MEDIA RELEASE: RENEWING CREATIVE AUSTRALIA: LABOR’S NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY 

Labor will today launch its plan for Arts Policy: Renewing Creative Australia. The plan puts a renewed focus on the telling of Australian stories through all art forms. 

This election will be a choice between a united Shorten Labor Government, which will restore the arts and culture in Australia, or more of the Liberals’ cuts and chaos. 

The policy announcements contained in the policy include: 

  • Restore a National Cultural Policy by renewing Creative Australia. 

  • Restoring the “Brandis cuts” to the Australia Council. 

  • Support for existing First Nations theatre companies to become major performing arts companies and the establishment of a new First Nations theatre company to produce, co-produce, and commission new work as well as provide skills development in the sector. 

  • Funding for the ABC and SBS for scripted drama, children’s television and music. 

  •  Support for live performance venues. 
     

For the last six years there has been no policy framework for the sector, only cuts and chaos. 

Labor supports a vibrant arts sector, telling our stories to each other and the world. 

The Liberals have only bought chaos and cuts to the arts. 

Labor’s full policy can be found here. 

Funding for this commitment has been included in Labor’s Fair Go Budget Plan, available at http://www.alp.org.au/labors_fiscal_plan

Tony Burke