❓ Mrs Roberts questions the Minister for Culture and the Arts about the impact of library funding cuts on book availability and the interlibrary loan system. The Minister defends the cuts, citing past funding increases and alternative delivery methods.
AnsweredQoN 430Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES
430. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for
Culture and the Arts:
I refer to the minister's
nearly $2 million of library funding cuts, and his denials regarding their
impact during the budget estimates committee process.
(1) Does the
minister now admit that his cuts will affect the number of hard-copy books
available for loan?
(2) Does the minister
now admit that his cuts are restricting the van interlibrary loans system that
provides an invaluable service to community members throughout our great state
here in the metropolitan area and everywhere between Albany and Kununurra?
(3) Has the minister
made the case to Treasury or to the Premier for the restoration of funding;
and, if not, why not?
430. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for
Culture and the Arts:
I refer to the minister's
nearly $2 million of library funding cuts, and his denials regarding their
impact during the budget estimates committee process.
(1) Does the
minister now admit that his cuts will affect the number of hard-copy books
available for loan?
(2) Does the minister
now admit that his cuts are restricting the van interlibrary loans system that
provides an invaluable service to community members throughout our great state
here in the metropolitan area and everywhere between Albany and Kununurra?
(3) Has the minister
made the case to Treasury or to the Premier for the restoration of funding;
and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) As
Minister for Culture and the Arts and for all the time I have been in the role,
we have had a lot of interaction with respective Treasurers and Treasury over
that time with some very, very positive outcomes for the arts in Western Australia.
I will not list them all, but one where there was, in fact, a very big —
Mr
R.H. Cook : The cuts to your budget are the biggest achievement so far!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I do not think the member for Kwinana is very well informed; he
should stick to health.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : One of the significant decisions we made after coming into
government was to increase quite significantly, and put on a much more stable
footing, funding for public library materials in the state. Under the previous
Labor government, the amount of funding available had been very uneven, at
best.
Point of Order
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : My question
did not ask the minister for a history lesson on the eight years of government.
I am asking about here and now—this year's budget—and
the impact of two specific cuts.
The
SPEAKER : There were three parts to the question. Please address them.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I think the member was a history teacher, was she not?
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : No.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Maybe that shows! The member was an English teacher at least!
It is always important to understand
what is happening now in the context of what happened in the past and in recent
times. The amount of funding for library materials was increased quite
substantially, and in the current financial year —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : They can't even afford the interlibrary van loans
now. When are you going to talk about that?
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : If the member would like an explanation, I will give it if she
is prepared to listen.
In the current financial year,
$10.73 million is being made available to public libraries around the state for
the purchase of books, other physical materials and, for that matter, digital
materials. As part of the adjustments that have had to be made across the
government as a whole, some relatively minor adjustments have had to be made
across the arts portfolio following the agency expenditure review; that is
correct. That means that over the next two years there will be a reduction of
about $800 000 a year —
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. I do
not want to hear you either, member for Armadale.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : There is a reduction of $1.7 million over two years, but the
amount of funding for new library materials will still be very substantial—approximately
$9.5 million a year. That is a very significant amount to buy new materials,
including books of course, for public libraries across the state.
In relation to the van transfer
service that I understand has operated in the metropolitan area for decades, it
has been less used in recent times. It was put in place years and years ago
when local governments were much smaller and had much less capacity—and
bear in mind that local governments have the responsibility of providing
libraries and staffing them themselves.
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time. We
are wasting time. The minister has the call.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Part of the review has resulted in the 50 per cent contribution
provided through the State Library for the van service, which is separate from
the 50 per cent provided by local governments, being used as part of the
savings for the expenditure review. As I have said, that had to be put in
place. It is not simply a matter of making reductions; it is because of a change
in the nature by which books can be transferred. There are other options
available, such as use of couriers and use of the postal system.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : As I said, the use of the service has decreased in recent
years.
As to where we are at at the moment,
some local governments are being very understanding and cooperative—others
are being much less cooperative, to be quite blunt about it. The impact on each
local government in the metropolitan area averages out at about $2 000 each. It
is not at all a large amount of funding, and there are other ways in which
things can be done. Discussions are going on between the State Library, the Western
Australian Local Government Association and Public Libraries Western Australia
to find a sustainable solution.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time. Member
for West Swan, I do not want to hear you. Quickly; through the Chair.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Discussions are underway, and I have requested that a solution
be found. Options are available, and, as I said, some local governments are
showing leadership and being quite sensible about this change.
Minister for Culture and the Arts and for all the time I have been in the role,
we have had a lot of interaction with respective Treasurers and Treasury over
that time with some very, very positive outcomes for the arts in Western Australia.
I will not list them all, but one where there was, in fact, a very big —
Mr
R.H. Cook : The cuts to your budget are the biggest achievement so far!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I do not think the member for Kwinana is very well informed; he
should stick to health.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : One of the significant decisions we made after coming into
government was to increase quite significantly, and put on a much more stable
footing, funding for public library materials in the state. Under the previous
Labor government, the amount of funding available had been very uneven, at
best.
Point of Order
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : My question
did not ask the minister for a history lesson on the eight years of government.
I am asking about here and now—this year's budget—and
the impact of two specific cuts.
The
SPEAKER : There were three parts to the question. Please address them.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I think the member was a history teacher, was she not?
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : No.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Maybe that shows! The member was an English teacher at least!
It is always important to understand
what is happening now in the context of what happened in the past and in recent
times. The amount of funding for library materials was increased quite
substantially, and in the current financial year —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : They can't even afford the interlibrary van loans
now. When are you going to talk about that?
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : If the member would like an explanation, I will give it if she
is prepared to listen.
In the current financial year,
$10.73 million is being made available to public libraries around the state for
the purchase of books, other physical materials and, for that matter, digital
materials. As part of the adjustments that have had to be made across the
government as a whole, some relatively minor adjustments have had to be made
across the arts portfolio following the agency expenditure review; that is
correct. That means that over the next two years there will be a reduction of
about $800 000 a year —
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. I do
not want to hear you either, member for Armadale.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : There is a reduction of $1.7 million over two years, but the
amount of funding for new library materials will still be very substantial—approximately
$9.5 million a year. That is a very significant amount to buy new materials,
including books of course, for public libraries across the state.
In relation to the van transfer
service that I understand has operated in the metropolitan area for decades, it
has been less used in recent times. It was put in place years and years ago
when local governments were much smaller and had much less capacity—and
bear in mind that local governments have the responsibility of providing
libraries and staffing them themselves.
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time. We
are wasting time. The minister has the call.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Part of the review has resulted in the 50 per cent contribution
provided through the State Library for the van service, which is separate from
the 50 per cent provided by local governments, being used as part of the
savings for the expenditure review. As I have said, that had to be put in
place. It is not simply a matter of making reductions; it is because of a change
in the nature by which books can be transferred. There are other options
available, such as use of couriers and use of the postal system.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : As I said, the use of the service has decreased in recent
years.
As to where we are at at the moment,
some local governments are being very understanding and cooperative—others
are being much less cooperative, to be quite blunt about it. The impact on each
local government in the metropolitan area averages out at about $2 000 each. It
is not at all a large amount of funding, and there are other ways in which
things can be done. Discussions are going on between the State Library, the Western
Australian Local Government Association and Public Libraries Western Australia
to find a sustainable solution.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time. Member
for West Swan, I do not want to hear you. Quickly; through the Chair.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : Discussions are underway, and I have requested that a solution
be found. Options are available, and, as I said, some local governments are
showing leadership and being quite sensible about this change.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.