Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications and Minister for the Arts, Senator Fifield. Can the minister apprise the Senate of the arts funding changes that were announced last week?

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

I thank Senator Hume for the question. I did last week announce a further rebalancing of funds within my portfolio from my department to the Australia Council.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

I hear those opposite saying congratulations to me, and I am happy to accept that. In terms of the detail, approximately $61 million in uncommitted funding over four years will be transferred. This includes the $32 million transferred to the Australia Council that I announced in late 2015. These new funding arrangements will see a total of $80.2 million over four years in both committed and uncommitted funding transferred to the Australia Council from 2017-18. I should recap briefly on what the Catalyst program has achieved. It has provided $35 million to 189 projects across the arts and culture sector, and 159 of those were to small and medium organisations. A total of 1,086 individual activities were undertaken, and 833 of these were across the nation, including 436 activities in regional and remote Australia, and Catalyst has funded an incredibly broad range of activities. While recognising the broad range of good projects that Catalyst has supported across the nation, the government has listened to and responded to feedback from the sector, from the Australia Council, and, as a result, as I have indicated, is undertaking a further rebalancing of funds within the portfolio. But I should make clear that we will be retaining $2 million per year in the portfolio as an alternative source for these organisations. (Time expired)

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister explain what other arrangements were included in the policy announced on 18 March?

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

As I was just saying, the department will retain $2 million a year for organisations that might not ordinarily be eligible for Australia Council funding, and our thinking at this stage is that that might particularly include galleries, libraries, archives, the museum sector, and some regional and community organisations. So that is something that we are continuing to work on. The department will also continue to administer the Visions of Australia and the Festivals Australia initiatives that were transferred from the Australia Council in the 2015-16 budget, and I should indicate that the Australia Council fully supports these activities remaining within the department, along with Creative Partnerships Australia, which is one of the very good innovations in the portfolio to help bring the philanthropic and corporate sectors together with artists.

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

Senator Hume, a final supplementary question.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister outline what feedback he has received from the arts community to this change?

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

The feedback from the sector has been overwhelmingly positive. Understandably, there are a number of organisations that are particuarly pleased, because this rebalancing has enabled the Australia Council to address specific recommendations from the Opera Review—namely, those related to Opera Victoria and Opera Queensland.

It has also provided the opportunity to address some funding issues for the Queensland Ballet and the Brandenburg Orchestra but, across the board, I think, whether it be individual artists, small and medium organisations or the majors, there has been, generally, a positive response to my announcement. However, also there has been strongly expressed a desire for there to continue to be an avenue within the department that those organisations not eligible for Australia Council funding can pursue.

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

Mr President, I ask that further questions be taken on notice.