Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I thank members who have spoken in support of the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Bill 202 and for the fact that there is bipartisan support for it. I also want to reiterate an aspect of the member for Canberra's speech: those members who have not seen the Lautrec exhibition at the National Gallery should do so. It is another great example of an institution that not just houses our collections but has the credibility to draw great exhibitions from all around the world.

When I introduced the bill I said that it was being introduced at a time that is exciting for the arts and culture in Australia.

We have, through the Prime Minister's Australia in the Asian century white paper, identified a key plank in that policy being cultural diplomacy. There is a recognition that it is the people-to-people links and the cultural links that are so important in building and strengthening relationships with our neighbours—and that they underpin so much of our relationships going forward. That is one of the exciting aspects and opportunities in terms of the development of the cultural exchanges.

So too is the fact that as a government we are finalising a National Cultural Policy—the first such policy in 20 years. The last time there was a creative cultural policy in this country was under another Labor government. It is true that there is bipartisan support for these things, but when you look at the big changes in history and the big changes in in terms of driving cultural policy and the importance of the arts, it was Whitlam, it was Keating and Hawke, and now it will be the Gillard government—started at the 2020 summit.

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