Page 2865 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 17 September 2014
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I did not hear any evidence to suggest that that is true. I have an amendment to remove that, because I do not know that to be true. Indeed, my understanding is that the funding for 2012-13 under Labor was $1.3 million for the ACT from the arts council and funding for 2013-14, which started as a Labor budget, was also $1.3 million. So I do not know that there is any evidence. I would be interested, when Ms Berry closes, that she put the evidence on the table to support (i). My understanding is that Australia Council on the Arts funding is a competitive process. If the problem is that we are not putting forward enough applications for grants, or if they are of not suitable quality, perhaps we need to lift our own game instead of blaming the council. If there is some evidence of a bias with the Australia Council on the Arts, I would like to see it, but I have not heard any today. It will be interesting to see if the government can actually produce any.
While it is good to deflect activity away from yourself by blaming somebody else, the local community put forward a number of valid suggestions in the estimates committee to enable it to go ahead. For instance, recommendation 17 says:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government increase “One‐Off Arts funding” back to $1.1M and maintain funding in out years.
If you want to see an attack on the arts, remember that this government reduced funding in the one-off arts fund. It is well and good to blame the arts council, but look at yourself first. The government responded:
Noted.
This is a matter for future Budget consideration.
Ms Gallagher interjecting—
MR SMYTH: Sorry, Chief Minister.
Ms Gallagher interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: That would be disorderly, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Yes, that would be disorderly. But there she is, sniping away. Good luck.
Recommendation 18 says:
The Committee recommends that the … Government … conduct an economic analysis …
The response was:
Agreed.
Apparently that is underway, and we would welcome that.
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