Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Kemp. Will the minister update the Senate on the state of the Indigenous art industry? What is the government doing to help strengthen the industry?

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Scullion for the question. I had the pleasure last week of visiting a number of arts centres in and around Alice Springs with Senator Scullion—

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lundy interjecting—

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lundy thinks it is a great joke; I think it is a very important issue. I must congratulate you, Senator Scullion, for the interest and leadership you are showing in an area which is one of the great iconic art movements in the world today. It is attracting not only huge domestic issue but worldwide issue. At the same time, many senators will be aware of claims which have been raised in relation to exploitation of artists—claims of fraud in some areas.

Indigenous art is an area which this government is very keen to encourage. It is an area which I think offers enormous potential to Indigenous communities. When you visit Indigenous communities, the art centre is often not only a sort of town centre where many people gather but also an area which is providing a real economic benefit to the community. This government takes the issue of art centres very seriously. The purpose of my visit with Senator Scullion was to examine the issues which are being raised, to speak to the art centres’ management, the arts coordinators, the artists and the dealers and to see in what ways public policy settings can help these centres.

Senator Scullion, you would have been delighted to hear last night that an early initiative that we are able to announce is that we have been able to provide further assistance to art centres in the budget. That has certainly been very strongly welcomed by the art centres—

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Crossin interjecting—

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Crossin—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Kemp, ignore interjections.

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is unfortunate to attempt to play politics with this issue.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it is. This is an important area of public debate, but it is one where the people who attempt to play party politics will certainly lose. Senator Crossin, I am very surprised to hear your comments. The fact of the matter is that we were able to provide further support for art centres in this budget. Senator Scullion, I thank you for the support that you gave.

There are a number of other areas that we will obviously have to look at. We will have to look at issues of trade practices. I will be having discussions with the ACCC to see what further issues we can deal with in that particular area. I know that a number of those who are involved in this area are interested in a review to look at the wide range of issues which have been raised and to explore the best way forward. That is a matter that I am thinking about and one which the government will come to a conclusion about after we have completed our consultations.

We take the issue of Indigenous art very seriously. We are delighted that next month is a historic landmark for Aboriginal art. Quai Branley will be opened in Paris and there will be a major pavilion in that area which is devoted to Australian Indigenous art. This is a real landmark for the industry. (Time expired)