the enriching capacity that the Arts have. (Not) since we’ve had a Labor Governments in power.

The second thing we haven’t had is a defence of artists and their endeavour. Nowhere was this more evident than the proposed sedition legislation, and that legislation ultimately did travel through the Parliament. And clearly absent were the voices of Federal Arts Ministers or others defending the rights that artists have to express themselves in a free and open society. Through their creativity, through their words, through their visual work, through their output.

We’ve identified a number of key elements which we think go to the heart of an Arts policy.

They include being clear that we must encourage and amplify the exposure that young Australians have to the Arts; particularly in education but also once they begin their journey and begin their career. They ought to be enabled to produce that work and companies should be in a position to take up that work.

There are a number of key initiatives and new directions for the Arts. They include:

A commitment to a resale royalty scheme for visual artists, an issue of extraordinary contention in a political process that sees the Conservatives in the Parliament unwilling to accept that a resale royalty scheme will provide substantial benefits to artists. A resale royalty scheme will provide substantial benefits to artists, particularly to indigenous artists who in many instances experience considerable escalations in prices of their work from the point of sale.

The second thing we are committed to is a programme called ArtStart.

We think that the situation that many practising artists find themselves in as they come in and out of paid work and in and out of the social welfare system, needs to take into account their conditions and circumstances and (inaudible) opportunities to further their involvement in work, even if at specific points in time they are not specifically being remunerated for it.

We’re committed to an independent and transparent Australia Council.

It’s clear that the OzCo has an extremely important function in the delivery of arts programs, it’s also clear that it creates considerable frustration - particularly amongst arts practitioners – at the high level of bureaucracy that exist in AusCo. And the way in which the funding cycle does not see substantial attention given to the development of art at the community level; art and creative endeavour that is fresh, invigorating, but doesn’t necessarily operate within the major performing companies and (which) doesn’t receive, I don’t think, the level of support that it needs to.

We have a strong commitment to indigenous art, and I want to welcome our guests here on that basis.

The resale royalty scheme will certainly provide opportunity for decent remuneration for indigenous artists. More generally I think we recognise that for Australians, quite often we are defining ourselves at least in part by the extraordinary cultural productivity and resonance that our indigenous artists have displayed in the past and continue to display.

The next thing which we’ve identified is the need for a Strategic Digital Industry Plan. If there’s one area where the Howard Government has dropped the ball more than any other that I can identify, it’s in their complete absence of reasonable activity and progress on the question of the digital action agenda (inaudible).

Just this morning I was participating in the launch of the Google Election 07 site. It’s very clear that web-based communication forms – whether in politics or whether it’s creativity generally – are playing greater and greater roles in people’s lives. Certainly for artists who may move across mediums and frankly move from artistic work into other paid work of one kind or another in the digital arena. And yet this remains invisible to the hand of government.

A Rudd Labor Government does have a vision for the arts and I certainly strongly say that it the time for us to fully support the creative endeavour of Australians is here.

I commit and commend Labor’s New Directions for the Arts to you, committing that if we were to take Government we would strongly represent and advocate for the artistic endeavour in all its forms in all parts of the country.

We would be proud of the work that Australian artists have produced in the past, whether our authors, our painters, our visual artists, our choreographers … and we would strongly encourage and amplify that support in national engagement and national debate about what arts and creativity mean to us as a nation.

Having said that, I will take any questions and thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

JOURNALIST: Don’t resale royalties tend to benefit artists who are already making a lot of money?

GARRETT: I think that there is absolutely no doubt that for indigenous artists in particular, but for artists more generally when they are seeing a rapid escalation in the price of their works over a short period of time, the capacity for them to take a benefit from a resale royalty is considerable.

I make one other point about resale royalties and that is that those jurisdictions that are taking to resale royalties, particularly the European jurisdictions, we actually now do operate in a global market and it is entirely appropriate for us to be looking at the way in which thoughtful jurisdictions have to deal with the way in which artists’ early works, their first works, is very low (price) but who subsequently see very great escalation in the price of their work.

JOURNALIST: How would you make sure this doesn’t just simply benefit artists with a high profile; don’t artists with a small profile the ones who need the most help?

GARRETT: Well there’s a range of different measures we’ve got there to support artists and let’s look at this way. Look at an artist of any profile who sess an escalation of greater than 100 or even 1000%. Whether they are extremely well known or an emerging artist - it seems to me to be both a matter of fairness and recognition of the need to take remuneration to build your own practice that provides ample justification for us for introducing resale royalty.

JOURNALIST: How much (INAUDIBLE)

GARRETT: Well, we’d want to look very closely at the proposals that are on foot. It needs to be a scheme that works effectively and is capable of being administered well. I notice that NAVA (National Association of Visual Artists) are here and there’s a great deal of information and proposals that are already sitting there. (So) we are going to look very closely at it, work with the department if we are in a position to do so and determine a retail royalty scheme that meets the needs of providing adequate remuneration and also effective operation.

JOURNALIST: Mr Garrett could you elaborate a little bit more on changes to the Australia Council?

GARRETT: I’m happy to do that. The thing in this paper that you’ll identify is that we recognise the importance of the role of the Australia Council and we reaffirm that the appropriate method for the delivery of the funding of programs is through an arms-length entity like the Australia Council. At the same time we are well aware that there is significant anxiety and concern, particularly amongst arts practitioners, about the scope of the programme of the Council and also about the way in which decisions are made in terms of funding.

One thing you can say clearly is this. The Australia Council is an organisation that has to wrestle with the situation that it finds itself in (inaudible)…. This Government is a Government that has resourced arts, rescued problems that exist but not solved them, gone to the heart of solving those problems.

Now we have issues of sustainability in funding in arts which are perennial, money needed for infrastructure which is perennial, we have issues in terms of questions of funding for both major performing arts companies and other arts forms.

The Australia Council needs to confront those issues. It needs to be given an opportunity to do that, and I know that they’ll want to take it. Particularly in terms of the many boards that administer and make decisions about funds. What we say, as we’ve said in relation to something like the ABC board, is that you need to have systems of board appointments that reflect the diversity of the community. That is seen, not only in the transparent sense to do that, but also reflect art and art expertise as well as business expertise. And reflect the non-partisan diversity of our society and of the community. We really want to look at that as a necessary task for the Australia Council. We also want to look closely at the question of whether or not the delivery of programmes that come through DCITA and this point in time is appropriate into the future.

It seems to us that for the Australia Council to be a robust body that has enough weight and substance and solidity to perform its tasks, it needs to perform a full range of tasks, as we understand it was originally conceived. That would include the delivery of programs.

JOURNALIST: So, more money then?

GARRETT: Well, this is the perennial question. What we would say is that it would be critical for the delivery of arts through the federal budget to be done in such a way that the Australia Council has the opportunity to fulfil what we think its mandate is. That includes providing not only through the major performing arts, but also through other relevant programs, including programs currently through DCITA, and the possibility of taking that suite of programs for delivery.

JOURNALIST: Does that include film?

GARRETT: No, we’re not saying that about film. What we’re saying in relation to film is that we’re going to watch closely the merger that’s underway. We supported the idea that there should be a merger between the Australian Film Commission and FFC and we recognise that there are some efficiencies and some synergies that will derive there. But we do say that we need to have a screen industry plan; that the track record of our visual film and television industry here in Australia has been a pretty poor one.

We’re seeing some extremely worrying trends in terms of the amount drama that we’ve seen on the ABC. In terms of the amount of production hours that we’ve seen as a function of budget overtime; in our capacity to engage on a much more sustainable basis overseas productions that come and use our facilities. We’ll monitor closely, we’ll watch it closely, but certainly we’re committed to the Australian Screen Authority.

ENDS