❓ Hon Lynn MacLaren questions the Minister for Culture and the Arts regarding reported funding cuts to the arts sector in WA. The Minister refutes the claims, citing increased funding and ongoing dialogue with the Chamber of Arts and Culture.
AnsweredQoN 1421Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHAMBER OF ARTS AND CULTURE WESTERN AUSTRALIA —
FUNDING
1421. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister
representing the Minister for Culture and the Arts:
The question was submitted on
Thursday, 26 November.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that funding for the arts in Western Australia has been halved
as a percentage of state government spending in the last 10 years to just 0.14 per
cent, as reported in The West Australian of 23 November 2015?
(2) How many
artists and organisations missed out on funding due to these cuts in 2015?
(3) How many jobs have been lost in
the sector due to these funding cuts in 2015?
(4) Will the
minister meet with the Chamber of Arts and Culture Western Australia to discuss
its request for an increase in investment in WA's arts and culture
sector?
FUNDING
1421. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister
representing the Minister for Culture and the Arts:
The question was submitted on
Thursday, 26 November.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that funding for the arts in Western Australia has been halved
as a percentage of state government spending in the last 10 years to just 0.14 per
cent, as reported in The West Australian of 23 November 2015?
(2) How many
artists and organisations missed out on funding due to these cuts in 2015?
(3) How many jobs have been lost in
the sector due to these funding cuts in 2015?
(4) Will the
minister meet with the Chamber of Arts and Culture Western Australia to discuss
its request for an increase in investment in WA's arts and culture
sector?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1) I am not
aware of how the figures reported in The
West Australian have been calculated. Based on information provided to the
minister, funding for the arts in Western Australia has not halved, even as a percentage
of overall state government expenditure. The minister is advised that funding
for arts industry support within the Department of Culture and the Arts has
increased from $20.8 million in 2005–06 to $39.4 million in 2015–16.
This figure does not include the significant additional support provided to the
arts and cultural sectors from other areas of government, including Tourism WA,
the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, Lotterywest, Healthway and royalties
for regions. In the last period reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics,
the whole of Western Australian government funding for heritage and the arts
had increased from $249.3 million in 2002–03 to $581.1 million in 2012–13.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Not
applicable. The minister is advised that primary employment in either a cultural
occupation or the arts and culture industry in Western Australia has increased
from 40 304 in 2006 to 42 447 in 2011, according to census employment data.
(4) The
minister has not received a request recently to meet with the Chamber of Arts
and Culture; however, he has spoken with the chair and executive director at a
number of events recently, including the event on Tuesday evening at Parliament
House. The minister and his office have a constructive relationship with the
Chamber of Arts and Culture and he looks forward to ongoing dialogue on support
for the sector.
of the question.
(1) I am not
aware of how the figures reported in The
West Australian have been calculated. Based on information provided to the
minister, funding for the arts in Western Australia has not halved, even as a percentage
of overall state government expenditure. The minister is advised that funding
for arts industry support within the Department of Culture and the Arts has
increased from $20.8 million in 2005–06 to $39.4 million in 2015–16.
This figure does not include the significant additional support provided to the
arts and cultural sectors from other areas of government, including Tourism WA,
the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, Lotterywest, Healthway and royalties
for regions. In the last period reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics,
the whole of Western Australian government funding for heritage and the arts
had increased from $249.3 million in 2002–03 to $581.1 million in 2012–13.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Not
applicable. The minister is advised that primary employment in either a cultural
occupation or the arts and culture industry in Western Australia has increased
from 40 304 in 2006 to 42 447 in 2011, according to census employment data.
(4) The
minister has not received a request recently to meet with the Chamber of Arts
and Culture; however, he has spoken with the chair and executive director at a
number of events recently, including the event on Tuesday evening at Parliament
House. The minister and his office have a constructive relationship with the
Chamber of Arts and Culture and he looks forward to ongoing dialogue on support
for the sector.
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