24/08/2020 

Lilley Arts Industry

Ms WELLS (Lilley) (11:39): I'd like to thank the member for Boothby for her motion today, which recognises the economic and cultural value of the arts industry. It is high time that we shift the paradigm of what art means in Australia. It is an economic powerhouse: a creative and performing arts industry that contributes 27 million arts package which could best be described as a weak flimsy bandaid with virtually no adhesive-112 billion to our economy each year does not even touch the sides of the loss that they have suffered. Shortly after the announcement, I had a Zoom meeting with a dozen local artists, entertainers and art business owners, and not one of them stood to benefit from the fresh announcement.

It is clear that the Morrison government also knew that the package wasn't good enough, because 154 days after Labor first called for a real package that would actually help local artists, small artists, the Morrison government finally announced a suite of grants and loan programs. I welcome it, because I know what proper funding will mean for so many local artists and entertainers who do qualify. But I cannot stress enough how important it is to get this money out the door as soon as possible to keep our performing arts and entertainment industry going, because the doors don't just swing open once the funds arrive. Art takes time and money to create. It's not a matter of putting on a play that weekend, airing a new show or opening a new exhibition or gallery within days of the money finally coming through; it takes months of planning, prep and practice.

Applications for some of the RISE Fund and the Arts Sustainability Fund don't open for another week, which is a full 67 days after they were first announced. As one local artist it put to me a month after the package was announced: 'It is enormously frustrating and hard to plan for the future when we still don't even know if we will be eligible for the support. It is just madness that they would leave us hanging for 100 days and then, once announced, leave us with absolute radio silence since the announcement of that support.'

On behalf of northside artists and entertainers, I rise again today to urge the Morrison government to get the ball rolling on the arts package funding as quickly as possible so that those people can get back to doing the work that they love.