Dai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I also thank the member for Macquarie for bringing this motion to the House. Arts and culture are important to help build a society that enables the mind to question and stay curious. The arts encompass all aspects of the human condition, from how we eat and how we engage with each other to how we find meaning and value in life. Whilst the natural sciences lead us towards answers to the question of 'How?', the arts seek to explore the question of 'Why?'

The arts play a crucial role in my diverse electorate of Fowler. They provide many in my community with a platform to share the richness of their culture. It allows them to maintain a sense of where they are from and encourages them to explore their creative skills as they struggle to settle into a new society. From Serbian and Croatian folkloric dancing to the Vietnamese fan and hat dances, and from Arabic dabke line dancing to candombe at the Uruguayan club, Fowler is rich in cultural celebration, and celebrating our cultures of origin helps open connections between us all.

I was pleased, therefore, that two of Fowler's arts based projects received the government's four-year investment, namely CuriousWorks and Powerhouse Youth Theatre. CuriousWorks has been investing in and nurturing artists across multiple disciplines since 2005. They provide a space for artists to explore diversity and to see how ideas and identity intersect in our contemporary multicultural landscape. Powerhouse Youth Theatre in Fairfield is the only professional theatre company in Western Sydney. They play a crucially important role in both developing the artists of the future and training the next generation of production and backstage staff. In particular, they are providing a space to encourage culturally and linguistically diverse artists to express their own stories. They stand in the long tradition of allowing complex contemporary issues to be explored through drama and creative expression. For our young people in Fowler, of whom many have come from war-torn countries and are seeking answers to the questions of who they are, this is a vital service.

While I welcome the investment in these two important arts providers, I want to acknowledge that this is not the end of the journey towards investments in the arts in Western Sydney. Our region faces unique challenges in terms of language barriers, accessibility and financial limitations. I urge the government and the minister to not only maintain investment in the arts in Western Sydney but also look for areas where access to funding may be enhanced. Cost-of-living pressures inevitably reduce the role of individual philanthropy and private investment in the arts. The use of taxpayer money is so important, because it would be hard to imagine some of our amazing institutions, such as our symphony orchestras and ballet schools, existing without this funding.

I have spoken before of rejecting a purely utilitarian approach to public policy. That is why I have called for the government to review the Morrison government's Job-ready Graduates Package. This package has seen an increase in the fee costs of arts degrees in an attempt to shoehorn students from STEM subjects. While we all understand the benefits of STEM graduates and appreciate the higher wages on offer for them, this approach has potentially discriminating implications, given that women are much more likely to study arts degrees—and I did study an arts degree. It fails to face the reality that students choose areas of study that they are good at and are interested in. That's why arts students have continued to enrol, despite the increasing personal financial cost implications. This is a fundamental problem that needs addressing urgently.

Without investment in the arts and culture, we are at risk of becoming a nation devoid of poets, artists, filmmakers—of which I was one—writers and important voices in how we think about human relationships and ethical questions—questions that often arise from scientific and technological advances. STEM needs the arts if we are to harness the benefits and avoid the pitfalls of advances in AI and medical possibilities, for example.

As I said earlier, the arts are the way that we seek to answer the deepest questions as to why we are here and to find purpose and meaning in our lives. The artistic endeavour helps us write and share our stories with one another, fostering understanding and community spirit. Investment in the arts is an investment in the future. I look forward to working with the government in discussing future plans for the creative sector in my electorate and exploring how we can further collaborate to ensure the sustainability of arts projects in Fowler.

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