Page 1397 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 April 2019
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important matter of our nation’s cultural institutions. I rise also to support the Chief Minister’s amendment. Of course, as someone who grew up Canberra, I have no doubt about the critical role that our national cultural institutions play in our own community. They also have a legislative mandate to collect, maintain and exhibit Australian and international art and cultural artefacts both to educate and inform the public and, importantly, to preserve Australia’s political, social and cultural history.
Children from around Australia visit Canberra on school trips to explore our museums and galleries. It is through these institutions that kids from Bundaberg, Bernie and Bunbury get to see a Namatjira painting, an FJ Holden, a copy of the Magna Carta, an early colonial map of Australia, the prime minister’s office in Old Parliament House, to learn about Australia’s achievements in science and technology and, of course, to get hands on with science at Questacon. Our institutions help to build our national identity by reflecting Australia as it was and as it is.
While the National Gallery has the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and the National Museum does a great job in its work on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and people, there is no dedicated cultural institution for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures. AIATSIS is a hidden gem but it has a limited scope in what it can do. It is not currently set up to welcome a large number of visitors.
I note that we are debating this motion following the release of the federal parliament’s report into our cultural institutions. Among the report’s findings, as Minister Rattenbury has noted, is a recognition that the parliamentary triangle lacks a place to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and histories. While the tent embassy has an important and enduring role in protest and activism, and we do need further work on how to better recognise that, there is a gap which should be addressed.
The report recommends that AIATSIS be expanded with a new home in the parliamentary triangle and that it be given a broader remit in presenting the story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Expanding the remit of AIATSIS would need extensive consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the organisations that represent them. There are key questions about whether AIATSIS should be expanded or a new institution established.
In saying this, I do not intend to take away from AIATSIS and its staff, who are absolutely passionate about their jobs at the world’s premier research, collecting and publishing organisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and languages. I had the privilege of meeting many of those staff when I toured last year. I thank the director Craig Ritchie and the staff for hosting me so warmly.
Successive Liberal governments, particularly in the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison years, have been punishing for Canberra. Our community has felt the brunt of their anti-Canberra and anti-public service agenda. These conservative cuts have hit many departments and agencies but the cultural institutions have perhaps been hit more than most. The Turnbull-Morrison MYEFO cuts in December 2015 came as a surprise to cultural institutions. Many either had or were in the process of launching their big
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