Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I take the interjection from the Labor member sitting opposite. He called the COVID-19 global pandemic an excuse. It's extraordinary. Perhaps Labor have failed to notice that we are in a global pandemic that has unprecedented health and economic challenges to it. As a result, much of the federal government has been diverted to make sure that we securely shepherd Australians through this crisis.

The government is still absolutely committed to ensuring the continued preservation and enhancement of our national institutions. Over the last three financial years over $700 million has been funded to support our national memorials, galleries and libraries. This government is committed to the continued enhancement of these national treasures, and I would like to commend Minister Fletcher for his outstanding efforts in this regard.

As I said, the Labor Party's suggestion that the Morrison government is not fully committed to the continued development of our national institutions is unfounded and entirely false. In the last three years alone the government has funded $498 million for the expansion of the Australian War Memorial, $63.8 million for the National Gallery of Australia, $10 million for the National Library of Australia's Treasured Voices digitisation fund and $12.7 million for the National Film and Sound Archives of Australia. These are just a few examples of this government's continuing commitment to our national institutions. They are being backed by significant funding on behalf of the taxpayers of Australia. These are very significant commitments.

In putting together this motion those opposite had to clutch at straws in order to criticise the government's steady hand and proactive administration of our nation's cultural assets. I suppose I do understand. It suits the narrative of the Labor Party to try to paint all members on this side as cultural vandals, but the facts simply do not bear it out. Every time they try to run this argument they run afoul of the facts of the matter and the amount of money that the Morrison government on this side of the chamber is putting towards these national institutions.

I would like to particularly note the motion's categorisation of the Library's reorganisation of its priority countries in the Asia Collection. The Library is not—as those opposite have claimed—dumping vast collections from the countries named in the motion. Those opposite would have you believe that they are just leaving them to waste. These existing collections will not go to waste. This enormously important resource will continue to be available for future generations. Any attempt to portray the National Library's reorganisation of its collections as a loss of cultural assets would be to ignore the fact that the public will still have full access to all the collections that were once featured.

The Library is, however, continuing to expand its focus on our closest neighbours—Indonesia, China and the Pacific states. It would be short-sighted not to recognise that Australia needs to do more to focus on its closest neighbours. The government is already instituting the Pacific Step-up. This is just another part of that. The National Library is reflecting the shift by maintaining a responsible emphasis on Indonesia, China and the South Pacific in the collections going forward. This exemplifies Australia's commitment to, and continued friendship with, our Pacific neighbours and the way that we are leaning into this friendship. I'm sure that all members in this place would commend that friendship and our important interest in it. We will continue to support these national institutions going forward.

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