Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Arts, Senator Fifield. The minister, in his statement on Saturday, said the decision to return funding from Catalyst to the Australia Council was in response to:

… feedback from the Department, the Australia Council and the arts sector regarding the ongoing arrangements for the Australian Government’s funding for the Arts portfolio.

Why did former arts minister Senator Brandis fail to listen to the same feedback?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Bilyk, for your question. It is a matter of public and budget records that there was a proposition for the National Program for Excellence in the Arts, which was intended to open a new avenue of funding for organisations that might not, in the ordinary course of events, be eligible for programs under the Australia Council. When I came into the portfolio we further focused that into a program called Catalyst, which had the same objective. At that time there was some funding returned to the Australia Council. I always said that I was prepared to consult and to listen to the sector, as is good practice as a minister. I did that, and announced at the weekend that there was a further rebalancing of funding to the Australia Council.

There will continue to be an avenue for which organisations that are not eligible for Australia Council funding can make application, and I have announced that there will be $2 million a year that will enable that to be the case. I am going to be talking to my colleagues and talking to the arts sector about how to best to deploy that $2 million a year. It is important that I point out that within my department we have the Regional Arts Fund, which is a very important program, and we also have significant funding for Indigenous language and culture. We really have three pillars in Australia: we have the Australia Council, we have our great national collecting institutions and we have a range of programs within my portfolio, auspiced by my department, which, importantly, also includes Creative Partnerships Australia.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bilyk, a supplementary question.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Former arts minister Senator Brandis created the Catalyst program without articulating clear policy imperatives to do so, slashing Australia Council funding in the process. Isn't it clear that the former minister's decision was a mistake? If not, why then did you reverse his decision over the weekend?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is important to recognise that the quantum of funding in the arts portfolio has remained unchanged. What has occurred is that on this side of the chamber we do not think that things should ever be seen as forever unalterable. Where there is an opportunity to provide an avenue for alternative funding for organisations that might not ordinarily qualify for Australia Council funding, then we are happy to explore that. We did explore that and we have continued to refine that which was announced.

From the point of view of this government, the arts—I know this is something that Senator Brandis was incredibly passionate about and remains passionate about, as am I—are not an optional extra; they are not an add on. They are core to who we are as individuals and they are core to our society. (Time expired)

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note there was no defence of Senator Brandis in those two answers. Will you now apologise to the arts sector for the chaos, confusion, concern and anguish that this government's changes to arts funding have caused?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased that the Australia Council always has been recognised by this government and by previous governments as the principal arts funding body under the Commonwealth, and that is something that has never altered. I am very pleased that we continue to make good provision for our great national collecting institutions and I am very pleased—and I think this was an important initiative of Senator Brandis—that there is good funding available for Creative Partnerships Australia, who have the objective of helping artists and arts organisations get together with philanthropists and business to make sure that those non-government dollars can be leveraged. I am very pleased about that. We will continue to consult. We will continue to listen, as has always been the case in the arts under this government.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.