Creative Nation _ Commonwealth Cultural Policy, October 1994

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Creative Nation : Commonwealth Cultural Policy, October 1994

Creative Nation: Commonwealth Cultural Policy, October 1994 Contents Introduction Preamble The Commonwealth role in Cultural Development Australia Council Commonwealth Support for the Arts Film Television and Radio Multi-media Protecting Australia's Creators Heritage - our past and future Cultural industry development Education and training Information for all Australians International projection of Australian culture Investing in our culture Cultural tourism

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Creative Nation - Introduction

Introduction To speak of Australian culture is to recognise our common heritage. It is to say that we share ideas, values, sentiments and traditions, and that we see in all the various manifestations of these what it means to be Australian. Culture, then, concerns identity - the identity of the nation, communities and individuals. We seek to preserve our culture because it is fundamental to our understanding of who we are. It is the name we go by, the house in which we live. Culture is that which gives us a sense of ourselves. Culture, therefore, also concerns self-expression and creativity. Not only do we seek to preserve our heritage and tradition, we cultivate them. We preserve the things that make us what we are and cultivate the means of reaching what we can be. We recognise that the life of the nation and all our lives are richer for an environment in which art and ideas can flourish, and in which all can share in the enjoyment of them. With a cultural policy we recognise our responsibility to foster and preserve such an environment. We recognise that the ownership of a heritage and identity, and the means of self-expression and creativity, are essential human needs and essential to the health of society. Because culture reflects and serves both the collective and the individual need, because it at once assures us of who we are and inspires us with intimations of the heights we might reach, this cultural policy pursues the twin goals of democracy and excellence. It will make the arts and our intellectual and cultural life and heritage more accessible to all. And it will help to create the conditions under which the finest expressions of our creativity can be reached and enjoyed. The ultimate aim of this cultural policy is to enrich the people of Australia. This is the first national cultural policy in our country's history, but if that suggests a lack of will in the past, there was never a lack of interest. The debate goes back to the foundations of European settlement. Colonial Australians generally equated cultural goals with the successful transplantation of British civilisation to Australia; with the creation of à new Britannia in another world', in the famous words of William Charles Wentworth. This refrain continued well into this century, of course, but it has had to share the stage with the distinctly Australian voice that emerged with the birth of the nation 100 years ago. The works of writers and artists, like Lawson and Furphy, Roberts and Streeton, offered an Australian perspective of Australian life - a distinct set of values and views reflecting a distinctly Australian experience. Broadly speaking, debate about the culture of Australia has followed the same lines throughout this century. At the extremes there have been outbursts of fervent Anglophilia and rampant jingoism. For years we endured what A.A. Phillips called the `cultural cringe' - the belief that nothing Australian should be considered of cultural value until it has been approved in London, or perhaps New York - and its no less excruciating opposite, the cultural strut - the belief that little of cultural value is produced outside Australia, and even less is `relevant'. Neither position is edifying or helpful. The destructive effects are real ones. A polarised debate is always debilitating, and when talented Australians drew the conclusion that their own country was a cultural desert, and packed their bags for Europe, the loss to our national life was incalculable. This cultural policy comes at the end of our first century of nationhood. At one level it might be viewed as a declaration that the `cringe' and the `strut' are both over for good. The policy is delivered with every hope that in the twenty-first century talented pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/intro.html

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Australians will never feel obliged to leave their country behind. In recent years we have learned that there is much to gain and little to fear from being open to the world. It is as true of the culture as it is of the economy. In fact the meeting of imported and home-grown cultures has massively enriched us. Relatively few manifestations of the old xenophobia and insecurity remain. Multicultural Australia - a society which is both diverse and tolerant of diversity, which actively encourages diversity - is one of our great national achievements. It is important to remember that the achievement was built upon the traditional democratic strengths of Australian society - and these should never be neglected. That is one reason why the Government is keen to see far greater understanding of our institutions, history and traditions. With the Civics Expert Group we have begun this process. At the same time as we encourage cultural pluralism, we want to encourage among all Australians a deeper appreciation of our heritage and with it a deep attachment to Australia. Contemporary, multicultural, urban Australia draws on a much more complex web of traditions and looks towards a wider world than Henry Lawson could ever have imagined. But the values with which his generation is associated, like the literature and art of his time, have not faded. In countless ways they remain defining features of the Australian cultural landscape. It is not only from these international and local sources that the riches have come. As never before we now recognise the magnificent heritage of the oldest civilisation on earth - the civilisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In literature, art, music, theatre and dance, the indigenous culture of Australia informs and enriches the contemporary one. The culture and identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians has become an essential element of Australian identity, a vital expression of who we all are. The lesson is that, so long as we are assured about the value of our own heritage and talents, we have nothing to fear from being open to other cultural influences. Yet many Australians say that just now Australian culture is under unprecedented threat. And they have good cause for saying it. The revolution in information technology and the wave of global mass culture potentially threatens that which is distinctly our own. In doing so it threatens our identity and the opportunities this and future generations will have for intellectual and artistic growth and selfexpression. The measures we have taken in this cultural policy are substantially designed to meet this challenge, and ensure that what used to be called a cultural desert does not become a sea of globalised and homogenised mediocrity. That is why we must address the information revolution and the new media not with fear and loathing, but with imagination and wit. We have to see the extraordinary opportunities for enjoyment and creativity it contains. We have to embrace it as we embraced the cultural diversity which post-war immigration delivered to us, recognising that we can turn the remarkable power of this new technology to a democratic and creative cultural purpose. It can inform us and enrich us. It can generate new realms of creative opportunity. We have to engage with it and put the stamp of Australia on it. That is the principal reason why the Government this year linked the portfolios of Communications and the Arts, and why a significant part of this document is concerned with the revolution that is already changing our lives. The ultimate aim of this cultural policy is to increase the comfort and enjoyment of Australian life. It is to heighten our experience and add to our security and well-being. In that it pursues similar ends to any social policy. By shoring up our heritage in new or expanded national institutions and adapting technology to its preservation and dissemination, by creating new avenues for artistic and intellectual growth and expression and by supporting our artists and writers, we enable ourselves to ride the wave of global change in a way that safeguards and promotes our national culture. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/intro.html

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This cultural policy is also an economic policy. Culture creates wealth. Broadly defined, our cultural industries generate 13 billion dollars a year. Culture employs. Around 336,000 Australians are employed in culture-related industries. Culture adds value, it makes an essential contribution to innovation, marketing and design. It is a badge of our industry. The level of our creativity substantially determines our ability to adapt to new economic imperatives. It is a valuable export in itself and an essential accompaniment to the export of other commodities. It attracts tourists and students. It is essential to our economic success. This is the first Commonwealth cultural policy in our history. It is long overdue. In July 1992 the Commonwealth Government appointed a panel of eminent Australians to advise on the formulation of a Commonwealth cultural policy. Creative Nation owes much to their work. A preamble to the cultural policy was prepared by the Panel prior to the last election. It is here reprinted.

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Creative Nation - Preamble

Preamble Democracy is the key to cultural value

The future of australian culture There has probably never been a better time than the present to re-assess our national cultural policy. Australia, like the rest of the world, is at a critical moment in its history. Here, as elsewhere, traditional values and ideologies are in flux and the speed of global economic and technological change has created doubt and cynicism about the ability of national governments to confront the future. What is distinctively Australian about our culture is under assault from homogenised international mass culture. Ironically, our culture has never been more vital than it is now. At every level of society, Australians are engaged in cultural activities that are helping to re- invent the national identity, and most Australians would agree on the need to enhance and enrich our culture. To achieve this, cultural policy must enter the mainstream of federal policy-making.

What is australian culture? Culture arises from the community, even when the community may not be fully aware of it. It encompasses our entire mode of life, our ethics, our institutions, our manners and our routines, not only interpreting our world but shaping it. The most highly developed and imaginative aspects of our culture are the arts and sciences which are fed back to the community by the most talented individuals. For too many years, Australia's most gifted artists and writers had to seek recognition overseas. This has changed. Over the past 25 years, Australian culture - now an exotic hybrid - has flourished. Enlightened government support for the arts, an equally enlightened migration policy, a growing respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the now common experience of overseas travel, the expansion of education opportunities and the global awareness created by the electronic media have all contributed to this change. Also important is the growing awareness that our culture possesses unique attributes. For cultural policy-makers, however, there remains a dilemma. Australian notions of egalitarianism and fair play are at odds with the idea of encouraging, let alone honouring, the talented few at the expense of the many, especially in an era of cultural and moral relativism and cultural commercialisation. At risk in these circumstances is the very concept of quality, along with the belief in the manifold and enduring benefits that might flow to a society that is exacting in its cultural standards and generous in its recognition of excellence. It is time for government to elevate culture on the political agenda, to recognise that it has a natural place in the expectations of all Australians. In the light of this, it is important to assert that: culture is the expression of a society's aesthetic, moral and spiritual values, indeed of its understanding of pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/preamble.html

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the world and of life itself; culture transmits the heritage of the past and creates the heritage of the future; culture is a measure of civilisation, at its best, enhancing and ennobling human existence; and in the Australian context, implicit in our use of the word `culture' is the value we attach to expressions of a recognisably Australian `spirit'. How might the Commonwealth enable Australian culture to flourish and Australian artists and writers of all kinds to excel? How might we celebrate and make the greatest use of the cultural assets of the nation? How might we best offer everyone access to the richness of our culture and enable young Australians to discover and realise their creative potential? Some of the key disseminators of culture - education, broadcasting, tourism, international affairs - fall outside the portfolio of the Minister for the Arts, but a cultural policy must extend to all areas of government. We need to ensure that all Commonwealth agencies consider the cultural implications of their policies and that the Government accepts its responsibility for creating an environment in which culture may flourish. So intricately is culture interwoven into the fabric of our life, so sensitive is it to government policies in all areas, so crucial is it to our national and our personal sense of identity, that the Panel is unanimous in recommending: a new Ministry of Culture to include both the Arts and Broadcasting; and recognition of the Cultural Ministry at Cabinet level.

Charter of cultural rights We recommend the Government's commitment to a charter of `Cultural Rights' that guarantees all Australians: the right to an education that develops individual creativity and appreciation of the creativity of others; the right of access to our intellectual and cultural heritage; the right to new intellectual and artistic works; and the right to community participation in cultural and intellectual life.

Cultural policy advisory panel Left to right: Jill Kitson, Bruce Petty, Leo Schofield , Michael Leslie, Jennifer Kee, Peter Spearritt, Rodney Hall AM, Thea Astley AO. (Absent: Gillian Armstrong AM and Graeme Murphy AM)

8 February 1993 The Commonwealth Government sincerely thanks the members of the Panel for their generous assistance.

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Creative Nation - The Commonwealth's Role in Australian Cultural Development

The Commonwealth's Role in Australian Cultural Development Few would maintain that governments can or should create cultures or national identities. The creation of Australian culture and an Australian identity has been, and will be, the work of Australians themselves through what they do in their everyday lives, as communities and as individuals (whether it be as writers, workers in industry, farmers, parents or citizens). What is `distinctly Australian' is what we create out of that unique combination of factors that derives from our inheritance, our environment and our position in the world. This includes an indigenous culture, both ancient and continuing; a British cultural legacy (imprinted through language, the law and our institutions); the diverse inheritances of immigrant groups; the distinct experiences of class and region and the impact of place. We are genuinely and distinctly `multi-cultural' with meanings that extend beyond ethnic diversity. The Prime Minister said on 10 July 1992: The Commonwealth's responsibility to maintain and develop Australian culture means, among many other things, that on a national level; innovation and ideas are perpetually encouraged; self-expression and creativity are encouraged; our heritage is preserved as more develops; and all Australians have a chance to participate and receive - that we invigorate the national life and return its product to the people. Commonwealth Governments have long taken the view that they have a responsibility to preserve the national heritage and cultivate the arts. Over the years, the Commonwealth has established national cultural institutions and provided varying degrees of support for creative artists and organisations. The Commonwealth Literary Fund, for instance, was established as early as 1908; Film Australia's origins date back to 1911; and the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board was created in 1912. Governments and individuals of all political complexions have made significant contributions to Commonwealth support for the arts. Among the most significant interventions was John Gorton's when, in 1968, he created the Australian Council for the Arts - which in 1973 became the Australia Council. Since then, the role of the Commonwealth has expanded dramatically. In 1994-95, through the Department of Communications and the Arts, direct Commonwealth expenditure is estimated to be over one billion dollars. Additional funding for Australian cultural development is provided through other portfolios, including Foreign Affairs and Trade; Employment, Education and Training; Prime Minister and Cabinet; and Environment, Sport and Territories. The cultural portfolio includes a dozen agencies and statutory authorities. A variety of mechanisms are employed to achieve the Commonwealth's objectives. These include, for example, limited investment and loans programs requiring high levels of private sector participation, such as the Film Finance Corporation; an indemnification scheme which assists exhibitions to the value of $500 million to tour; the Public Lending Right Scheme, which pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/role.html

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compensates the creators of works used in public libraries; and programs which fund companies and individuals directly, such as the Australia Council and the Australian Film Commission. The Government fulfils its responsibilities through various means: direct Commonwealth expenditure; indirect support through the taxation system; partnerships with other levels of government, communities and the private sector; and legislative and regulatory provisions, such as protection of intellectual property through copyright, and local content requirements for radio and television.

commonwealth financial support for cultural activities (1994-95 budget) Through the Communications and the Arts Portfolio, Commonwealth expenditure is estimated to be more than one billion dollars in 1994-95. This includes funding of $515.1 million to the ABC and $75.7 million to the SBS. Funding of $117.1 million has been provided to the Australian Cultural Development Office (ACDO) for 199495. ACDO provides policy advice to the Minister for Communications and the Arts on Australian culture; liaises with cultural bodies and coordinates cultural activities with other agencies; and administers a number of financial assistance programs aimed at enhancing and encouraging the development of Australian culture. Funding is provided to the national collections institutions for operating and capital costs through this portfolio. For 1994-95 budget allocations are estimated to be $33.2 million for the National Library of Australia, $19.1 million for the National Gallery of Australia, $9.1 million for the National Film and Sound Archive,; $13.5 million for the Australian National Maritime Museum, $30.5 million for the Australian Archives, and $6.2 million for the National Museum of Australia. Assistance to the film industry is provided through direct funding to the Australian Film Commission ($18.7 million in 1994-95) and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School ($10.7 million in 1994-95). Funds are also provided in the ACDO budget to the Film Finance Corporation ($54 million in 1994-95), Film Australia ($6.4 million in 1994-95) and the Australian Children's Television Foundation ($2.1 million in 1994-95). Financial support to the arts is dominated by funding to the Australia Council of $59.2 million in 1994-95. Funding is also provided through the ACDO budget to The Australian Opera ($7.4 million in 1994-95), the National Institute of Dramatic Art ($3.1 million in 1994-95) and the Australian Ballet School ($0.6 million in 1994-95) Funding is provided to the National Science and Technology Centre ($4.9 million in 1994-95). The Government recognises that it is just one player among many in the process: indeed the Commonwealth counts among its principal roles that of encouraging greater contributions from the States, local government and private industry. In the past decade, State and Territory Governments have taken on a much larger share of the responsibility. Although the Commonwealth Government believes that it could be more effective than it presently is, the Cultural Ministers' Council has created the potential for a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to issues of cultural development. Commonwealth-State cooperation is highlighted in this statement by jointly funded new national institutions. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/role.html

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The proportion of private sector sponsorship of the arts and humanities compared to sport has fallen substantially. The Commonwealth recognises the need to balance the equation, and create a trend towards the pattern of private benefaction which so richly endows cultural activity in some other countries, most notably the United States. The Commonwealth takes the view that responsibility for our creative life is shared, and that, not least among those who must work to develop self-reliance and self-sufficiency are the artists and their agencies and audiences. Without endorsing the view that government support tends to stultify creative output, the Commonwealth Government is determined that our cultural development will be driven as far as possible by the creative energy of individuals, groups and communities and that, wherever possible, government will not be the sole means of support for their efforts. In recognition of their essential role in our nation's life, in 1993 the Commonwealth Government made the arts a full Cabinet portfolio. Early this year the Government decided to combine the Arts and Communications portfolios, because in the modern era there are natural synergies between them. These two measures are in part the fulfilment of the Government's promise to bring cultural issues into the mainstream of our national life, and accord them their rightful place in all decision- making. This cultural policy is another major step in that direction. The Commonwealth's role in cultural development falls into five principal categories: nurturing creativity and excellence; enabling all Australians to enjoy the widest possible range of cultural experience; preserving Australia's heritage; promoting the expression of Australia's cultural identity, including its great diversity; and developing lively and sustainable cultural industries, including those evolving with the emergence of new technologies. In various ways, the specific initiatives described in Creative Nation embody these ambitions of the Commonwealth.



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Creative Nation - Australia Council

Australia Council The Australia Council is one of this country's most important cultural resources. That arts activity and cultural industries have grown so dramatically over the 21 years of it's existence is testament to the success of Commonwealth policies in general and the Australia Council in particular. However, there are now three times as many practising artists and four times as many arts organisations as there were 20 years ago, and most rely substantially on the Council for their continued existence. It is not surprising that the Australia Council is finding it more difficult to respond to the demands placed on it by this expanding community, in an environment where funding and staffing levels, and particularly the support from nonCommonwealth sources, have failed to keep pace with client growth. The Government realises that the Council has dealt well up to now with assisting artists who practice their skills in a small market which faces intense pressure from abroad. It has achieved this success principally through its support for the creation and presentation of the arts. But it also believes that the Council, as a matter of some urgency, has to turn its attention away from the `supply' side of the arts equation to the creation of a higher level of demand from arts consumers. It would be unfair to deny that the Council has devoted a significant proportion of its funding and energies to promoting and marketing the arts, both locally and internationally. But the Council's efforts in this area have to some extent been hamstrung. New initiatives towards new directions are constantly foundering on a lack of resources. Short-term consultancies carried out outside the Council have not been an adequate answer. The Commonwealth believes that the Council has to undergo a process of structural change to meet the new requirements of its role. It has already to some extent embarked on this process with its recent announcement of a wide-ranging review of peer assessment processes in order to streamline them and make them more flexible and suitable for future needs. The Government strongly supports this initiative on the part of the Council. It reiterates its support for arms length funding and peer assessment. But it believes that a peer assessment system which is not efficient of time and resources for both Council staff and its clients should be changed. It further believes that the process of applying for, and being assessed for, funding should be simple and transparent, so that those clients who are unsuccessful in their applications can clearly understand the reasoning behind the decision. The Australia Council should also squarely address the question of whether any change is needed to its current means of defining `peer'. Changing the peer assessment processes will not of itself, however, be enough to equip the Council to carry out the role the Government requires of it. The Australia Council structure, which has evolved over 20 years, should be simplified in order to enable the organisation to respond more flexibly to the changing needs of the arts community. The Government believes that the Australia Council should continue to break down the existing rigidities between the art form Boards. These Boards face common problems of audience and sponsorship development, and an across Board approach is needed. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/austcoun.html

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The Government recognises that there has been a decline in corporate sponsorship for cultural organisations in favour of sport, a situation which is likely to be exacerbated by the forthcoming Olympic Games in Sydney in the year 2000. It is also true that those dollars which now go to cultural support flow overwhelmingly to the larger organisations. The next generation of arts funding must be a better combination of private and public, not because the Government wishes to reduce its outlays in this area - but to meet the needs of the arts community if it is to play the role we expect of it in the country's future development. Put simply, we need to move more towards the United States' approach to benefaction. The Government recognises that the Council has already begun exploring ways to encourage this process through corporate sponsorships and bequests, but it believes that the Council should be able to play a much expanded role in future, both in helping smaller organisations develop the skills base themselves and in raising general consciousness of philanthropy for the arts. The Australia Council must also concentrate on developing audiences for Australian creative work. There is much that can be done domestically. The Council must continue to work closely with schools and post-secondary education institutions. In a healthy artistic culture, those who enjoy the arts activities most, understand something of the artistic traditions within which they are embedded, and are thus better able to engage with them critically. Education has a major responsibility in this area. A cultural education system which is concerned simply with the development of the skills of artists and workers in arts industries is inadequate. Arts education must be about much more than skills formation. We require a broadly based education system that focuses on a comprehensive range of educational values stressing imagination and creativity as well as skills. Audience development must occur not only through formal education institutions but also through the parallel education system, which includes libraries, museums, historical societies, open learning and continuing education agencies, film and television and the like. Finding the mechanisms to break down the barriers which have traditionally existed between these different education systems is a challenge which the Council must meet. It is very obvious, for example, that a school audience development strategy that is oblivious to changes in youth culture is unlikely to be successful. The Government is aware that the Council is already working on its role in educational development, and looking to the possibilities that arise from utilising new approaches, such as new media, as a means of putting young people into contact with writers, painters, musicians and craftspersons. In doing so, the Australia Council can not only ensure better access to what young people may tend to think of as "high" or more often outmoded culture, but also open new and broader perspectives on the part of arts practitioners themselves. In more general terms the Australia Council should carry out the restructuring necessary to ensure that Australian artists' incomes are improved by new technologies, that Australian copyrights are exploited to the full and that Australian talent is employed in the new broadcasting technologies. It is worth remembering that the precursor to the existing body, the Australian Council for the Arts, as originally pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/austcoun.html

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set up was designed to encourage film and television in association with other art forms. The arts are now much more interdependent than they were then. The Government believes that the Australia Council, with the accumulated knowledge from dealing with thousands of artists over the years of its existence, its skilled staff and its formidable research base, should be able to play a vital role in encouraging the translation of the arts to screen-based media. It considers that the Council should give a high priority to the process of generating Australian content for the information highway. New access to the arts should be widely developed across free-to-air and subscription based broadcasting, thereby bringing into play a much wider range of niche, specialist, educational and mass audiences. By instituting the above measures, and others which the Council is in the process of implementing already, there can be a substantial increase in domestic audience development. But we also need to look for markets for our cultural products offshore. There is at present only a minimal market for cultural exports, and this can be best addressed by developing international strategies across art forms, in co-operation with the other cultural agencies and indeed other portfolios, particularly that of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Government believes that the Australia Council is the obvious body to develop an international cultural marketing structure that encourages cultural exchange; it does not subscribe to the theory that we need to establish a British Council look-alike, although our diplomatic posts and specialist agencies within the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio and other relevant portfolios will obviously continue to play their important roles. In summary then, the Government believes that the Australia Council needs to deploy an increasing amount of its resources in areas of audience development, linkages with broadcasting technologies, marketing and sponsorship stimulation and international export development. The outcome of these processes will, in the medium term, substantially impact on artists' incomes and on the well-being of the community in general. The Government is confident that the Council has the will to take up the challenge. It also recognises that will alone is not enough. The Council must also have the capacity to institute change without penalty to those whom it currently assists. The Government therefore will provide a range of measures for the Council to enable it to succeed. We have long recognised that the Council and its clients deserve to operate in an atmosphere of stability and predictability. Funding the Council on a triennial basis will provide this atmosphere for its own operations, and will enable the Council to make continuing commitments to a larger number of clients than it is currently able to do. With a greater knowledge of future funding levels, arts organisations will be able to undertake more accurate forward planning and enter into long-term and more efficient financial commitments. The Government will introduce triennial funding for the Australia Council. The Government will also honour its commitment to provide predictable and stable funding to major performing arts organisations by setting up a new board of the Council, the Major Organisations Board. This follows on from a recommendation of a joint working group from the Council and the Australian Cultural Development Office, and provides government recognition of the special requirements of major performing arts organisations as significant business enterprises. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/austcoun.html

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The Board will address the underlying financial difficulties of certain major companies and will obviate the need for ad hoc requests for assistance from the Government. Organisations will be included in the Board by the Council on the basis of an assessment of their national significance and their financial viability. It is anticipated that some organisations will need to receive an injection of funding to overcome current financial difficulties before they are placed within the Board. Once within the Board, the organisations will receive guaranteed funding for up to three years. They will enter into a performance agreement with the Commonwealth based on a business plan covering the period of the agreement. All organisations will be reviewed before the renewal of the agreement. The Council has already carried out some preliminary work to identify possible organisations for the new board. Membership of the Board will be announced in the near future and it is anticipated that the Council will announce which organisations will be funded by this mechanism shortly thereafter. The Government will establish a Major Organisations Board of the Australia Council While we expect the Major Organisations Board to be widely welcomed, the Government recognises that smaller organisations and individual artists would benefit considerably from a greater level of support. It has decided, therefore, to provide an increase in the base level of assistance to the Council which can be used across existing Council programs, and particularly for assistance to individual artists. By so doing, the Government will be helping both the Council and subsidised performing arts bodies to meet the cost of increased wage obligations caused by the recent arbitrated wage increase for actors and dancers. The Government will increase the Council's base funding level to provide additional assistance for individual artists. One of the most successful programs of recent years has been the Australian Artists Creative Fellowships Scheme. The Government has now agreed that the scheme be extended to include a separate component for talented young artists to receive a level of support in order to concentrate on their artistic development. While the details of the proposal will be announced shortly, it is anticipated that it will operate under a mentorship arrangement, with the number of the new junior fellowships depending on the number of the senior ones. A system of junior creative fellowships will be established to complement the existing Australian Artists Creative Fellowships Scheme. This policy has already addressed the need for the Council to develop an international marketing strategy to increase export potential. The Government will provide the Council with additional funds for this purpose. The strategy should be developed in conjunction with Austrade. The Government will fund the Council's development of an international marketing strategy. The Government will also provide additional funding to the Council to develop alternative mechanisms of funding for the arts and stimulate increased private sector support. As has been argued above, the stimulation of benefaction is an essential step in the development of the arts. The Government will fund a new Council program to develop private sponsorship of the arts. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/austcoun.html

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The Government proposes to transfer the operation of the Foundation for Australian Cultural Development, based in Melbourne, from the Department of Communications and the Arts to the Australia Council. As a result of the transfer the Foundation will have access to the administrative support and the arts network of the Australia Council and the opportunity to explore and develop partnerships with a wide range of cultural and humanities organisations. The Foundation will give the Council a Melbourne presence, something for which there has been support for some time. The Foundation, while located within the Council, will retain its own Board and local management. It is intended that the Foundation's goals and mode of operation will resemble - albeit only in the broadest sense - those of the American Endowment for the Humanities. The Foundation will gather more effectively into the cultural development of the nation the knowledge and talents of the humanities and the social sciences. It will initiate and support projects of national significance, including multi-disciplinary projects such as those between film-makers and historians. It will also stimulate private sector sponsorship for projects and for individual scholars and artists, and encourage partnerships between the corporate and public spheres. As such, it will provide a linking framework between key agencies (libraries, universities, heritage), the public and private sectors and communities. The Foundation's aim will be to extend Australians' understanding of their own country and its future. It will play a particularly important creative role in the preparation of 2001 celebrations. The Council will assume responsibility for the Foundation for Australian Cultural Development. These new measures will, in the Government's view, make for a dynamic and progressive Australia Council which is equipped to meet the challenges confronting the arts as we move towards the next century. An organisation with a task such as this requires its chief officer to devote full-time attention to its operation. The Government, therefore, will in future make the position of Chair of the Australia Council a full-time executive position. The Government will establish the Chair of the Australia Council as a full-time executive position.



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Creative Nation - Commonwealth Support for the Arts

Commonwealth Support for the Arts Through funding the arts the Commonwealth pursues the following objectives: the creation and realisation, through performance, broadcasting, publishing and display, of original Australian creative product; excellence in artistic practice; the widest enjoyment of the arts, and the widest involvement in them; reflection through the arts of the riches of multicultural society; and ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is sustained through the preservation of cultural traditions and the development of contemporary cultural expression by Australia's indigenous people.

These aims are promoted through: direct funding of the arts; developing legislation on copyright and related rights which will encourage creativity and investment; creating the conditions which will allow the arts and cultural industries, where possible, to achieve sustainability and to integrate cultural and economic life; taxation and other incentives to encourage private sector funding of the arts through investment and other support; and ensuring that development in the cultural sector keeps pace with developments in communications technology. As artists gain access to new tools and media for creating art, existing art forms will expand and develop, and conventional boundaries between art forms will tend to blur. Projects which integrate the live arts with other technologies, such as video and film, are expected to become more commonplace in the near future.

performing arts aboriginal and torres strait islander performing arts The expression, development and preservation of unique indigenous art forms and cultural heritage is fundamental to the emergence of a contemporary Australian cultural identity. Indigenous art forms must be protected and allowed to flourish. They need specific support from the Government, which cannot be provided through the existing national training institutions. The National Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) was founded in Sydney in the early 1970s and has always been known as a creative and dynamic organisation. It consists of two components - the NAISDA College and the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT) - and is primarily devoted to dance. NAISDA training has provided cultural protection as well as employment. Many graduates have found employment as professional dancers, arts administrators, and in the fields of general production and vocational training. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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The performance arm, AIDT, became an active group in the late 1970s, and is now a professional dance ensemble, well-known in Australia and overseas, with a repertoire based on both traditional and contemporary dance styles. NAISDA and AIDT have played a vital role in preserving and developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance and indigenous cultures in general. However, their undoubted success over 19 years has been hampered by inadequate resources and facilities which are inappropriate to their worth and jeopardise their companies' future. One of the measures announced by the Prime Minister in Distinctly Australian was that the Government would èxamine the possibility of raising the status of NAISDA as a national performing arts and training organisation'. This examination by an expert Committee is now complete and after consideration of the report, the Government accepts its finding of the need for such an organisation. With the assistance of the Queensland Government, the Commonwealth will establish a national centre of training excellence for Australian indigenous performing arts. It will provide $14.45 million over four years to establish, in Brisbane, the Australian National Institute for Indigenous Performing Arts. The Institute will be a national centre of youth training excellence of the same status as other Commonwealth portfolio agencies such as the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and the Australian Ballet School. The NAISDA report recommended that the Institute be housed in purpose-built premises. However, given the substantial capital costs involved in that approach, the Institute will be housed in leased, refurbished premises. The Government notes the committee's recommendation that the new body be located in Sydney, but believes that its placement in Brisbane is appropriate, given that a number of NAISDA students and AIDT performers are from remote communities in Queensland and the Northern Territory. It is anticipated that more students from these areas will be drawn to the upgraded facilities and training opportunities. Placing the centre in Queensland conforms with the Government's policy of locating new national enterprises throughout the country in cooperative ventures with State and Territory Governments. The Government shares the view of the expert committee that this initiative is a significant step in the reconciliation process, which includes the recognition of the importance of indigenous arts and cultural traditions to the whole of Australia. It is also timely in other ways. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts are assuming increasing significance for Australia, in tourism and the projection of Australian culture overseas. Surveys have found that nearly half of all international visitors to Australia are interested in seeing and learning about Australia's indigenous culture. Surveys have also found that the employment demand for performing artist graduates is greater than the supply. Many existing performing arts training institutions throughout Australia succeed in attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enrolments and it is hoped this will continue. However, the Government believes the Institute will offer a special environment for indigenous Australians to engage in training that draws on their own cultural traditions and values. The Institute will retain a strong focus on dance, which has been a key element of its program, but it will be pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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extended to include training in drama, music, stage management and arts promotion. Joint arrangements with other institutions will be encouraged to assist in the broadened curriculum. Partnerships are envisaged with institutions such as NIDA, the AFTRS, the Queensland College of Art and arts academies within the postsecondary system. The expanded program will be initiated over three to five years, following detailed discussions with appropriate organisations and members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts community. The Government recognises that there remains a degree of uncertainty about the indigenous culture funding responsibilities of Commonwealth agencies. The Minister for Communications and the Arts and the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs are addressing this matter, and will consult relevant organisations and individuals as part of that process.

access to the performing arts The Commonwealth provides support for the performing arts to bring to all Australians high quality theatre, opera, music and dance through: funding companies of national importance and individual artists of excellence to develop and present the best performances; its national training institutions; and providing access to this work through the national broadcasters and by using new technologies where appropriate. Playing Australia Bringing the arts to Australians wherever they live is a major priority of this Government. In 1992-93 Playing Australia, the national performing arts touring program, was established to give more Australians access to high quality performing arts, by enabling performing arts companies to tour a wide range of productions including those which could not be guaranteed to be commercially practicable. In less than two years Playing Australia has brought productions of world standard to audiences in Darwin, Broome, regional Tasmania, North Queensland and many other communities. Audiences in the capital cities have also been able to experience some of the dynamic work being created in regional areas. Playing Australia is designed to encourage new levels of cooperation between performing arts companies in different States and Territories and regional areas, and to create new networks and partnerships for the future. The Government believes that a decentralised approach to professional theatre has worked well in Australia. There is significant cooperation between the main State companies. A pilot scheme, supported by Playing Australia, has enabled the Confederation of State Theatres to present works from their own seasons as part of a subscription season in Perth, Canberra and Hobart. This initiative has strong support from local presenters and State Governments and it is hoped that companies can extend these seasons to other cities in the future. It has the potential to lead to the development of a national network of theatre companies, embracing regional and local companies - a truly national theatre. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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The Commonwealth will continue to commit $3 million each year towards the development of performing arts touring in Australia through this program.

playing australia Playing Australia provides assistance to venues and presenters, such as arts councils, performing arts centres and performing arts companies to arrange for tours to areas where this might not otherwise have been commercially practicable. The program has committed almost $5 million since January 1993 towards tours of theatre, dance, opera, circus, jazz, classical and contemporary music, performance art and puppetry which have included each State and Territory of Australia. In the first round of funding alone, approximately 200,000 Australians from over 100 towns saw over 500 performances of high quality performing arts. Without Playing Australia the majority of these tours would never have occurred.

Festivals Regional centres benefit strongly from a thriving cultural sector, in terms of employment and income generation, the encouragement of tourism and the potential for earnings from sale of local goods for regional economies. Cultural activity also acts as a stimulus to regional regeneration due to its ability to draw people to particular localities. The arts help establish a creative and productive environment. Business and industry are attracted to strong, active communities, and the range of cultural activity available in a particular centre is a good measure of this. The arts provide greater opportunities to market what is individual about an area to business, industry and tourists. The Government believes that festivals are an important way of bringing the arts, audiences and whole communities together. They give communities a creative focus, help celebrate achievements and forge community identity, and are of significant assistance in generating increased tourism. They provide invaluable opportunities for marketing the arts to broader audiences and a catalyst for touring throughout the country. In recent years, established festivals such as the Bougainvillea Festival in Darwin have expanded to cover a more diverse range of creative activity, particularly for people from a non-English speaking background. Music festivals such as the Barossa Music Festival have made links with festivals at Huntingdon and Port Fairy. The Government has extended cultural access in regional Australia through Playing Australia, its performing arts touring program and Visions of Australia, its exhibition touring program. A new complementary program, designed specifically to support regional festivals, will also be established by the Government. A priority of this program will be youth festivals. The Government will provide funding for a new program called Festivals Australia, to be administered by Playing Australia, which will assist in bringing high quality arts activities to Australian regional festivals. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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Musica Viva in Schools Young people are already significant arts producers and consumers. It is important that during their education, in developing their imagination and creativity, they are exposed to the widest possible range of the arts, including a comprehensive program of music. The Musica Viva program, which was established in 1981, sponsors tours of live performance groups to primary and secondary schools. Musica Viva supplies schools with information and resource packages in advance of visits and maintains a continuing relationship with the schools and teachers involved. It is substantially more than a provider of one-off school concerts. The program currently operates in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania, with assistance from the Commonwealth through the Australia Council, the States and private sponsorship. The program reached 300,000 young people in the last year and involved 25 musical performance groups. Following the success of this program, which provides a fine example of the sort of funding cooperation that the Government believes necessary for the arts, it is appropriate that it be extended to those States which do not currently participate. By doing so, by 1998 it will reach 500,000 young people with performances from over 50 groups. The Commonwealth will provide additional funding of $2 million to extend the current Musica Viva in Schools program to Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory.

Opera Opera in Australia has never been more popular than it is today. Australian artists, directors and designers have achieved prominence in world terms. The video of Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme has been the fastest selling opera on video ever to be sold in this country. Following its successful telecast in the USA, a contract has been negotiated for its release there. The tour of Baz Luhrmann's Midsummer Night's Dream to the Edinburgh Festival this year was an outstanding success. Recently, much has been done to make this art form, which it is fair to say has been thought by many to be elitist and inaccessible, available to many more Australians, especially through concerts and an extensive series of television and radio simulcasts. The partnerships established between the opera companies, the ABC and the private sector have contributed greatly to larger opera audiences. One way in which access can be improved is by enabling The Australian Opera to perform more widely throughout Australia. Because of the substantial costs involved in this exercise, the Government believes that this can only be achieved by a cooperative venture between the The Australian Opera, other opera companies and the private sector. The Government will therefore provide assistance for a consortium which will be set up by The Australian Opera and the State opera companies. This will provide an additional production each year in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, plus up to 40 regional performances a year. The Commonwealth will provide $850,000 per annum for increased touring to extend access to opera to Australians in all States and Territories. The Commonwealth will also continue to support The Australian Opera's program of recordings and simulcasts and other ventures by which it extends its audience reach. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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Following the recent review of the budget and operations of The Australian Opera the Government will provide additional funding of $300,000 per annum to enable it to fund arbitrated wage increases for singers. The Government will provide additional base funding assistance to The Australian Opera.

music Music has always formed an important part of Australians' lives, whether through listening to the radio, home entertainment, or a concert performance. Many Australian artists have achieved international success, but most have had to go overseas after their initial training in order to build their careers. Australian singers have perhaps been the most recognised of these artists in their own country. Among current successes, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Youth Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra have also been fine ambassadors for Australian performance and Australian music. For 50 years, Musica Viva Australia has been engaged in bringing high quality ensemble music to as many Australians as possible. It is now the largest chamber music presenter in the world and continues to bring many groups and soloists of world standing to halls and schools across Australia. It has fostered the highest standards in chamber music performance by Australians and made an invaluable contribution to strengthening our cultural presence overseas. As outlined above, the Government will be providing additional assistance to Musica Viva.

National Academy of Music It is estimated that there are approximately 3,800 music students enrolled in higher education institutions throughout Australia. Young Australian players are as talented as any in the world, as are our youth orchestras. However, a lack of comprehensive training and an indifferent career structure have proved major obstacles to achieving greater international standing. There has been some unwillingness by top international artists to travel to Australia and teach our most talented students. The need for better training was identified in Distinctly Australian. Funding was consequently provided to the Australian Youth Orchestra to enable advanced training for our most talented young orchestral players. Assistance was also provided for young performers in more remote areas, and those in difficult financial circumstances. The Government is now moving to the second stage of its plan to assist the development of music in Australia. This involves the establishment, in conjunction with the Victorian Government, of a National Academy of Music a complementary training institute to NIDA, the Ballet School, the AFTRS and the new Australian National Institute for Indigenous Performing Arts. The Academy will be situated in Melbourne. It will develop highly gifted musicians to international standards and enable them to establish careers from an Australian base. The focus will be fine music, including contemporary and Australian works. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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The proposal involves bringing outstanding students into contact with the most distinguished national and international performers and teachers at an age when they will most benefit from it. Training will cater for the principal spheres of Australian professional music activity, in particular solo performance. Benefits will flow through to symphony orchestras, opera and chamber music ensembles. The Academy will draw on the administrative resources and facilities of the University of Melbourne and the Victorian College of the Arts. It will establish professional linkages with a range of relevant organisations including State symphony orchestras, the ABC and the SBS. It will cater for up to 40 students at any one time, some of whom may be young school-age students of outstanding promise. Courses will vary in length according to student needs. The Academy will also attract fee-paying overseas students. By providing more effective music training for outstandingly talented musical performers, the Academy will play a key role in raising the standard of Australia's orchestras, and other areas of music performance, to internationally competitive standards. The Commonwealth, in a joint venture with the Victorian Government, will establish a National Academy of Music in Melbourne as a centre of training excellence for musicians of outstanding talent.

Orchestras Another major step will be to augment the resources of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and to establish it as a separate organisation. This will provide greater opportunity for it to develop to world standard and set a new benchmark for orchestral performance in Australia. The Government will transfer the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from the ABC to local control and provide significant additional funds for developing it to world standard. The ABC's six symphony orchestras are the Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Adelaide, West Australian and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Currently managed by the Concert Music division of the ABC, they are among Australia's major performing arts organisations. The orchestras grew out of early radio broadcasting in the 1940s. Their creation early in that decade was an enlightened act at a time when there was virtually no performing arts infrastructure or funding. They have carved out a central role in Australia's cultural history. However, the Government believes that centralised control has led to some inflexibility which has inhibited the full development of our leading orchestras. Many problems of centralised control were highlighted in the Tribe report in the mid-1980s - the Study into the Future of Orchestras in Australia - which, after extensive research, advocated the decentralisation of Australia's orchestral base. Some of the problems highlighted by the Tribe report have since been addressed by the ABC through empowering local management of orchestras and raising their profile through ABC marketing. The world's finest orchestras all operate under local control, and are accountable first and foremost to their cities of residence. As the Tribe report pointed out, our aim should be `to provide Australia with orchestras of vitality, international achievement, distinct character, and passionate community support'. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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The Government believes in principle that this is better achieved if the activities, responsibilities and accountability of an orchestra's live performances are seen as primarily local, distinct from performances broadcast to a national audience. Vigorous and loyal community support, increased State support and opening the door to greater private sponsorship are all crucial to an orchestra's success. Centralised management has tended to be concerned with equalising standards and programming across the country, especially for broadcasting, recording and marketing purposes. While democratic in spirit, and important in terms of maintaining the viability of orchestras in States with lower populations, this can have a flattening effect on quality, style and enthusiasm. It is time for the Sydney orchestra to be given the opportunity and freedom to excel. Existing funding for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra will be transferred from the ABC to the Australia Council and will be administered through the proposed Major Organisations Board of the Council. Following the transfer, the orchestra's funding will be guaranteed for five years in real terms. Additional funding will also be set aside from 1995-96 to increase the number of players to the international standard of 110, increase salaries, provide funds for more international quality guest artists and allow for more touring and recording ventures. This flagship orchestra will tour throughout Australia, become a major cultural export and strengthen its program of international recording. The Government will consult closely with all affected parties, including the ABC, the orchestra and union representatives, to ensure that the transfer proceeds with minimum disruption to conditions of employment or the operations of the orchestra generally. A priority will be maintaining optimum access to ABC facilities and services. It is intended that the present award conditions with orchestral musicians relating to broadcasting should be continued under any new administrative arrangements, and that the ABC, in the spirit of its Act, will continue to broadcast the orchestra's performance with comparable frequency. As outlined above, a number of reports have recommended divestment of the ABC orchestras as the best way of fostering their natural development. However, the viability of some orchestras may be more difficult to secure in the medium to long term if their status changed at this point. While all the existing orchestras will remain as major elements of the national music infrastructure, they also must have the opportunity to develop further, if necessary outside the ABC. The Government has accordingly decided that the remaining ABC orchestras may put a case to the Government for divestment if they see fit. The opera and ballet orchestras in Sydney and Melbourne also have an important role in Australian musical life through their support of the national opera and ballet companies. The Commonwealth has considerably increased the resource base of these companies following the establishment of new management structures. The increase in base grants provided by the Government will enable the orchestras to continue operations and meet the continued costs of arbitrated wage increases for musicians. The Government will provide an increase of $700 000 per annum to the base grants of the opera and pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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ballet orchestras, to enable the orchestras to continue operations and meet the costs of arbitrated wage increases for musicians.

Contemporary Music During the 1980s, Australia built up a strong international presence in contemporary music despite our relatively small domestic market. Music publishing and recording, as well as some notable touring successes, helped Australia become the third largest supplier of new English repertoire to the international market. Some estimates put export earnings at about $206 million a year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated in 1991 that contemporary music in all its forms was the most popular and accessible form of cultural activity. It was estimated that 28 per cent of the Australian population and 54 per cent of 18-24 year olds attended popular music performances in 1991. In the past, the Commonwealth has supported this industry through a copyright system which assists the development of Australian product, and a broadcasting system which supports its dissemination. The Government will increase copyright protection to ensure a continued basis for growth of the contemporary music industry. In Distinctly Australian the Government undertook to examine the introduction of rental tights for recordings and to review parallel import rights. In Distinctly Australian the Government undertook to examine the introduction of rental rights for recordings and to review parallel import rights. As a result, in July 1994, Cabinet approved the introduction of rental rights for the owners of copyright in sound recording. At the same time, it approved the extension of ànti-bootleg' rights for performers. These reforms will be enacted by 1 January 1995 and become operative during that year. To fight recording piracy the penalties in the Copyright Act will be increased to the same levels that apply to piracy of films. Piracy of music is as much a cultural abuse as it is an economic one. If piracy increases, it then follows that the development of further legitimate cultural products such as records and books is diminished. The Government, in accepting the reccomendations of the Copyright Convergence Group, will target anomalies in the Copyright Act applying to sound recordings. These have adversely affected the returns that should have properly flowed to record producers and artists. The Government will implement the recommendations of the Copyright Convergence Group to remove identified anomalies in the Copyright Act. Australian contemporary music is a significant contributor to the Australian economy with a turnover of approximately $1.5 billion annually. The Commonwealth provides support for the industry at a level of approximately $1.5 million per annum. Commonwealth programs include AUSMUSIC and the Music Industry Advisory Council (MIAC), and the Government has also provided continuing support for the Big Backyard - a promotion for Australian contemporary music through distribution of CD recordings for radio stations internationally. Export projects receive support through Export Music Australia. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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The Government recognises that the development of contemporary music to the level it currently enjoys is a result of the combined efforts of all participants - writers, musicians and performers, record companies, music publishers, promoters, managers and venue owners. Live venues have contributed substantially to this development, together with the recording industry. Commonwealth, State and Territory Government programs have also supplemented the industry's own efforts. The Government believes, however, that there is room for improvement in the level of coordination between Federal, State and Territory support. As a first step in this direction, it is reviewing its own programs which are delivered through the Industry, Science and Technology portfolio. This review was announced in the Government's Working Nation policy document, and will provide guidance as to the appropriate role of the Commonwealth Government in future development of the music industry. The Government is reviewing its music industry assistance schemes delivered through the Industry, Science and Technology portfolio. Following this review, the Minister for Communications and the Arts will, in conjunction with his State and Territory colleagues, convene a contemporary music summit. This will provide an opportunity for views to be expressed at a national level. The Government recognises that there is current concern that the wave of successful Australian recordings is declining. Particular concern has been expressed that government cultural agency support has favoured other musical forms over contemporary music. The summit will cover a range of music issues including proposals for schemes to support the further development of the contemporary music industry, copyright, technology, live venues, education and training and other issues. Coordination of current Commonwealth, State and Territory support mechanisms for contemporary music will also be explored. The Government will convene a contemporary music summit.

literature The Whitlam Government, elected in 1972, established the Literature Board of the Australia Council to provide support to writers and publishers. Since then, over 2000 grants have been awarded by the Board through programs of grants to individual writers. During the last 20 years, too, there has been a deserved increase in critical recognition of Australian writers and their work. As a result, sales have increased substantially. Over 200 Australian novels were published in 1992 compared with 19 in 1972. The emergence of Australian dramatists has been exceptional. Australian plays generally account now for about half of theatre companies' programming, and events such as the annual Australian National Playwrights Conference bring works by emerging playwrights to the attention of professional companies and directors. The Australian publishing industry is vigorous and creative. Publishers provide the creative and coordinating link from the original creator to the marketplace and, in that sense, generate considerable direct income and pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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employment. Australian publishing has grown through a combination of activities by a varied range of independent and multinational publishers. Over the last 15 years in particular, the overall proportion of locally created and published material has increased. There has been a gradual growth in exports of these same works. The total value of the Australian book industry in 1993 was estimated at $2 billion at retail value. The Australian publishing industry has always worked at exporting intellectual property. The industry has recently targeted Asian markets as possible destinations for Australian books, particularly in the educational field. The Government supports this focus of the publishing industry, and is working with the Australian Book Publishers Association on a research project that will give publishers information and advice on exploiting the characteristics of the different markets for books in Asia. The Government is also providing funding to bring together independent publishers from around Australia to investigate synergies, competitive advantages and economies of scale they can achieve by `networking' on particular activities. Around 30 publishers now participate in joint activities under Publish Australia Group Enterprises (PAGE). Export projects, consolidation of domestic marketing and distribution infrastructure have been identified as major goals. A catalogue featuring 90 titles from 27 publishers has been produced and will be used for domestic marketing purposes and international rights trading. To date, members of the network have received funding and facilitation assistance from government, and administrative assistance from the Australian Book Publishers Association. Plans are under way to have all members of the network communicating on-line in the near future. It is envisaged that PAGE will be self-funding within five years.

Copyright The trend to electronic publishing is gathering strength and challenging traditional product and market concepts. While technological change opens new opportunities for increased access to a wider range of cultural materials, it also presents significant challenges which could threaten the viability of Australia's writers and publishers. The Government recognises that it is likely that a major form of delivery of written material in the future may be in digital multi-media form. Even now in Australia there are educational institutions which provide materials for students which have been scanned into digital form, stored in computers and then downloaded for readers. The convergence of technologies and digital broadband technology will allow material to be transmitted internationally and manipulated without authority or payment. In the new technological and communications environment, it is no longer possible to adequately protect copyright owners or to facilitate the development of industries based around the exploitation of copyright material under the existing Act. Multi-media is a new form of work and it was acknowledged at the recent Copyright Convergence Group pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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seminar that, as a work in its own right, it is not protected under the Copyright Act. This Statement sets out the Government's intention to examine protection of copyright in the new communications environment.

Book Lending Right The Government has long held the view that Australian authors and publishers should be compensated for the loss of potential income represented by their books being borrowed free of charge. The current Public Lending Right Scheme (PLR) was introduced in 1974 to compensate eligible creators and publishers for loss of royalties on sales of books when copies of their books are available in public libraries. PLR has distributed approximately $25 million to writers and publishers. In Distinctly Australian an undertaking was given by the Government to examine the feasibility of introducing an Educational Lending Right (ELR). The Government having considered this examination has come to the conclusion that it is logical to extend PLR to educational libraries. While PLR has compensated many Australian writers and publishers, a great number of books attract no compensation for library use because they are held in the libraries of education institutions. Australian writers and publishers will now receive a fee for the use of their books in the libraries and textbook rooms of primary and secondary schools and tertiary institutions. Not only will this measure compensate writers for use of creative materials, but it will also assist in the task of making available more Australian books for Australian students. The Government will introduce Educational Lending Right in full as an extension of the existing PLR Scheme.

Dance The high standards achieved by Australian dancers and dance companies, as reflected by their successes both at home and overseas, are underpinned by the Government's support for training and performance. The Government provides substantial funding, through the Australia Council, for contemporary dance. This has enabled consolidation and sustained growth by a number of outstanding companies. Playing Australia has enabled more Australians to experience outstanding dance performances and also encouraged groups in different States and Territories to work together to develop new productions. The Australian Ballet School has contributed very substantially to Australia's fine international reputation in dance. Its graduates can be found as principals, soloists and artists in major companies throughout the world. The School works in close liaison with the Australian Ballet and, since its inception, has produced, on average, 95 per cent of the dancers for the Australian Ballet. The Government is a strong supporter of the Australian Ballet - a national flagship company. It recognises that it pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/support.html

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has experienced some financial difficulties in recent times which have the potential to curtail its full program of activity. While there is great pleasure to be gained by many Australians from the performance of the òld favourites' from the Australian Ballet's traditional repertoire, the Government believes that, like all major companies involved in the arts, the Ballet can only survive if it is actively involved in the creative process. The newly estabilshed Major Organisations Board of the Australia Council will consider the inclusion of the AustralianBallet for triennial funding. The Ballet has also sought support for additional new Australian work.

visual arts and crafts The `visual arts' cover a spectrum of practice in a variety of forms and media including painting, sculpture, drawing, print making, photography, video, installation and performance art. The areas covered by the term `craft' include working with ceramics, fibre, textiles, leather, glass, wood, metal, jewellery etc. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that there are over 40,000 professional visual artists in Australia. A strong and increasingly viable aspect of the visual arts sector is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts and craft. Many people would argue that the visual arts have helped more than any other to forge our national identity. Australians have long had a fascination and connection with our natural landscape - an interest that has seen develop a robust visual arts tradition which encompasses all major arts/crafts genres. The advent of new technologies is changing the creation, storage, distribution, transmission and application of copyright materials. Although in the past the only source of income for the majority of visual artists derived from the sale of original work, this may not continue to be the case. With greater facilities to reproduce visual images through digital technology, an increasing source of income may be fees collected from such reproduction. The Commonwealth provides support for the visual arts through a number of avenues: direct assistance through Australia Council grants for artists, galleries and visual arts projects the National Gallery of Australia Artbank the Visions of Australia touring program Commonwealth Indemnification Scheme copyright legislation Bundanon Trust



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Creative Nation - Film, Television and Radio

Film, Television and Radio Film, television and radio pervade Australian life, reflecting and shaping the culture of our nation, and providing a window through which to view the culture of others. The Government believes that it is important for Australians to see and hear material that reflects Australian experience and heightens awareness of Australian achievement and potential. A range of government policies operate to fulfil this ambition, including local content quotas and support for local production. Australian programs comprise 60 per cent of all programs shown on television. In recent years, Australians have enjoyed increasing levels of Australian material on radio. Box office receipts for Australian films increased to 7 per cent of the total in 1992-93. These are powerful media. Almost all Australian homes have a television and a radio. Nearly 80 per cent have a VCR. Cinema box office receipts are increasing every year. More and more, Australians get much of their news and information through television and radio. The immense power that this gives electronic media proprietors is properly a matter of concern for many Australians. The Government's cross-media ownership rules provide a check on this power. Our national broadcasters have a special independent role to reflect the nation's diversity. In the 1980s the film industry and commercial television and radio experienced considerable upheavals. Each has emerged stronger in this decade and well placed to meet the challenges of new television and communications services. The Government recognises in this statement that as the opportunities are created by developments in communications technologies, content will be the defining element. The skills that we have developed in film, television and radio will help us to become a major content provider. Australian television programming is attracting significant audiences around the world. We are now an established supplier of programming, with a high reputation for quality drama, documentary, and children's material. Our multicultural society is another significant advantage, giving us an insight into the cultures of other countries. In addition we have a sophisticated communications system with modern infrastructure and high levels of creative and technical skill in these industries. For all these reasons we are now well placed to take advantage of the communications revolution by establishing a sound creative infrastructure. The challenge is to adapt our film and television production industries so that they deliver whole libraries of programs and applications which will find audiences in Australia and overseas. However, a creative infrastructure will only be effective where all existing players in the industry identify and pursue common ends. This will require the cooperation of: creators of film, television and multi-media software; broadcasters with experience of mass marketing and distribution of content; and newspaper and publishing industries to provide content and entrepreneurial skills. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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government and international trade in content The inclusion of the audio-visual services sector in recent international trade agreements (General Agreement on Trade in Services) may have an impact on the longer term viability and growth of the Australian film industry. Australia will not feel any immediate impact from this but as negotiations proceed towards liberalisation of trade, the Government recognises its responsibility to ensure that our cultural objectives are not jeopardised.

film The Australian film industry has enjoyed enormous success since its renaissance in the 1970s. In 1992-93, total expenditure on Australian film and video production was more than $1.2 billion. A number of Australian films, including the recent Muriel's Wedding and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, have achieved local box office revenues equal to foreign movies made on vastly bigger budgets. Australian creative personnel - directors, actors and cinematographers - have been remarkably successful in the international film industry. The energy and expertise of independent producers have made Australian film today what it was in the 1920s - a cultural treasure. Independent production has created a film industry which has a diversity of voices, promotes efficiency and is cost-effective. The Government will continue to support the development of the Australian film industry by: regulating local content on television; providing funding for the production of Australian films and television programs, together with taxation incentives; and working to ensure that international trade liberalisation does not jeopardise cultural objectives.

government support for film production In 23 of the 24 OECD nations, governments subsidise film industries, through either passive or active investment. Even in the United States, various regulatory and other incentives are offered at federal and State levels. The Government confirms that it will continue to provide direct funding to support production of Australian films and our film idustry as part of our creative infrastructure. The cultural dividend alone makes it wise for governments to invest in the Australian film industry. And it has been in pursuit of this dividend that the Commonwealth has supported the industry for the last quarter of a century. There is no intention to turn back the clock and provide film industry support through accelerated tax incentives. Integrated support for the film industry is provided through the Department of Communications and the Arts and portfolio specialist agencies. The Government contributes to the production of films, documentaries and television programs through assistance programs under the auspices of the Australian Film Finance Corporation (FFC), the Australian Film Commission (AFC), Film Australia Pty Ltd and the Australian Children's Television Foundation. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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The Government-funded Australian Film, Television and Radio School plays a significant role in industry training. Further indirect assistance is also provided through a range of taxation and local content requirements. The FFC was established in 1988 to invest in qualifying Australian films as set out in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936. Since its establishment, the Government has invested over $400 million in Australian films and television programs with total budgets of around $830 million. The Government believes that the involvement of the private sector is essential to the development of our film industry, and the target for FFC private sector participation has been set at 40 per cent across all projects funded. In addition there is a minimum of 15 per cent private sector participation with respect to each project, except for children's programs and some documentaries which may drop below 15 per cent. The only exceptions to this are special `Feature Film Fund' projects in which the FFC provides up to 100 per cent of the budget. The requirement for private sector participation means that in a large number of cases, funding will only be made available if there is marketplace interest in the project demonstrated through a pre-sale or a licence fee. In recognition of the increasing internationalisation of the entertainment industry, and the opportunities presented for creative collaboration, the Government will also continue to provide funding for certain international coproductions. The FFC will continue to invest in films made pursuant to treaties with other governments, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Italy. These are certified by the Department of Communications and the Arts on the advice of the AFC. The Government also promotes the development of film and television projects through the AFC, which was established in 1975. In addition, tax incentives remain available under divisions 10B and 10BA of the Income Tax Assessment Act. Active investment by the Commonwealth in film production and film tax incentives is only available to productions which are identifiably Australian, having a preponderance of Australian elements, including Australian creative control, cast and crew, themes and location.

national broadcasters The ABC is one of Australia's primary cultural institutions and our pre-eminent national broadcaster. The SBS provides a unique window onto multicultural Australia. It is a service without parallel in the world - and the Government will continue to support it. The performance of our national broadcasters has never been more closely scrutinised by the community than at present. One of the features which makes our national broadcasters so valuable is that their editorial and programming independence is guaranteed through legislation. Accordingly, the Government will require effective adherence by the ABC and the SBS to the charter responsibilities. This year, the Government committed to a three-year funding agreement for both the ABC and the SBS-guaranteeing funding in real terms. This has given them the opportunity to engage in significant forward planning without uncertainty about the level of future funding. This further strengthens their independence.

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government funding of our national broadcasters YEAR ABC SBS 1994-95 $515.1million $75.7million 1995-96 $525.2million $79.4million 1996-97 $548.3million $81.7million

the australian broadcasting corporation The ABC, as the national broadcaster, plays a vital role in the encouraging, developing an Australian culture. It employs more creative talent and disseminates more cultural `product' than any other Australian organisation. It is a major part of Australia's artistic and cultural life. ABC Television presents over 100 hours of quality Australian drama each year, along with in-house documentaries and documentaries commissioned from independent Australian film-makers. In 1992-93 the ABC spent some $222 million on programming for television. The ABC forges links with the artistic and cultural community by: adapting the arts to television and radio, and encouraging arts funding bodies to contribute to this process; innovating and experimenting with radio and television programming, through commissioning and production; showing the work of Australian independent film producers; and encouraging Australian composers and musicians through presentation in performance, competitions and orchestral workshops.

abc television ABC television reaches 98 per cent of Australians through terrestrial broadcasts to capital cities and regional areas and the Homestead and Community Broadcasting Satellite Service to remote areas. It operates 24-hour broadcasting, seven days a week. In 1993, ABC Television broadcast over 100 hours of first run Australian drama to reach its highest ever Australian content levels. On average, more than 75 per cent of ABC TV's evening programming is Australian. Much of the drama broadcast on ABC TV has received Australian and international accolades. Programs such as Brides of Christ, Police Rescue, Phoenix and Janus have set new standards in productions.Children's programs such as Playschool and Bananas in Pyjamas have also achieved unprecedented success. ABC TV has also maintained a strong commitment to coverage of the arts. Sunday Afternoon presents five and a half hours of interviews, arts, documentaries and performance programs each week. As the communications revolution unfolds, the ABC's role in developing Australia's national identity, fostering cultural diversity and encouraging cultural expression will become even more important.

australia television pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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In February 1993, the ABC commenced a satellite television service to South-East Asia in accordance with its charter. Australia Television is an English-language service which provides regionally focused news, current affairs, education and general entertainment programming. It has retransmission arrangements in place with regional broadcasters and cable operators in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, China and Laos. The challenge for the service is now to attract the large potential audience in South-East Asia able to receive the direct satellite signal.

abc radio ABC Radio is a world class radio service offering high quality news, current affairs, entertainment, music, drama, and arts programming. It has a commitment to high levels of Australian content across all its networks. ABC Radio broadcasts more than 120 plays each year, and over half of these are Australian. ABC Radio networks also ensure that a minimum of at least 20 per cent of all music broadcast is performed by Australians, and 5 per cent of the music is of Australian composition. The ABC provides five domestic radio services: Radio Metropolitan: which has stations in all State capitals, Canberra, Darwin and Newcastle; ABC Regional: with stations and outposts in 48 regional centres throughout Australia; Radio National: which is a specialist network with studios and production units in every State; ABC Classic FM: a national network devoted to music (particularly classical music), performance, audio arts and features; and Triple J: an FM youth network which reaches all State capitals, Canberra, Darwin and Newcastle. Triple J has achieved great success in the radio youth market and is currently being extended to 44 regional centres. People in rural areas are provided with at least one radio service (ABC Regional). When the Second Regional Radio Network is completed in 1995--96 they will also have access to Radio National and in some areas ABC Classic FM. The Government has recently given the ABC permission to establish a news radio service (the Parliamentary and News Network) to be transmitted on the down time of the Parliamentary Broadcasting Network. This service will cover the capital cities and Newcastle. The ABC's international radio service, Radio Australia, provides a 24-hour English and foreign language service. Radio Australia broadcasts news and information-based programs designed primarily to encourage awareness and understanding of Australia within its target regions of the Central and South-West Pacific, South-East Asia and North Asia.

the special broadcasting service (sbs) pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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The SBS delivers quality radio and television to a multicultural Australian audience. SBS's programs are carried by satellite and rebroadcast terrestrially in centres around Australia. The television network is available to around 14.5 million Australians (75 per cent of the population), and SBS's multilingual radio service is available in most capital cities. The SBS is funded primarily by the Government, ($75.7million allocated in the 1994-95 Budget) but is permitted to supplement this through sponsorship and other activities. Current SBS Board policy is that neither commercial sponsorship nor advertising is permitted on SBS Radio. The SBS spent some $24.6million on programming in 1992-93.

sbs television SBS TV is available in all capital cities, most large regional centres and another 26 centres which receive the service via the Self Help Broadcast Reception Scheme. Every week SBS TV is viewed by over 3 million Australians. SBS policy ensures that half of the SBS TV program schedule will be in languages other than English. One Australian in five was born overseas and 40 per cent of the population has at least one parent who was not born in Australia. SBS programming aims to reflect this diversity. To achieve this it has had to rely mostly on access to overseas material - its funding arrangements have allowed SBS little scope to initiate and broadcast Australian content. Given the high costs involved, SBS has averaged just three hours of first-run local drama each year. In recognition of the importance of developing programming to reflect Australia's multicultural society, the Government will provide $13 million over four years to SBS to commission high quality Australian programs. The programs will include drama series, low-budget features and documentaries that reflect Australia's cultural diversity. Priority will be given to those which can also be sold to the international broadcasting market. The SBS production fund will allow SBS to annually commission approximately 30 hours of multicultural drama, documentaries, low-budget features and feature films. It will be administered separately from SBS's normal operating budget by SBS Independent, which will commission product from independent producers throughout Australia. This new injection of funding will provide major employment opportunities for people from non-English speaking backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. What it produces will have a strong export potential, not the least in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. With its experience in translation, subtitling and multicultural broadcasting SBS is perfectly situated to tap into these markets with a high quality Australian product. Revenue derived by SBS Independent from distribution of the programs will be re-invested in similar projects. Importantly, this funding will encourage the broadcast of the rich mixture of contemporary voices and visions currently found in other Australian creative genres such as literature, film and the visual arts.

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Australia's SBS Radio is the world's only multilingual, multicultural national radio network. It broadcasts more hours per week in more languages, and reaches more non-English speaking and Aboriginal audiences than any other radio network in Australia. Programs on SBS Radio include local and international news, community information, cultural events, music, sports and entertainment features. SBS Radio has made migrants feel at home, helped newcomers to adjust and long-term settlers to maintain their cultural identity. What began in 1975 as four hours of programs a day in eight languages grew into the present weekly schedule of 66 languages. In 1994, SBS Radio was extended through the creation of a national network and second frequencies in Melbourne and Sydney. The extra air time and expanded reach has given more time to language programs and allowed the addition of English language multicultural programming and news. The network now reaches listeners in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Melbourne, Geelong, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, and will soon be heard in Canberra and Hobart.

commercial television Commercial television ratings confirm that Australians prefer local programming over imported product. Last year, nine of the ten highest rating programs on commercial television were Australian. Government has regulated the commercial broadcasting sector since its earliest years to require it to meet mandated levels of Australian content and all stations now exceed the Australian quota requirements. Despite its late start, Australian television is world competitive. The Australian television industry has, like the film industry, achieved growing success in exporting Australian programs. In 1993, overseas sales of Australian programs raised revenue of over $65 million. The Government has maintained a structured approach to the development of the television industry. Production funding and training schemes have developed programs and skills.

australian commercial television production fund To give Australians access to a wide range of high quality Australian programs the Government will increase Australian content on commercial television by establishing the Australian Television Production Fund. Through this Fund, from next financial year, and for a period of three years, the Government will provide $20 million per annum to the television production industry. The Government has decided to establish the special television production fund to increase Australian content on our screens, strengthen the industry at large and provide it with additional support during the onset of the new communications era. The Fund will encourage the creation of programs and of libraries of copyright owned by Australians through: supporting experienced producers engaged in the development and production of: Australian drama (excluding ìnfotainment', serials and series, but including feature films, telemovies and mini-series); pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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children's drama programs; and documentary programs. supporting the development and marketing of multimedia applications of new or existing programs produced for television; and providing incentives for the export of programs or applications supported by the Fund. In any one year a maximum of 50 per cent of the Fund will be available to commercial television licensees engaged in production and the remainder will be channelled to Australian independent producers. Funds will be allocated on the basis of production proposals and competitive track record, in terms of achievement in production and export of programs. Programs financed by the Fund will not count for quotas required under the Australian content rules. In this way, the Fund will substantially increase the amount of quality Australian programming we see on our televisions. At least 10 per cent of the Fund should be spent on productions eligible for children's programming which will satisfy the C classification administered by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA). The detail of the Fund and its administration will be finalised through extensive consultation involving all relevant groups. The Government has asked the ABA to conduct these consultations and to report to the Minister for Communications and the Arts by February 1995. It will be essential for the commercial television broadcasters and the production industry to work co-operatively to ensure the Fund meets its objectives. The Government confirms that it will not reduce funding to current film industry support programs as a result of the introduction of this initiative.

pay television Australians will soon be able to access more television programs with the introduction of pay TV. Services will be delivered by satellite, microwave or cable - or a combination of these technologies. The most exciting aspect of the introduction of these new services will be the need for programming. The providers of pay TV in Australia will be acquiring programs to encourage Australian television viewers to expand their viewing habits. There is great potential for the Australian film and television sector to provide much of this programming. The Government is keen to ensure that the new pay TV services have an Australian drama element. In 1992-93, the ABC was granted two satellite pay TV channels together with $12.5 million to assist in establishing services. ABC Pay TV, which will be operated through a subsidiary, will be on a fully commercial basis. The Broadcasting Services Act requires pay TV operators to devote at least 10 per cent of their expenditure to Australian product. The Government will review this minimum once services have commenced, and may increase the level to 20 per cent.

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The Government will continue to regulate the commercial television industry in the areas of Australian content requirements on both free-to-air and subscription (or pay) TV, codes of practice and the protection of special events. The Government reaffirms the importance of Australian content requirements as a critical part of building Australian identity, character and cultural diversity. We need to create Australian content to enrich and export our culture and to build new industry and employment opportunities emerging in the new communications environment. Australia has strict rules governing the national and commercial broadcasters. In broad terms, broadcasters must provide at least 50 per cent Australian programs and produce a minimum amount of first release Australian programming. There are also obligations on pay television: 10 per cent of the amount spent on drama must be invested in first release Australian drama programs. Australian content requirements for free-to-air-television are set out in Television Program Standard 14, which is overseen by the ABA. The standard aims to encourage programs which are identifiably Australian, recognise the cultural diversity of the Australian community, are developed for an Australian audience, and are produced with Australian creative control. The standard is currently being reviewed by the ABA. On 13 July 1994, the ABA released a draft discussion paper on Australian content requirements including children's programming. Its assessment of the current standard indicates a need for: clear articulation of cultural objectives; simplification of the mechanisms in the standard; greater flexibility to enhance response to audience needs, and to support competition in an increasingly globalised production industry; more effective means of encouraging specific program types; and consideration of Australia's international obligations. Following consideration of submissions, the ABA plans to issue later this year a draft standard for further public comment, before determining a standard in early 1995 which will phase in any new requirements. The Government will continue to ensure that Australian television remains in Australian ownership in accordance with the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. Broadcasting in Australia has traditionally been subject to limits on who can own and control media outlets. The objects of the Broadcasting Services Act in providing for the control limits are to ensure that Australians have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services and to encourage diversity amongst the more influential services. Foreign control of commercial television broadcasting licences is prohibited, and no foreign person may have company interests (as set out in the Act) in a licence exceeding 15 per cent; aggregate foreign ownership in a licence must not exceed 20 per cent. The rapid globalisation of broadcasting, particularly through satellite television which will in the next few years extend throughout Australia, poses additional challenges to Commonwealth government regulation. This is why the Government has acted to protect the televising of major events at the commencement of subscription cable, satellite and MDS television delivery. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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children's programs Development of media for young Australians is a fundamental element of the film and television industries. Australia has led the world in legislating for content requirements with strict guidelines for children's television. The Government supports film for young Australians principally through the Australian Children's Television Foundation which is developing multimedia materials alongside traditional programs. The Film Finance Corporation provides investment in children's film production under more favourable terms than adult drama and the Australian Film Commission provides investment in films and script development assistance for children's programs. This is backed up by the ABA's regulation that children should have access to a variety of quality television programs made specifically for them, including Australian drama.

australian children's television foundation Since 1982, the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) has operated as a national non-profit organisation to encourage the development, production and dissemination of high quality, innovative television programs, films and other audio-visual media for children, and to encourage their distribution by any form of technology. It undertakes and initiates research and provides an authoritative source of information on all aspects of television, film and other audio-visual media relevant to children, including new interactive program applications. Over the past decade the ACTF has improved the production environment of, and made a significant difference to, children's television in Australia. The Foundation has invested in both the script development and production of telemovies, mini-series and one-off dramas and encouraged wider industry involvement in children's media. The Foundation has produced 115 hours of programming which has sold into more than 90 countries. The ACTF's programs have received more than 45 awards both nationally and internationally. The ACTF develops books and teacher/parent materials to accompany all of its programs. To date, more than 650 000 publications associated with Foundation programs and 65 000 videotapes have been distributed in Australia. In March 1995, the ACTF will host the first World Summit on Television and Children. The Summit will address the need to achieve a greater understanding of developments in children's television around the world; to raise the status of children's programming; to draw to the attention of key players in broadcasting the importance of issues relating to children; and to agree on a charter of guiding principles in children's television. The Government recognises that film, television and developing formats including CD-ROM applications are important sources of information, education and entertainment for children. It is also recognised that young people quickly adopt new formats such as interactive video games and multimedia. The Government will maintain its support for the Australian Children's Television Foundation and will provide additional assistance for it to develop multimedia applications as part of a wider multimedia initiative (see Multimedia section).

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Commercial radio plays an important role in developing Australian culture and talent. In addition to providing music services, less commonly recognised services include the development of Australian comedy programs and the opportunity to participate in public debate through talk-back radio. Ninety per cent of Australians listen to commercial radio each week. They listen to a weekly average of 19 hours 52 minutes of commercial radio. Over 80 per cent of Australian households have three or more radios and 99 per cent of cars have a radio. A minimum level of Australian content to promote the role of broadcasting services in developing Australian identity are part of the Australian Music Code of Practice. Metropolitan and regional stations in the pop/rock category must play at least 25 per cent Australian content; 15 per cent for Hits and Memories stations. The Australian Music Performance Committee monitors observance of the Code. This voluntary group consists of music industry representatives including the Federation of Australian Broadcasters and the Musicians' Union.

community broadcasting Community radio and television are relative newcomers to the broadcasting sector but have grown remarkably in the past ten years. They provide a unique range of services and access to smaller audiences in both urban and regional Australia. Programming, which is predominantly radio, includes local news and information, targeted/interactive programming, ethnic language programming and niche entertainment of all kinds. This year, the Government is providing $3.1 million through the Community Broadcasting Foundation to support access to broadcasting for indigenous Australians, ethnic communities and the print handicapped. The Government will continue to promote diversity through the emergence of a greater number of television and radio services.

aboriginal broadcasting Indigenous broadcasters form an important and distinct broadcasting sector. Through their own broadcasting and communications services they produce linguistically and culturally relevant programs, strengthening, developing and restoring their cultures. Until 1992, the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) operated the only licensed Aboriginal community broadcasting service. By the end of June 1994, there were six other licensed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters. CAAMA's Alice Springs based 8KIN FM broadcasts 18 hours a day, reaching a potential audience of about 60,000 indigenous people from 25 major language groups. Other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media associations with community broadcasting licences operate in North-East Queensland, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, and smaller stations in Western Australia and South Australia. Programs and issues covered on Aboriginal owned community radio stations include: news, sport, current affairs, music, talk-back, Aboriginal oral stories, health, employment, housing and land rights information as well as special programs for youth and the aged. In addition to the seven licensed broadcasters, 11 other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regional media groups produce radio programs for the ABC and other broadcasters. In addition, there are 80 organisations that hold community broadcasting licences under the Broadcasting for pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/filmtv.html

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Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme (BRACS). BRACS offers remote communities a unique facility to interrupt and replace existing radio or television services with their own programming.

statement of principles for media reporting on aboriginal and torres strait islander issues Following the recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the Government has developed a Statement of Principles for Media Reporting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. This Statement will now be released and is intended as a basic working document to assist the broadcasting and print media industries to develop their own detailed codes of conduct, in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These codes of conduct will help the media to produce programs and publications which respect the dignity, traditions and contemporary achievements of these people, and which avoid reinforcing prejudice and stereotyped beliefs.



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Go to Next Chapter

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Creative Nation - Multi-Media

Multi-Media Cultural Production in an Information Age Not too many years ago, policy in respect of information, computing, telephony and broadcasting would have been seen purely in an industry or service policy context. The focus would have been on hardware and its application to the means of production and distribution. The emphasis was almost exclusively on efficiency and productivity. Today, information technology having advanced so rapidly offers a wide medium for the exchange of information and ideas. Text, graphics, sound and image can now be deployed to provide not simply data but concepts and understanding, creative elements that can expand horizons and devices that can engage the mind in contemporary activity. Information technology, and all that it now offers, has crossed the technical rubicon into the realm of consciousness, to the realm of culture. Multi-media today gives us instruments which allow us to shape information in so many forms that they can become an integral part of our life's experience. This is why the imperatives of the information age and some of its opportunities are addressed here in the context of creative and cultural policy. Interactive multi-media has the potential to become a new force in education, art, culture and service and the biggest information business in the world. It will change the way we communicate, the way we learn, the way we do business, the way we create, the way we live our daily lives. If, as a nation, we can create a vibrant multi-media industry, we will go a long way to ensuring that we have a stake in the new world order yet retain a distinctly Australian culture. Multi-media can provide us with an important new form of cultural expression and a major product to sell to the world. It will also provide new ways of accessing the storehouse of our intellectual and creative inheritance. Australia already has some of the wherewithal to yield these new opportunities. We have one of the more advanced telecommunications networks in the world, and now substantial investment is underway to ensure our information highway is put into place. But it is content which is absolutely critical: it is what we put onto the highway that really matters. Australian content development industries already generate domestic revenues in the order of $8.4 billion and we have considerable strengths in areas relevant to the creation of interactive multi-media products. We have a strong and innovative film and television industry, recognised software skills and a long tradition of innovation and entrepreneurial endeavour. However, if we are to create a market for Australian content both at home and abroad, we must make a fundamental conceptual shift to this new form of information packaging and presentation. In response to this, the Government has moved quickly to re-assess traditional policy settings across government. In January 1994, the Communications and Arts portfolios were merged to enable the Government best to deal pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/multimed.html

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with the convergence of the broadcasting, telecommunications, computing and creative (i.e. film and content production) industries and technologies. This reflects the view that the content of communications services cannot be considered separately from the delivery of that content. This move has sent a positive message to both content creators and distributors that the Government understands the need for policy to take us into the epoch of the ìnformation superhighway'. In addition, in late 1993 on the Prime Minister's initiative the Broadband Services Expert Group (BSEG) was established to report to the Government, and the wider community, on the implications for Australia of the impending developments in multi-media and broadband services. Throughout its inquiries, content producers have stressed that future developments must be in lock step with service providers. In its interim report, BSEG nominated content as the critical issue for Australia. Australia has the opportunity to become a world leader in the new services environment through the production of content - the essential element in the broadband and multi-media environment. This was also recognised in Commerce in Content: Building Australia's International Future in Interactive Multi-media Markets, a report jointly commissioned by BSEG and the Department of Industry, Science and Technology. The Commerce in Content report estimates that, by the end of the decade, the Australian domestic interactive multi-media market could be worth $2 billion to $3 billion. Australian interactive multi-media exports could be worth more than $200 million by 1997-98. As we look at the information highway road map, there are broadly speaking three main waves of content production which will be developed over the next 10-15 years. They are not entirely sequential, but loosely involve CD-ROM product over the next three to five years, followed by on-line PC services and finally broadband interactive services. While ultimately it is the broadband services that are likely to have the most pervasive effect on our lives and our culture, a key challenge facing us now is the production of CD-ROM multi-media titles for personal computers. Personal computers equipped with CD-ROM players are now standard. The global installed base of CD-ROM players is forecast to quadruple to 45 million units from 1994 to 1996 and the number of CD-ROM players in Australia is forecast to exceed one million within three years. If we can compete successfully in the CD-ROM market, the experience and skills base we gain will provide a critical foothold for the future development of content for the information highway. It will help position us to compete better in the already emerging PC on-line narrowband market, and later on in the interactive PC and broadband television market. But the window of opportunity is limited indeed and unless we act quickly and creatively, we run some risk of missing the content boat. Our educated population, our creative infrastructure, and the fact that we develop in English are all big advantages in capturing a significant share of the rapidly growing CD-ROM market. In the longer term, BSEG has also identified the need to focus on the emerging on-line services and broadband interactive services. These new services will be very pervasive and are likely to transform the way we live, work and play. These services will enable people and organisations to send almost any communication, information or pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/multimed.html

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entertainment from anywhere to anywhere. In simple terms, a home or work computer could also be a television set and video, a telephone, and a connection to every on-line databank. A wide range of information and entertainment services will be more readily available and easier and cheaper to find and access. There is no doubt that multi-media products will be the drivers of these vast new services. The starting point to realising our potential in multi-media products is to build a critical pool of talent with multimedia skills. For the most part, the talent is located in young people in education or working in small companies around Australia. Our schools and our tertiary institutions need to meet the challenge of new information technologies. We need to generate greater dialogue and interaction between the traditional content producers and the software experts. And since much of the talent resides in people with little experience in business, we need to ensure that good ideas can be turned into commercial product. The reward for getting this right is the creation of a dynamic Australian multi-media industry producing Australian content for Australian and international consumers. Our current strengths in creating for film, literature, music or art audiences provide a wonderful platform from which to build. Our cultural institutions have begun to head down this path, but much more can be achieved. Against this background, the Government has decided to take five specific and complementary measures costing $84 million over a four-year period. They are: the creation of the Australian Multi-media Enterprise; the establishment of Cooperative Multi-media Development Centres; the initiation of a series of national Multi-media Forums; the commissioning of CD-ROMs involving material from our major cultural institutions for Australian schools under the Australia on CD program; and specific assistance to foster our film agencies' move into multi-media. These measures will benefit our cultural institutions and the production of Australian content more generally. They will have an important impact in our schools and tertiary institutions, while also making it possible for the creative members of our community to get access to the skills and finance that will enable them to create a product for the world market. In addition, these measures represent an important investment in and for young Australians. Obviously, it is young Australians who will best embrace the information waves. They are the ones who are already picking up the new technologies with enthusiasm. They represent the way forward. If we can take steps now that will realise the enormous potential that exists in our youth, we will travel a good distance to setting them up with the sorts of skills they will need to ensure that Australia prospers in the twenty-first century and that Australia remains an originator of culture.

the australian multi-media enterprise The creation of multi-media product from an initial concept is difficult and risky. For every successful multi-media title, probably another two to-three never make it out of prototype stage and another two fail to bring in appropriate returns at market. A combination of good title selection, sound management, effective marketing and distribution and access to suitable finance is required. This can be especially difficult for enterprises starting out.

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Traditional forms of finance are used to fund multi-media development where it is custom development work. This can be quite profitable work, but it does not allow for the multipliers that exist when a `title' is developed and sold in its hundred of thousands across the world. These higher risk, higher reward propositions require new types of financing arrangements, some of which are beginning to emerge but are still very much in their infancy. For example, two development capital funds with a multi-media focus have now been registered under the Government's Pooled Development Funds scheme and are in the process of raising capital. It is critical, however, that this market is developed quickly, particularly in the production of mass title CDROMs for the global market. Private sector funds are likely to focus more on projects involving established firms, whereas there are significant opportunities with genuinely new entrants to the market. Accordingly, the Government will provide $45 million for the establishment of the Australian Multi-media Enterprise (AME) to provide financing for the development and commercialisation of interactive multi-media products and services. An enterprise of this size will provide a spur to the industry at this early but critical stage of its development. It will, of course, tap only a small part of the sector's enormous potential. The enterprise will ensure the production of Australian content by accelerating the production of high quality interactive multi-media products and services. It will foster world best practice and act as an important catalyst for increased investment, both directly through its own resources and indirectly by leveraging private sector funding on a project basis. It will provide a platform for small Australian multi-media companies to gain a worldwide reputation as producers of innovative and high quality multi-media products and services. The AME will be established as a company to manage the funds along the lines of a development capital enterprise. It will be run by a board of people expert in the provision of world class multi-media content and will be responsible to the Minister for Communications and the Arts. It will assess and oversee multi-media projects from the concept stage through to commercialisation and distribution. Related enterprise development programs will be coordinated through AusIndustry. Very often, the range of skills needed to develop multi-media projects does not reside in one enterprise. The AME will thus also facilitate the forming of consortia to produce and distribute successful interactive multi-media products and services through a project management approach. The Board will encourage private sector participation in project investments, including that by companies which have committed themselves to long-term and strategic investment under the Partnership for Development program. The Regional Headquarters Contract Program will also be used to attract international investment including towards the establishment of regional and global production centres and content hubs. The enterprise will initially focus on the production of CD-ROM titles and on-line services, although this will not be its exclusive focus, and the attention will progressively shift to other waves of multi-media content production.

cooperative multi-media centres Traditional training courses provided by our tertiary institutions include first rate computing courses and, in quite separate departments, media courses. However, they are not well tailored to multi-media, which draws on a range of skills. This is beginning to change, with a few institutions now setting up specific courses in multi-media. To foster these very positive developments, the Government will seed the development of up to six pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/multimed.html

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Cooperative Multi-media Centres over the next two years. The Centres will be collaborative enterprises between the education and training sectors and other public and private organisations. The Government will commit up to $56.5 million over nine years to establish the Centres ($20.3 million over the first four years) and provide them with initial funding of up to $2 million per year for seven years. The program will be administered by the Department of Employment, Education and Training. The Centres will assist the education sector and the broader Australian multi-media industry to produce multimedia titles for domestic use, and to develop the Australian market as an export platform. They will offer education, training and professional services, access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, access to leading-edge research and development, and assistance with the handling of issues such as intellectual property and product testing and evaluation. They will act as a resource for the multi-media industry at large while also accelerating the uptake of multi-media within the education and training centres. They will complement the Government's new Open Learning Electronic Support Service (OLESS) which is currently being developed to provide a national electronic infrastructure for the delivery of educational and training services to students in their homes, workplaces and community based facilities such as public libraries. In short, the Cooperative Multi-media Centres are designed to enable the education and training sector to do its own job better and more cost-effectively while also providing an important platform for the development of a major new export industry. In this way, the Centres should make a significant contribution to building Australia's content industries.

multi-media forums A major impediment to the development of a successful multi-media industry is insufficient dialogue and interaction between the creative and software communities. For too long these communities have been travelling along parallel paths not exploiting obvious synergies. It is imperative, therefore, that we accelerate integration between them and foster links between industry and the cultural community including film-makers, broadcasters, galleries, museums and educational institutions. Through these links, we will better develop and commercialise interactive multi-media products and services. To this end, the Government will fund a series of national multi-media forums to be jointly administered by the Department of Industry, Science and Technology and the Department of Communications and the Arts at a cost of $3.9 million over four years. The forums will be State and sector-based (education, games, infotainment) and will identify opportunities and barriers to developing the multi-media industry. A structured program will focus on critical industry issues such as best practice, intellectual property copyright, reasons for market success and failure, interface design, development of titles, financial realities of developing titles and the future of title development.

australia on cd program Offering Australians access to the widest possible range of cultural experiences and cultural material is a key pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/multimed.html

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element in the Government's cultural policy. The "Australia on CD" Program is designed to showcase a wide range of Australian cultural endeavour, artistic performance and heritage achievements while also fostering the development of our multi-media industry. The Government will fund the production of ten CD-ROMs that focus on national cultural institutions with an emphasis on the development of collaborative projects. Four copies of each CD-ROM will be made available to all primary and secondary schools throughout Australia. While all schools do not have access to CD-ROM technology, the costs involved are decreasing significantly and the benefits of using multi-media programs for a range of educational needs is already established. Access to the CDs should also encourage the acquisition of CD-ROM facilities in schools. The CDs will also be made available to Austrade offices and our overseas missions in order to showcase Australian culture abroad. The program, which will cost $7.6 million over two years, will be administered through the Department of Communications and the Arts with projects being selected for development by a panel comprising representatives from the Department, the Foundation for Cultural Development, the National Museum of Australia and with advice from experts in the multi-media field. The projects selected will cover a broad range of content from our national cultural institutions, from music to dance, from painting to literature, from our history to our built heritage. The fund will encourage self-sustaining and on-going collaborative ventures by drawing together the cultural creators and providers with the multi-media technicians. Quality titles built on intuitive, interactive concepts will be selected. The consortia involved will have the copyright on sales beyond those provided to schools and overseas missions, thereby providing a further incentive to produce quality titles and the wherewithal to initiate further product.

new media program In addition to undertaking measures to build the multi-media industry at the general level, the Government is also keen to see that existing institutions are encouraged to develop their capabilities in the multi-media field. To this end, the Government will provide specific assistance to the Australian Film Commission (AFC), the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF). The objective is to bring together cultural creators, multi-media technicians and producers to stimulate the development and production of new media projects while also targeting industry training needs in the audio-visual sector. The Australian Film Commission will receive $5.25 million for investment funding over a four-year period for developmental multi-media projects initiated in the independent film production and computer software sectors. The AFC's New Image Research Program will be extended to develop experimental multi-media projects work in addition to film. Private sector participation will be sought so as to link with industry and assist the development of an effective local marketing and distribution infrastructure network. This approach parallels and builds on the success of the AFC in funding film projects that were not able to find commercial backing because pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/multimed.html

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of their innovative nature. The Australian Film, Television and Radio School will receive $950 000 over four years to extend its advanced professional training for the film and television industry to cover new media production training as part of its core training responsibility for industry. This training will add to the national skills base of the industry. A key component will be the establishment of a multi-media laboratory in collaboration with industry to provide handson training and to develop teaching expertise in the area. The Australian Children's Television Foundation will receive $700 000 over four years to develop quality educational multi-media projects drawing on its own and other educational materials and sources. It will do this in cooperation with the private sector and other government agencies. The Foundation already has established client groups, both in Australia and overseas, and a strong educational base on which to build.

conclusion The multi-media measures outlined in this statement are an important step that the Government is taking to ensure that Australia makes the transition to an information economy. Necessarily, they focus on measures that are designed to foster the production of Australian content in our cultural industries. Over the coming months, the Government will consider a number of important reports that will touch on the development of the multi-media industry. In December, the BSEG will present its final report to Government on what it considers Australia needs to do to make the leap to the information age. The other important study underway is the Telecommunications Policy Review which will report around the middle of next year. This review is examining what we need to do in the post-1997 environment when we have full and open competition in our telecommunications services.



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Creative Nation - Protecting Australia's Creators

Protecting Australia's Creators Copyright The objectives of the Commonwealth Government's copyright policy is to achieve a balance between: rewarding creative Australians; increasing investment by the copyright industries; and maintaining access to materials for all Australians. Our copyright regime will assist in creating a positive environment for investment in content for the emerging communications services. Australia's copyright industries grew by 4.2 per cent over the five years to 1992 compared to a rise of 2.7 per cent in GDP. This strong growth underlines the vast potential for copyright industries to contribute to economic development. Currently Australia is a net importer of copyright material. To encourage the growth of creative product we must strengthen and modernise our copyright structure. Fair compensation for the use of creative work is a fundamental element of the cultural policy. Effective copyright law is essential to the economic independence and professional status of creators and their participation in new information industries. Copyright is a legal framework for compensation to creators. It protects the rights of authors of original literary, musical, dramatic and artistic works and gives similar protection to creators of sound recordings, films and broadcasts. It provides the reward for innovation and creativity and means that more creative people can operate as professionals, are more self-reliant and are less dependent on government financial support. It heightens respect for creative artists and their art. Government should provide a legal framework which will promote and protect investment in industries such as film, music, publishing, computer software and multi-media. The Government will comply with international treaty obligations to grant protection to creators, owners and users of copyright. Australia has obligations under several international conventions, the most important of these being the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works and the Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations. These have been crucial in defining Australia's copyright system. As part of the 1993 major international trade agreement of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) known as the Uruguay Round, Australia became a signatory to the first ever multilateral trade agreement covering the cultural industries. The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs), which is to be administered by the newly formed World Trade Organisation, augments existing major treaties in this area. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/protect.html

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For many years Australia has been at the forefront of copyright protection. For example, Australia's Copyright Act 1968 won international recognition for its far-sighted reforms. The challenges of new technology and delivery methods have the potential to seriously threaten investment in, and the creation and protection of copyright. The Commonwealth has moved quickly to reform the Copyright Act to strengthen its ability to meet these challenges. The Government will ensure that copyright protection adapts to changes in technological, commercial and other circumstances. Copyright will continue to operate as an effective incentive and reward for creative and intellectual activity. The Government recognises that copyright must adapt to emerging technological and commercial realities. In 1994 it established the Copyright Convergence Group (CCG) to examine how the Copyright Act should be changed to meet the needs of the broadband and digitised environment of the near future. The CCG found that `the Copyright Act as it stands is no longer adequate to deal with the new communications universe that we are now entering'. It found that the rapid development of technologies to deliver broadband services meant that the Act should be amended to provide for a right to make transmissions to the public, which would replace varied rights which no longer adequately protected creative material. The CCG's suggested reforms would make the Act technologically neutral in line with the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. Australia will retain a strong copyright system and will be a pioneer in the development of copyright legislation in the new communications environment. The Government will accept the recommendations of the CCG. Australia will introduce an electronic transmission right. The Government also gives in principle support to a broad-based distribution right which is presently being refined in discussions to establish a possible protocol to the Berne Convention being conducted by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). A distribution right would complement an electronic transmission right. A range of copyright reforms are to be implemented pursuant to legislation to be introduced in 1995 to ensure that Australian legislation complies with GATT/TRIPS. The Copyright Law Review Committee will be required to conduct a review of the Copyright Act to simplify it. The Committee will also be asked to examine the implementation of a distribution right for tangible copyright material to complement an electronic transmission right, and to determine whether the convergence of technologies warrants legislative change to the currently defined works in the Copyright Act. The Government will refer to the Copyright Law Review Committee a broad examination of options to develop a more simple, effective and flexible legislative framework which can adapt better to increasingly rapid changes of technology and convergence of various art forms as a first step in this process. In addition to strengthening copyright legislation within Australia, the Government is playing an active role in negotiating better copyright protection in other countries. This includes copyright development through multilateral agreements, notably under the auspices of WIPO and TRIPS. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/protect.html

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By signing bilateral treaties, the Government is also encouraging neighbouring countries in the Asian region to provide more effective copyright regimes, including sanctions against piracy. This will enable Australian creative products, especially sound recordings and books, to be exported more widely in the region. Consideration will be given to removing provisions and distinctions in the Copyright Act which are no longer relevant or appropriate - such as the provisions which allow reproductions to be made of publicly displayed sculpture and crafts without the permission of the artist. The Government will review the protection given to the visual arts, including photography, through the Copyright Act. The Copyright Law Review Committee will examine protection of copyright in the new communications environment. The Copyright Convergence Group was set up to examine the urgent needs for reform of the Act. These concerns are the subject of recommendations for legislative amendment. The Government recognises a bigger challenge for protecting copyright material in the new digitised communications environment. Traditional concepts of copyright protection rely on the purchase of a physical product like a book or CD. The future brings easy transmission of material on an on-line or other broadband system. The Government will refer the issue of protection of copyright in the broadband environment to the Copyright Law Review Committee.

copyright collecting agencies Collective administration of copyright can allow individual creators to maximise returns from the exploitation of copyright material. Where appropriate the Government will provide legislative and other support for collective administration. Australia has a number of copyright collecting societies which administer copyright and similar rights on behalf of a group of owners, and collect and distribute the income from the use of those rights. The major societies include those in the music and performing arts industries, the audio-visual sector and literature. The collective administration of copyright is often the most effective method of managing copyright both for the owners of rights and for those who need access to copyright material. The Government will aid the establishment of a collecting society for the visual arts with financial support, and examine those provisions of the Copyright Act relevant to the visual arts. To ensure that the collective administration of copyright operates effectively, in 1994 the Commonwealth established a Review of Australian Copyright Collecting Societies.

the copyright convergence group (ccg) The CCG was established in January 1994 to examine the impact of new technologies on the Copyright Act 1968 (the Act). The CCG's terms of reference asked it to consider the adequacy and appropriateness of protection under the the Act for broadcasts, electronic transmissions and the underlying copyright materials used in those transmissions. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/protect.html

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The Group assessed the rapid convergence of the telecommunications, broadcasting, computing, entertainment and information industries and the likely implications for users and owners of copyright materials. Fundamental changes are occurring in the delivery and use of copyright materials. The Government will support these developments while providing appropriate protection for copyright owners. The examination undertaken by the Group was one of the first of its kind in the world. Its findings will put Australia at the forefront of intellectual property law reform. The Group supported a general right of transmission to the public which would replace the existing diffusion rights and supplement the broadcast right.

protecting the cultural heritage of aboriginal and torres strait islander peoples Australia's reconciliation with our indigenous peoples demands recognition of concerns that the Copyright Act does not adequately address. The Minister for Communications and the Arts, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Minister for Justice are reviewing the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural materials having regard to the Copyright Act 1968. Failure to provide adequate protection in the past has resulted in wide-spread exploitation of rock art images, sometimes reproduced in a highly inappropriate manner, without any control by traditional Aboriginal owners and without any royalty payments to local communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are protected under the Copyright Act as individual creators of works. But important aspects of Aboriginal cultural life are not taken into account in the copyright regime. Under Aboriginal customary law, traditional designs are owned by the community and not by an individual artist; the origin of a work cannot always be traced back to a single human creator. Some of these designs or images have secret or sacred significance and may not be disclosed to uninitiated people or used in an irreverent manner. Many traditional designs would not meet the requirement under the Copyright Act that the work be òriginal'. Many images (such as those derived from ancient rock art) are too old to be protected by copyright. Copyright does not protect transient images or oral traditions that have never been recorded, such as body painting designs or traditional songs and dances. The Government is undertaking an extensive process of consultation with Aboriginal communities regarding appropriate legislative reform.

moral rights Certain basic rights of copyright creators will be protected beyond the right to economic compensation from the use of copyright material. Distinctly Australian announced the Government's intention to inquire into moral rights for artists. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/protect.html

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Following the publication in 1994 of a discussion paper on proposed moral rights legislation for copyright creators, the Government will introduce a moral rights regime taking into account the essential differences of the work of filmmakers compared to other copyright creators. Moral rights are a widely accepted concept, incorporated in legislation, in Europe, the UK and North America. Though the exact nature and extent of the moral rights protection in place may vary from country to country, the most widely accepted moral rights are the rights of an artist to be recognised as the creator of a work (the right of attribution) and not have the work altered without prior agreement (the right of integrity).

performers rights The Government will extend current limited performers rights to prevent unauthorised use of recordings within a period of 50 years and will grant producers of sound recordings and composers an exclusive rental right with respect to sound recordings. Performers rights were introduced in 1989, granting limited rights to prevent the unauthorised recording of live performances. These are to be extended in line with requirements of recent GATT/TRIPS agreements. Australia is also taking an active part in WIPO protocol discussions on new rights for producers and performers of phonograms.



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Creative Nation - Heritage - Our Past and our Future

Heritage - Our Past and our Future Our cultural heritage must be accessible to all Australians. It comprises the natural and cultural landscapes that we inhabit, the artifacts and objects created by Australians the stories of our past - our history. The Commonwealth recognises that our cultural landscape, movable cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage are linked to each other and therefore require an integrated policy and management approach. The objectives of the Commonwealth's heritage policies are to: conserve places and objects in their original state, if possible, and to respect the concerns and rights of ownership of communities and individuals; balance these needs with obligations to provide access and protection; and ensure that the range of expression of the nation's heritage adequately represents the nation's diversity. The Commonwealth will also ensure that new communication technologies will enable Australians to have access to cultural material which until now have been largely inaccessible. It will enable us to experience our history and look to their future through multi-media applications which will offer interactive access to the nation's cultural collections and research facilities. The Commonwealth appreciates the economic importance and potential of the heritage sector as an employment generator. The revitalisation of many regional areas has been based on a growing interest in our heritage by domestic and international tourists. The Government has supported the development of the skills associated with work in the heritage sector through the inclusion in employment programs such as Landcare and Environment Action Program (LEAP). The Government will continue to support and to investigate further mechanisms to encourage employment and economic opportunities in the heritage sector, including conservation, building and tourism.

built heritage Australia has many places which contribute to our strong sense of identity. Some are culturally significant to a single community or region and some to all Australians. A place may reflect different values to different parts of the community at the same time or decades later. Our changing and adapting landscape plays a key role in the evolution of the unique and special character of this nation. Specifically in the area of built heritage, it is clear that many of our heritage buildings, if conserved, have greater economic, cultural and social value to their communities than if they are demolished. It is important that our built heritage is used in a sustainable way and is not degraded. This is particularly significant in regional areas where the restoration of heritage properties has positive benefits, of encouraging regional tourism and a sense of regional identity. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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Sites which reflect our built heritage range from early convict buildings to immigrant hostels to contemporary urban environments. Responsibility for the preservation of these sites is divided among local, State and federal organisations with differing legislative and conservation practices. The Commonwealth supports the development of uniform heritage legislation, criteria and definitions throughout Australia. While there is currently legislation in all States and Territories (except Tasmania), the Commonwealth believes that it should be consistent and uniform. Heritage legislation should achieve the following objectives: an Act which is simple to operate and simple to understand; conservation by agreement (as opposed to conservation by compulsion), whilst maintaining the required standards and conditions; adequate powers to list and protect the cultural environment; the provision of advice to the Minister and Government and to assist in the conservation of the cultural environment; the treatment of conservation provisions as an integral part of the regular planning. This goal will be pursued through the Heritage Ministers' Council and other relevant inter-government forums. Consistency in the criteria for registration of historic sites and agreed identification and assessment processes will also increase the level of usable information to national, State and Territory agencies and avoid administrative duplication. The Commonwealth has obligations, under the World Heritage Convention, the World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 and the Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975, to conserve places of cultural significance throughout the country on behalf of all Australians. It undertakes a leadership role in pursuing innovative programs which encourage creative and sensitive use of its own heritage buildings. The Australian Heritage Commission is an independent statutory authority established under the Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975. Its purpose is to identify the national estate and to advise the Government on national estate conservation and presentation. The national estate is defined as: those places, being components of the natural environment of Australia, or the cultural environment of Australia, that have aesthetic, historic, scientific or social significance or other special value for future generations as well as for the present community. The Commission's objectives are to : develop and maintain a comprehensive and accurate Register of the National Estate; provide objective advice in all fields relating to the conservation and presentation of the national estate; and be an integral part of government decision-making, contributing to the resolution of issues involving the national estate. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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commonwealth buildings and sites The Commonwealth owns many outstanding public buildings including post offices, lighthouses, customs houses and coastal forts. The most significant of these places, such as the Sydney Opera House, Port Arthur, the Newcastle Customs House and Old Parliament House, are listed in the Register of the National Estate. These buildings have far greater economic, cultural and social value to Australians if they are conserved and recycled to be relevant and useful to contemporary life than if they are demolished. Through the co-ordinated management of its own heritage buildings the Commonwealth will provide leadership to the States and local government authorities. As has already occurred with the Sydney and Hobart Customs Houses, the Commonwealth will develop partnerships with State Governments to ensure access for all Australians to their heritage.

customs houses The Commonwealth Government has developed partnerships with a number of State Governments to preserve and utilise these important buildings for cultural and social purposes. The Commonwealth has given the Hobart Customs House to the Tasmanian Government on a 60-year rent-free lease in exchange for a number of educational and heritage initiatives designed to preserve the building and benefit the community. The Commonwealth has also committed $24 million to the refurbishment of the Sydney Customs House as part of a lease agreement with the Sydney City Council. The agreement ensures that at least 70 per cent of the building will be for public uses. This will include exhibition space managed by the National Museum of Australia for its own and other collaborative exhibitions appropriate to the building. In order to develop further initiatives in this area and establish a cohesive strategy for the maintenance and use of Commonwealth heritage buildings, the Government will establish a Committee of Review to examine the management of Commonwealth- owned heritage properties and to better ensure their preservation. The Australian Heritage Commission will provide technical and professional advice to a committee that will be made up of the principal heritage property owning agencies and key heritage experts. Amongst the measures to be considered by the committee will be: the requirement that all Commonwealth departments and agencies undertake a survey of assets to identify places of cultural significance (as provided for under section 9 of the Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975); the development and implementation of guidelines for the management of those places; and extension of the incentives currently available which encourage private sector involvement. The Review will also consider the disposal of Commonwealth buildings and the opportunities for the Commonwealth to influence both the character and quality of urban design and regional development by ensuring creative and sensitive use of its assets. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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old parliament house As with a wide range of Commonwealth-owned heritage buildings, the Government's refurbish-ment of Old Parliament House is based on the principles of preserving our cultural heritage and extending public access to heritage buildings. Old Parliament House is a symbol of Australia's democratic traditions. As the cornerstone of our political system, it is of enormous significance to all Australians. Old Parliament House is the current location of the National Portrait Gallery, administered by the National Library. It also houses exhibition and education facilities operated by the Australian Archives and the National Museum of Australia. Responsibility for the management and refurbishment of Old Parliament House will be transferred to the Department of Communications and the Arts, both to achieve closer working relationships between the cultural institutions which use it and to ensure that the heritage values of the building is maintained. The Commonwealth will commence an extensive refurbishment program for Old Parliament House as a place for all Australians to celebrate our constitutional, political and social history and extend public access to this popular and nationally significant building. Refurbishment will commence this year on the Member's Dining Room and King's Hall and further work in the Old Parliament House will continue in stages over the next several years, leading up to 2001. Old Parliament House will provide a focus for important national events, such as the Centenary of Federation in 2001, and for a range of cultural, ceremonial and commercial activities. As a priority within this program, the National Film and Sound Archive will enhance the Old Parliament House's emphasis on political history and the history of Parliament, through the use of audio-visual displays, including ABC recordings of historical parliamentary debates playing in the parliament chambers. This will complement existing and planned exhibition activities at the House.

privately owned heritage buildings The Commonwealth has also moved to support the conservation of heritage buildings not held in public hands. The Government's recent establishment of a Tax Incentive for Heritage Conservation will provide financial assistance for conservation to owners of heritage buildings through revenue foregone. There is a $9.5 million cap to the amount of conservation work which will be supported in a year. The rebate for approved work is 20 cents in the dollar. Support for privately owned heritage buildings is also provided through the National Trust, which receives financial assistance from the Commonwealth for their national executive and State bodies.

urban design - our future heritage The Commonwealth has an obligation to look to the heritage of the future in its role in urban and regional design. It is clear that urban design has a major impact on the quality of life in our towns, cities and suburbs. Cultural activities and enterprises, as well as physical design, affect the choices which people make in job and business location, retirement and travel. In 1993, the Prime Minister announced the appointment of an Urban Design Taskforce chaired by John Mant to pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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consider the impact of urban design and make recommendations to the Government. The Taskforce Report will be released shortly. It will concentrate on government structures, the law and the regulatory systems. It will promote innovative approaches, paying particular attention to design in areas of new urban development. It will also suggest measures by which governments can build on the positive relationship between good urban design and the potential for economic development. In pursuing innovative programs in housing and urban design, such as Building Better Cities, the Commonwealth will provide leadership in urban and cultural development by encouraging creative, sensitive use of its heritage assets.

movable heritage The Commonwealth will work with all levels of government to increase access to the collections which represent our diverse cultural heritage. The collections held in national, State, Territory and local museums, libraries and galleries give further meaning to Australia's history and to the place of each Australian in that history. The major cultural institutions ensure that those things of national importance to our heritage are preserved for the benefit of all Australians. These national institutions are responsive to changing attitudes and expectations within Australian society. Greater emphasis is being placed on ensuring that collections and exhibitions adequately represent the culture and values of diverse groups in our society. There is much more concentration on access, interpretation and education. While the national cultural institutions each have different roles, they all have a responsibility to be leaders in their own fields. This is particularly relevant in the use of multimedia and broadband technology to improve access and understanding. In addition to increasing access to collections, the national institutions will assist individuals and communities to preserve and present material of cultural significance in their original locations or regions. Programs such as the National Preservation Office's Community Cultural Heritage Grants Program and the National Museum of Australia's community outreach programs contribute positively to the ability of communities to document and present their own material. As the main financial contributor to the Heritage Collections Committee, which consists of representatives of State and Territory Governments and the museum sector, the Commonwealth also supports the development of information networks on collections and national conservation standards.

gallery of aboriginal australia The Commonwealth will work with the Government of the Australian Capital Territory to build a new facility on the East Basin Peninsula in Canberra to house a Gallery of Aboriginal Australia. The Gallery will consist of a stand-alone building as well as outdoor display areas. In keeping with existing legislation, the Gallery will provide a national perspective on indigenous cultures, by focusing especially on contemporary heritage (urban and traditional) and its relationships to the land and sea. The Government hopes that the Gallery will be another step towards reconciliation. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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There will be close consultation with peak bodies such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) on the development of the site, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be centrally involved in the management, interpretation and display of material in the Gallery.

australian institute of aboriginal and torres strait islander studies The Institute was established under statute in 1989. Its purpose is to undertake and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies, to conduct and encourage research into indigenous culture, to train indigenous people as research workers, to establish and maintain a cultural resource collection on indigenous culture and to publish the results of indigenous studies. The Institute holds priceless and irreplaceable collections of resource materials for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies. Many of these are held under the special custodial relationship which the Institute has with indigenous peoples. It is one of the most comprehensive collections of its type in the world. The Institute has an active publications program, and recently published an Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture which is also available on CD-ROM. The Institute is also working in partnership with other Commonwealth heritage agencies, such as the National Museum of Australia in developing other CDROMs on indigenous cultural resources. The Institute (AIATSIS) will be co-located on the Acton site in a new purpose-built site, with the Gallery which will provide a major exhibition, research and documentation centre in Canberra. The Government believes that the Gallery of Aboriginal Australia should form part of the network of the National Museum, but considers it most appropriate that Aboriginal people themselves determine the precise nature of the relationship between those two institutions they wish to pursue. The National Museum of Australia will continue to provide Australians with a range of static and travelling exhibitions and education programs including CD based multi-media and broadband services. The Museum aims to reach the majority of its users through audio-visual media, telecommunications technology, publications and the popular media. The National Museum has also been developing interactive multi-media resources, electronic exhibitions and pilot information databases. It will provide national and worldwide access to information about Australia's cultural heritage to those other museums and individual users to which it is electronically linked. As a provider on INTERNET, the Museum will be accessible to 6 million computer users worldwide. It is connected both to the Canadian Heritage Information Network and the Smithsonian and other institutes. For use in homes, schools, libraries and other museums, the National Museum is working on producing a range of CD-ROM projects including one on Australian Prime Ministers, a joint venture with the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and a Federation project with the Curriculum Corporation. The Museum will also participate in the Australia on CD program.

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The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) preserves a priceless national collection of film and sound materials by and about Australians. The Government will provide the Archive with funding to extend its accommodation and facilities and to refurbish its heritage-listed headquarters building. This initiative will provide safe, secure and suitable facilities and accommodation for the NFSA, and improve access to its collection by television and film-makers, and by all Australians. The NFSA will provide material for exhibition at Old Parliament House relating to political history and the history of Parliament. These exhibits will illustrate and enliven Australia's political and social history for the large number of visitors to the building.

our maritime heritage The Australian National Maritime Museum is an important cultural institution which reflects Australia's maritime heritage and relationship with the sea. The Commonwealth's Historic Shipwrecks Program, including the recent Shipwreck Amnesty, has been extremely successful in developing working partnerships between the Commonwealth and the States to preserve, document and interpret our maritime heritage. The Western Australian Maritime Museum has international standing in the area of marine archeology, particularly through its work on pre-colonial and colonial wrecks in the waters adjacent to Western Australia, as well as the assistance it has provided to conservation of the Pandora and the Sirius. It also plays a significant role in the management and excavation of shipwrecks in South-East Asia, encouraging other national training and conservation programs. The Government will assist the WA Maritime Museum to continue work on these projects of national significance, including collaborating with Queensland on the Pandora project, and will investigate the establishment of the Museum as a national centre of excellence in marine archeology. In accordance with the Government's commitment to conserving objects in their original place, and, because it recognises the strong sense of regional identity often attached to objects, the Government will offer to return the yacht Australia II to the Fremantle community. The yacht is owned by the National Museum of Australia and is currently on loan to the Australian National Maritime Museum where it has been viewed and enjoyed by many thousands of Australians.

australian national maritime museum In 1985 the Commonwealth Government and the New South Wales Government jointly announced plans for the Commonwealth-owned National Maritime Museum to be built by the Commonwealth, on land provided by the State Government, at Darling Harbour, Sydney. The Museum, established as a statutory authority in December 1990, has four core objectives: pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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to exhibit, and to co-operate with other institutions in exhibiting, material in the national maritime collection or other material held by the Museum; to develop, preserve and maintain the national maritime collection; to disseminate information on Australian maritime history and to conduct and assist with research into Australia's maritime history; and to develop sponsorship, marketing and commercial activities. Following a major evaluative review conducted during 1993-94, the Government has provided additional funding for exhibitions; interpretation of the Museum's key outdoor exhibit, the ex-Navy destroyer Vampire; and fleet maintenance. This extra funding combined with attention to priorities identified by the Government will provide a sound basis for the Museum's future development. Increasingly the Museum's core and temporary exhibitions will be complemented by a range of user programs in regional Australia. The Museum is also seeking to establish a multi-tiered network of partnerships with kindred institutions, interested in the preservation and promotion of the nation's maritime heritage and history.

private support for cultural institutions Museums and other heritage institutions have traditionally relied on support from individuals and, more recently, the corporate sector to extend their collections. The Government has provided an incentive to contribute through the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme (TIA), which operates under section 78(1)(aa) and related sections of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, and encourages donations of significant cultural items to public libraries, museums and art galleries by offering donors a tax concession. The Bequests Program, a Distinctly Australian initiative, was introduced as a supplement to the TIA Scheme to encourage private collectors to bequeath significant works and collections to the nation through tax benefits applied to their estates.

keeping our heritage at home The Government fulfils its international obligations to protect movable cultural heritage through the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. This controls the export of the most significant aspects of Australia's movable cultural heritage, and temporary import for exhibition purposes of outstanding items of other cultures. The legislation enables Australia to assist in returning the cultural property of other nations illegally imported into this country. The Act also emphasises the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage by ensuring that sacred and secret objects cannot be exported.

aboriginal and torres strait islander heritage cultural property The Government will fully support indigenous people in their efforts to retain their material, intellectual and spiritual heritage. In the context of indigenous culture, the safeguarding of custodial rights is essential. Over many years, cultural material belonging to indigenous people has been removed and placed in museums and private collections in pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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Australia and overseas. The material often formed the basis of academic research and displays intended for nonAboriginal people. There is a conviction in Aboriginal communities that the process of returning material in accordance with their wishes should be completed. The return of this material and the rebuilding of connections between indigenous people and their land and cultural property is part of the reconciliation process. To assist, partnerships are being developed between the Commonwealth, institutions holding collections and relevant communities through the Return of Cultural Property Program. Museums are involving Aboriginal communities to find the most appropriate treatment of the cultural property remaining in their custody. The Commonwealth gives a high priority to the development and promotion of training programs for the management, interpretation and display of cultural material in Aboriginal keeping places. In order to improve the knowledge and appreciation of indigenous cultural property, and to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with access to information on material held in institutions, the Government will investigate the creation of a database of this material. Cultural mapping methodologies and information currently held by the institutions, including the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, will be used to make a comprehensive record of the material culture, history, beliefs, and languages of particular regions. As part of this project and with the agreement of relevant communities, oral histories, genealogical data and photographic material will be copied onto CD-ROM or similar technologies and be accessible, where appropriate, to all Australians.

indigenous cultural heritage protection Australian rock art sites are some of the most ancient and beautiful in the world. Unfortunately in many instances, sites have been degraded by uncontrolled public access. Distinctly Australian introduced a pilot program to protect these sites by providing essential basic site management tools and a strategic plan for the management and use of sites. The Australian Heritage Commission will continue to work with communities and regional and State authorities to document and develop site management plans for Aboriginal cultural sites. Through the Australian Nature Conservation Agency's Contract Employment Program for Aboriginals in Natural and Cultural Resource Management, support is also given for the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in natural and cultural heritage management. Relevant government and non-government agencies receive seeding grants for projects including site identification, interpretation and management.

intangible heritage The Commonwealth believes it is important to preserve and present Australia's intangible cultural heritage - our heritage of ideas, values and language. This may be oral and family history; ritual and ceremony; folklife; popular culture; and other grass roots expressions of community identity, diversity and celebration. Organisations like the Australian Folk Trust, which receives Commonwealth government support, have played a key role in broadening our awareness of intangible cultural heritage. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/heritage.html

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For indigenous Australians, their relationships with the physical landscape, their sacred and ordinary possessions and their spiritual and intangible heritage are central to their culture. The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies has played a crucial role in recording and preserving this intangible heritage. The identification and documentation of the social, religious and political traditions of Australia, which include indigenous and multicultural experiences, are important. They enable the community to explore and re-interpret the values and beliefs which constitute contemporary social life. This is particularly important in the lead-up to the Centenary of Federation in the year 2001. Celebration of occasions such as Australia Day contribute to Australians' sense of pride and unity. The Commonwealth will continue to support the National Australia Day Council to coordinate and extend national Australia Day activities.

national australia day council The National Australia Day Council (NADC) coordinates national Australia Day activities and contributes to the development of national pride. The Council is a non-profit public interest company limited by guarantee in November 1990.The State and Territory Australia Day councils and committees are autonomous bodies which liaise with the NADC to form a nationwide Australia Day network.



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Creative Nation - Cultural Industry Development

Cultural Industry Development The strength and creativity of our culture depends on sustainable and self-reliant cultural industries. These industries also provide an increasingly important avenue for employment creation. The growing significance of the cultural industries within the economy and to employment is becoming apparent. The value of the total supply of cultural goods and services in the Australian economy during 1989-90 was $13 billion. Of this, $8.7 billion was used in the production of goods and services in the economy, and $5.1 billion was final demand. In 1988-89 (the last year in which detailed data is available), household expenditure on cultural goods and services was $5.5 billion. Of this, almost $2 billion was spent on television and video goods and services and cinema admissions - over one-third of total cultural expenditure and $1.6 billion was spent on books, newspapers, magazines and other literature. The Government will assist cultural organisations to operate more effectively within a market environment through: industry assistance programs extended to embrace specific cultural industries; encouraging demand for cultural products; measures to support the domestic production of cultural industries, including coordination with other levels of government; measures to increase cultural exports; measures to enable cultural industries to adapt to new technology, such as multimedia; strong protection of intellectual property through copyright legislation; and the development of research on the size and shape of cultural industries and their employment base.

Industry Development Program -Targeting Sectors for Industry Development The development of comprehensive industry-based strategies for sectors of the cultural industry is a priority for the Commonwealth Government and will underpin its program and policy work over the next decade, enabling it to establish the best approaches to Commonwealth support for cultural organisations. The Government has placed much greater emphasis on statistical analysis of the cultural industries sector which will make it increasingly possible to tailor measures to specific sectors. The success of the current projects being funded by the Commonwealth in the publishing and heritage industries will forge a path for other sectors. Through the Cultural Industry Development Program, the Government is currently: improving awareness within the industries of the range of Commonwealth, State and local government programs and services for business support and industry development; improving access by the cultural industries to existing industry support mechanisms through pilot projects developed in partnership with State and Territory Arts and Industry portfolios; improving the collection of industry-related data and analysing the economic potential of the cultural industries; and pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/industry.html

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developing export strategies. A pilot Cultural Industry Development Program has been set up to improve access by cultural industries to mainstream industry support schemes. One of the most successful schemes has been the PAGE scheme, which is described in the Literature section of Commonwealth Support for the Arts.

Design Design is a primary indicator of the cultural, technological, social and economic standing of any nation. As much as any other art form it fundamentally affects the way we live. Design represents a significant technological and skill investment which is critical to sustaining a high quality world manufacturing industry. The Government recognises the importance of design in adding value to manufactured goods, improving export performance, developing elaborately transformed manufactures and succeeding in niche markets. The Government will ensure that the importance of design is reflected in programs for cultural, industry, regional and urban development. One way of establishing a strong link between the arts and other areas of production is through the better use of design skills. Through its Cultural Industry Development Program, the Government will examine the extent to which industry development assistance (for example through the National Industry Extension Service) can be utilised in the development of the design industry, in establishing links between designers and other industry sectors such as manufacturing and in the development of new products.

Industry Links Distinctly Australian announced the Government's intention to develop programs of assistance for the cultural industries aimed at improving self-reliance, management efficiency and links with other industries. Over the next decade there will be significant changes in the shape of cultural industries and in the role they will play in the economy. As major industries within the services sector and as potential exporters they need to be well served by the Commonwealth's various business development programs. The Cultural Industry Development Program established within the Department of Communications and the Arts has enabled a series of pilot programs to be established to ensure that cultural enterprises have access to those programs and that they work effectively. Partnerships between different levels of government have assisted the production of the arts and cultural products. In the case of the Australia Council's assistance for the development of new creative work, success has been spectacular. In effect, the Council has been the sole source of research and development funds or venture capital to the arts and has been essential to the development of the industry. The Government will continue to encourage strong links between the cultural and industry portfolios. While the Department of Communications and the Arts will play a major role in the development of industry strategies for the cultural sector, its role will be that of a broker between industry and the program providers. Industry development programs for this sector need to be cognisant of the Government's cultural objectives. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/industry.html

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The Department of Communications and the Arts, in association with Ausindustry, will: facilitate entry of cultural organisations into Government assistance schemes run by Ausindustry; support the development of export capabilities for selected organisations; and undertake research into the commercial base of the cultural industry, including identification of legislation relevant to the industry's development.

Australia Council Audience Development The Australia Council sees a critical role for itself in maintaining a relationship with the general public, particularly in relation to expanding the audiences for Australian arts, both in Australia and overseas. Particular attention will be paid to this role over the next three years and extra funding has been provided for this by the Australia Council.

Export Development The Australian market for the arts is small, and it faces intense competition from overseas. Like all Australian industry the arts are increasingly recognising that viable industries will in many cases only emerge from export action. Export is already a priority of a number of Commonwealth arts agencies including the Film Finance Corporation, the Australian Film Commission and the Australia Council. Further information on export activity will be found throughout this document.

Intellectual Property The Government will protect the integrity of intellectual property. Measures to increase protection for intellectual property and to adapt it to cover new technologies are outlined earlier in the Protecting Australia's Creators section.

New Technologies New technologies and changes to Australia's telecommunications, broadcasting and information technology services will have major implications for copyright, intellectual property and moral rights. Some of these changes will also raise questions about notions of authorship and others about the role of arts and cultural institutions in the collection, exhibition and conservation of arts and cultural material created through new technologies.

Statistical Analysis of the Cultural Sector A growing recognition of the cultural industry's actual and potential contribution to the economy is a feature of recent inquiries into employment and regional development. In developing cultural industries, an authoritative profile of the industries enhanced by data collection and analysis is essential. Research conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics is a critical element of this. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/industry.html

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Creative Nation - Education and Training

Education and Training Arts education is twofold - it is the provision of education for practitioners and for audiences. For practitioners, professional training develops skills and professional excellence. For audiences, education increases the ability to appreciate and participate in the nation's cultural life. It is important to develop the skills of potential workers, and to increase the skills of those currently working in the arts. Rapid developments in technologies underline the need for ongoing education and training in the cultural industries. If Australia is to retain its global reputation for innovation in the arts, a commitment to training in new forms of technology is essential. Arts education can be divided into four areas: schools professional training vocational education and training parallel education

schools All Australians should have the opportunity of a school education which regards appreciation of the arts and the more traditional areas of learning as equally important. Primary and secondary education play a fundamental role in developing a capacity for appreciation of, and participation in, the arts. In 1991, the Commonwealth and State Ministers for Education agreed on eight key learning areas for curriculum development to provide a national approach to school curriculum frameworks. As one of the learning areas, the arts is now receiving due recognition as a necessary component of a well-rounded education. The Commonwealth provides substantial support to educational children's television through funded organisations such as the Australian Children's Television Foundation, the ABC, and the SBS. Increased funding to Musica Viva for the extension of its National Music in Schools program is described elsewhere in this document.

professional training Professional training for work in the arts, film-making, and the conservation of cultural heritage is provided through specialised schools or departments, most of which are located in universities. There are also specialised national centres of excellence in several areas. The levels of funding for individual schools or departments within institutions are a matter for decision by universities, but these decisions are influenced by the formula used by the Commonwealth to determine block pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/educat.html

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grants to universities. The `relative funding model', which is the basis of the formulae for all discipline areas, is under review by the Higher Education Council in 1994. The Commonwealth cultural portfolio will participate fully in this review. Three leading national training institutions, - the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, the National Institute of Dramatic Art and the Australian Ballet School - are funded directly through the Commonwealth cultural portfolio. The excellence of these organisations is widely acknowledged. This statement also sets out Commonwealth initiatives to establish centres of training excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Performance and in Music.

national institute of dramatic art The Commonwealth's aim of inspiring standards of excellence is well demonstrated by its approach to training for theatre. Since 1958, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) has trained several generations of actors and directors who have achieved recognition on the international stage and screen as well as at home. NIDA provides training for some of the most talented individuals in Australia, as well as access to a wide range of drama training courses throughout Australia. NIDA's primary role is to select and train exceptionally gifted young people who will move into the fields of theatre, film and television, and make the Australian performing arts richer and more exciting. NIDA courses emphasise quality rather than quantity, and while responding to developments in other countries, will continue to be identifiably Australian. As well as its full-time courses, NIDA conducts a range of other activities, including a self-funding Open Program which operates in every State and Territory, providing access to drama training for young people, teachers and the community at large. The Open Program attracts private sponsorship and has strong links with Education Departments. NIDA also enjoys an international reputation as a drama training institution, and engages in an active program of international exchanges.

vocational education and training A vocational education and training body for the arts has been established as part of the Commonwealth's national training reform initiatives. Skills formation in arts-related fields is dependent on a number of important sources of vocational education and training. These include the TAFE sector, training provided by the cultural industry itself, and courses offered privately. There are some 7,500 students in professional and para-professional TAFE courses in fields such as photography, ceramics, fashion, art and design and fine arts. Many more are enrolled in courses at the trades or sub-trades level. The Commonwealth provides substantial funding to the State and Territory Governments for the TAFE sector, which in part goes to fund these training places. Training reform underpins economic growth by ensuring a coherent and coordinated approach to education and training. In recognition of the role of education and training in economic growth, the Commonwealth established pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/educat.html

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the Australian National Training Authority. In recent years, competency-based training and assessment have become major influences in vocational education and training. Through Industry Training Advisory Bodies, the Commonwealth Government has provided the critical link between industry, and the education and training which supports its success. Industry training advisory bodies have been established in most fields to assist in the formulation of the required competencies and advise on training needs. Arts Training Australia (ATA) is the National Industry Training Advisory Body on education and training for the arts, heritage, entertainment and media industries. It is also the competency standards body for those industries. It provides the national forum through which the arts and cultural industries identify their education and training needs. ATA's achievements to date include the development of an Australia wide consultative network. The network brings together the major employers, unions and professional associations in the industries, and these bodies represent thousands of arts organisations and practitioners across Australia. ATA has also developed the first comprehensive Vocational Education and Training Plan for the arts and cultural industries, which provides the blueprint for training reform for the next two to three years and competency standards which will cover approximately 51,000 workers.

parallel education Parallel education includes any form of education separate from formal education structures. It covers the educational role of institutions such as libraries, art galleries and museums. Growing visitor numbers suggest such institutions are assuming increasing importance. Institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia and the National Library make a significant contribution to community understanding of cultural heritage.

open learning Courses offered through the Open Learning Agency of Australia (OLAA) are a potential source of education in the appreciation of the arts, and in examining what it means to be an Australian. OLAA is a private company owned by Monash University through which a consortium of nine universities offer courses. Courses in Australian studies presently offered by OLAA have made substantial use of the holdings of national cultural institutions. The Open Learning Electronic Support Service is a Commonwealth government initiative to foster a common national infrastructure for electronic delivery of education services. The objective of the OLESS is to support open learners and other clients by utilising the communications capabilities of personal computers. At a minimum it will allow clients to communicate with each other, with teachers and with educational institutions via electronic mail, and access library facilities. Access will be via home or workplace computers or from local access points (LAPs) located in community based facilities. The OLESS will be jointly managed by the Open Learning Technology Corporation (OLTC) and the Open Learning Agency of Australia (OLAA). pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/educat.html

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The OLTC is a company established by Commonwealth, State and Territory Education and Training Ministers to facilitate the development of delivery systems for open learning.



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Creative Nation - Information for all Australians

Information for all Australians Access to information for all Australians is an important element of Commonwealth cultural policy. Information is a key resource for all Australians - for full participation in our society, and for our quality of life. The Government will continue to work with the States to ensure that existing information resources and the new networking technologies are widely available. The Government will work with the States to enable the resources in libraries throughout the nation to become available to all. Vast cultural resources are spread throughout libraries and other institutions across the nation. Commonwealth strategy is based on the concept of a Distributed National Collection of library and other cultural materials, built through collaboration between Commonwealth, State and local government libraries, museums and galleries. In February 1994, the National Library of Australia established the Distributed National Collection office. The office encourages collaborative collecting of library and other materials of national significance, and records them in a National Bibliographic Database; identifies national collection strengths and weaknesses; and monitors, from a national perspective, agreements between libraries covering collecting responsibilities. The preservation of these materials as part of the national heritage is being further supported by the National Preservation Office, established by the National Library in 1993. Information will be available through the new communication networks. The convergence of communications and information technologies and the application of state-of-the-art technology to cultural and heritage institutions will allow improved identification of Australia's cultural and heritage resources, wherever they exist. It will become easier to see discrete and separate collections as forming one national cultural and heritage collection. For too long Australia's cultural and heritage organisations have operated separately, without any binding framework or strong working relationships with one another, or with other organisations. The new communications and information technologies will rectify this through new technology such as in the National Library's National Document and Information Service (NDIS) project, being developed jointly with the National Library of New Zealand. The project will release library and other cultural material held in institutions throughout Australasia, and assist in their preservation. The Commonwealth will work with the States to make new information services available to all Australia. In line with its access and equity objectives, the Government will ensure the maximum public access to the information services becoming available. The Government is aware of the potential of networked information services to improve the quality of life both in cities and in remote areas of Australia. It is clear that it will be some years before all Australian homes have the interactive facilities needed to receive many electronic services. The Government will work with the States to form local access points to enable Australians to participate fully in open learning opportunities, government services, small business support, electronic communications, community networks and other opportunities for personal development. In particular, the 1,400 public library service points pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/info.html

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throughout Australia provide a major opportunity for linking communities to network services, such as those available through the Internet. The Government will work with the States to deliver an effective program of community access. The Government has also been monitoring developments in the provision of government information in other countries, such as òne-stop' information centres, and information kiosks. It is examining how information from all levels of government - Commonwealth, State and local - may be made more available to the community, through greater collaboration between government agencies. Networked information services will link Australia with our region and the rest of the world. The Government is committed to promoting Australian information and cultural resources to the world, and to providing Australians with information from the rest of the world. Our cultural and heritage organisations help define Australia internationally. The convergence of communications and information technologies allows us a "gateway" to the rest of the world. A good example of cultural linkage is the National Chinese-Japanese-Korean Project. This collaborative project between the National Library and 8 universities will create a database listing the location of materials written in Chinese, Japanese and Korean character. The database will use the actual script characters for these different languages rather than western transliterations. Just as the National Library provides access to a wide range of documentary material, the Australian Archives is responsible for the management of Commonwealth records and extending access to those records after an appropriate length of time. These records are important for their historical insight into political, social and cultural values in Australia.

the national library of australia The National Library, established by statute in 1960, is the world's leading documentary resource for learning about and understanding Australia and Australians. The Library's roots go back to 1901 when the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library was founded to provide library services for the Commonwealth Parliament. In 1961 the National Library was formally established as a separate entity. It has a special national responsibility for developing and preserving a comprehensive collection of documentary materials of national and international significance. The Library has developed a indisputable national leadership role in the library field. It has achieved success in developing collaborations between libraries and kindred collecting institutions. The National Library has developed and maintains the Australian Bibliographic Network (ABN) which provides access to the collections of both the National Library and more than 1300 member libraries throughout Australia. The ABN database include manuscript, photographic and other pictorial and oral history collections. The National Library believes the concept of the distributed national collection helps libraries to meet the information needs of all Australians. It has established the Distributed National Collections office to coordinate further development of the concept in the library and information communities. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/info.html

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A practical outcome has been the establishment of the National Preservation Office within the Library to lead and coordinate a National preservation strategy for Australian documentary heritage materials. One of the major challenges facing the library is the impact of new technologies. The Library has an extensive network via computerised databases with State, regional and local libraries.

australian archives The Australian Archives was established as an independent agency in 1961. The Archives and its predecessors, linking back to the War Archives Committee of 1942, is responsible for managing, preserving and making accessible records of Commonwealth administration. The Australian Archives is a recognised leader within the national and international community of archives organisations. It is particularly renowned for: the creation of the Commonwealth Records Series system for intellectual control of records; a standardised appraisal methodology for the selection of records for long term retention; an access management regime which balances the public's right to know with protection from unreasonable disclosure of personal affairs; permanent paper standards for specification to industry of archival quality paper; and its approach to the management of electronic records. As Australia's key archival organisation, the Archives is central to the formal structures of the archives sector and contributes strongly to the archives profession, nationally and internationally. The Archives is also involved in cooperative ventures with the private sector. These include the design of special purpose repositories for private sector records, and the development of paper products aimed at preserving heritage materials. The Archives intends to focus its activities in the next decade on making the archives of the nation more available to the public. The rising demand for access to Commonwealth records can be expected to continue as Australian society changes, technological developments increase expectations of service delivery, and people seek to resolve questions of cultural identity. The Archives will pursue strategies to better integrate its existing automated finding-aid systems and develop their functions. In cooperation with State and Territory Archives, it will seek to make the automated finding aids to archival resources throughout Australia more readily available through information networks. Connecting into national and international research networks will enable users to access public databases. Through exhibitions, publications and other public program activities the Archives will seek to make the archives of the nation more readily available to a greater number of Australians. Link(s) last updated 9 September 1998



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Creative Nation - Internation Projection of Australian Culture

International Projection of Australian Culture Australia stands to benefit substantially from sharing the best of its culture with the rest of the world. In recent years a major effort has been made to send Australian artists, exhibitions and films to countries important in our web of international relationships. We have worked, in particular, to better coordinate international cultural activity and link it more closely with our trade and investment efforts. The Australia Council's objective is to spend at least half ($2.5million) of its international cultural budget in our region. Through the funding of Australian artists and cultural activity overseas, the Council is making a significant contribution to the development of the arts in Australia. The Government supports this approach by the Australia Council and believes the nation, as well as the artists, companies and institutions involved, benefit from a confident projection of Australian cultural diversity and energy to new audiences overseas. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has also been increasingly changing the focus and scope of its international cultural relations program in recent years. In particular, the Department supports tours by Australian artists to more specifically underpin the pursuit of particular Australian objectives. Most recently the major promotions in Korea, Japan and Indonesia have relied on a blend of culture and commerce to project a contemporary image of Australia overseas. While the arts in Australia benefit from the opportunity created by these activities, the principal reason for sending arts overseas under DFAT's auspices is to enhance our national image at critical times or to support particular goals. The current funding of DFAT's international cultural relations is relatively modest. As a consequence, virtually no post can support a visit or tour by a major Australian company. Particularly in the Asia-Pacific, but also in the US and Europe, the use of leading performing arts companies and the mounting of major visual arts exhibitions offer unique opportunities to both influence perceptions of Australia and influence individuals who are important to Australia. In order to allow DFAT to plan a program of tours by elite performing groups and major visual arts exhibitions the Government will provide $4 million over four years. Under this new program the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade will invite elite performing groups to tour particular countries at selected times. The new program will allow DFAT to support companies which may not otherwise be able to afford regional tours. Such tours will focus on countries of importance to Australia and present programs appropriate to the cultural norms and tastes of the region. In addition to the arts development and national image and national interest reasons for exporting Australian culture, there are major market opportunities that need to be identified and developed. The Australian rock music industry, for example, has seen strong growth in recent years - its export earnings in 1992-93 climbing to $206 million. In addition to the export of pure cultural product, there are also important markets for technical pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/internat.html

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design and production services which Australia is extremely well positioned to supply. The export potential in the area of cultural exports is significant and through the efforts of Austrade and other marketing activities the Government will take full advantage of these opportunities. While each of these programs has its own rationale, there is an important place for coordination of activity in the arts overseas. The Australia Abroad Council (AAC) provides a clearing house and information exchange through its `forthcoming events' publication, and by encouraging coordinated Australian promotional activity. In order to ensure commercial opportunities are not missed, a special working group of the AAC will be established to coordinate the activities of the Australia Council, DFAT and Austrade.

Integrated Australian Promotions The Australia Abroad Council (AAC) has pioneered the task of high-impact cultural projection of Australia abroad. The vehicle adopted has been a series of major promotions in key target countries. In seeking to change perceptions of contemporary Australia, the promotions have incorporated a wide range of cultural forms to improve understanding and recognition of Australia as a natural and long-term partner in regional developments. They have successfully enlarged awareness of features of Australian life not previously comprehended. They have produced tangible economic returns, and have opened doors to continuing Australian cultural promotion in major regional capitals. Funding of $3 million will be provided for an Integrated Australian Promotion in 1995-96.



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Creative Nation - Investing in our Culture

Investing in our Culture Support for the arts from government will never meet all its needs. Government policies aim to create an environment where the arts can achieve maximum support. The Government believes that the private sector - whether individuals or corporations - has an important role to play in this. Much of Australia's cultural heritage is privately owned - including heritage objects and buildings. The private sector is a major investor in arts infrastructure including film and television facilities, cinemas and commercial galleries. It also invests in arts software including film and television programming material, literature, the performing arts and sound recordings; and endows the arts through gifts of items and money.

taxation incentives Taxation incentives encourage the involvement of the private sector in cultural funding in partnership with the Government. Through tax incentive programs the Government also encourages self-reliance and viability of the cultural sector and funds this through foregone revenue. These programs do not replace other forms of government funding, which are aimed at specific cultural objectives. They do, however, have an important role in supplementing other government programs and in directly involving the community in cultural endeavours and in a sharing of the cost. In the case of tax incentive schemes, government spending is only activated by private donations or investment and is directed by spender preferences. An area where there is potential for improvement, is corporate sponsorship of the arts through section 51(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act. In 1993 it was estimated that the proportion of "public benefit" expenditure on the arts under section 51 was only seven per cent - the arts coming behind sport (40 per cent), community welfare (35 per cent) and education (18 per cent). However, the same survey revealed that small to medium size companies have become the new patrons of the arts. The Government will assist the cultural sector to tap into this emerging source of corporate support. A review of corporate and private support of cultural endeavour will examine the results of a comprehensive national survey and analysis of business sponsorship of culture under section 51(1). This study has just commenced, in partnership with the Australian Bureau of Statistics. To address the need for stronger corporate sponsorship alliances a joint committee of the Australia Council and representatives of the business community will investigate and develop mechanisms to enhance opportunities for corporate and private support of the cultural sector. This will be complemented by a review of donation programs. Education and information programs will be further developed to help the cultural sector realise its potential in these areas, with an emphasis on attracting corporate sector support.

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Seeing a particular need to boost investment in film and television production, in 1978 the Government introduced tax incentives for film production. These incentives played an important role in the resurgence of the Australian film industry. They are set out in Divisions 10B and 10BA of the Tax Act. A change in government policy favouring direct investment in film and television was announced in 1988 and as the Australian Film Finance Corporation was established, tax incentives were scaled back. They continue, however, to play a role in attracting investors to this high risk area. Non-capital expenses incurred in running a business including the film sector are deductible under section 51(1) of the Tax Act.

capital raising under the corporations law The Government recognises the importance to the cultural industries of raising capital. The Corporations Law provides a framework within which business can raise capital and investors be appropriately protected. It is acknowledged that in many cases, enterprises in the arts seek small amounts of capital compared to other industries and often seek it on an individual project basis. Recent amendments to the Corporations Law reflect this. The Australian Securities Commission also issued a class order in 1992 giving relief from certain aspects of the prospectus provisions of the law to film schemes. Recently the Government announced a major overhaul of collective investment regulation by the Government which will make it easier to seek capital for the arts. A new regime will apply which will exclude small investment schemes from the operations of the collective investment scheme provisions in the Corporations Law. It will exclude collective investment arrangements involving not more than 15 persons that are not making and do not propose to make a public offering. These arrangements will be exempted from compliance with the fundraising requirements of the Corporations Law. In addition, other changes to the regulation of collective investment schemes, as announced in September 1994 by the Attorney-General, should also assist capital raising for the arts.

gifts to the cultural sector Gifts of money to cultural organisations are encouraged through granting tax deductibility status to approved organisations. Included are performing arts, music, literature, design, craft, visual arts, film, community arts, Aboriginal arts, and historical societies. Organisations may apply for eligibility through listing on the Register of Cultural Organisations. Organisations have attracted over $18 million from individuals and businesses since commencement of the scheme in 1991. The Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme helps preserve our cultural heritage and make it more accessible to the community by offering a tax incentive for donations of cultural items to public collecting institutions. Since the Scheme's inception in 1978, public art galleries, libraries and museums have been successful in attracting some 16,000 gifts with a total value of $106 million. These incentives are set out in subsection 78(6) of the Income Tax Assessment Act. Measures are being taken to ensure that only the most significant gifts are made under this Scheme and it is soon to be supplemented by a Bequests Program for selected major cultural items and collections. pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/invest.html

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Deductions for Heritage building preservation were announced in Distinctly Australian. This will encourage private spending on conservation of heritage buildings. The Government recently introduced a new scheme under subdivision 159U of the Income Tax Assessment Act -Tax Incentives for Heritage Conservation - to assist owners of heritage listed buildings and structures to carry out approved conservation work. This will operate as a rebate scheme. New legislation is being introduced to establish a Bequests Program to encourage bequests of major cultural significance to the nation. This will operate as a supplement to the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme and encourage a new influx of cultural gifts of major significance to public collecting institutions under section 78 of the Income Tax Act.

sponsorship Partnerships with business through sponsorship arrangements (also tax deductible) are a growing source of assistance to many areas of the arts. The cultural sector competes with other sectors for business sponsorship through section 51(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act. It was estimated that $57.2 million was spent in corporate sponsorships involving the cultural sector in 1993, and through an Australia Council initiative outlined above the Government will act to increase business sponsorship.

income taxation exemptions Many cultural organisations are exempt from income tax as section 23(g) of the Tax Act exempts income earned by non-profit societies, associations or clubs established in connection with the arts.

sales tax exemptions Several provisions of the sales tax law provide concessions to artists and art institutions: Items 115-119, Schedule 1, Sales Tax (Exemptions and Classifications) Act 1992 exempt works of art and exhibits in public museums and art galleries. Imported collectors' pieces and antiques are also exempt. Artists who paint or sculpt etc. professionally, and not merely as a hobby, may be entitled to exemption on most materials and equipment used in the process. Sets constructed or assembled by theatre companies for use in their own productions are sales tax exempt. However, tax has to be paid on any taxable materials used. Goods for use by many State public libraries, museums and art galleries are exempt. Goods for use by other government authorities concerned with the arts may also be exempt. Some taxpayers connnected with the arts may benefit from the exemption for small business, which applies if their annual tax liability is less than $10,000. However, such taxpayers are required to pay tax on their taxable purchases.



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Creative Nation - Cultural Tourism

Cultural Tourism growth of tourism in australia Over the last decade, tourism has emerged as one of Australia's most significant growth industries. Since the early 1980s, the number of overseas tourists to Australia each year has more than tripled to 3 million and export earnings have grown from $1.9 billion to $10.7 billion. Domestic tourism is forecast to grow at a steady rate of nearly 2 per cent each year. A significant contribution to this growth is made by cultural tourism. The experiences generated by Australian performances, visual arts and our heritage are unique. Cultural tourism embraces the full range of experiences visitors can undertake to learn what makes a destination distinctive - its lifestyle, its heritage, its arts, its people and the business of providing and interpreting that culture to visitors. Recent studies have shown that a significant and increasing proportion of both domestic and international visitors are looking for cultural experiences as a major component of their holidays. This was one of the key findings of the Study of Cultural Tourism in Australia, commissioned by the Arts and Tourism portfolios (1991), and recognised by the Department of Tourism in the National Tourism Strategy (1992), and the Cultural Tourism Project (1993). The importance of cultural tourism in regional areas was highlighted by the Regional Development Task Force (1993), which recommended that the Arts and Tourism portfolios develop a National Cultural Tourism Strategy. This Report proposed that the two portfolios investigate mechanisms and programs to improve access to the arts and culture and to enhance the presentation and marketing of cultural tourism products and activities. The Government will further develop links between the Department of Tourism, the Australia Council and the Department for Communications and the Arts to initiate programs to provide further opportunities for cultural tourism. The Cultural Industry Development Program will allocate $250,000 annually to initiatives to develop cultural tourism including: measures to enhance the business management skills of the cultural industries as they apply to cultural tourism, utilising existing business development programs; measures to improve access by the cultural industries to tourist markets, including the development of marketing and distribution networks; and the identification of new tourist markets for cultural products. Through these initiatives, cultural bodies will be encouraged to consider their potential to attract tourists and to encourage regions with cultural attractions to develop this aspect of their area and then successfully market their product.

australian tourism commission The significance of the cultural tourism market has been recognised by the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21336/20031011-0000/www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/tourism.html

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which has nominated 1995 as a year of Celebration of Australian Art and Culture and 1996 as a year of Festivals. As part of the promotional activity for the year, the ATC has produced: a Directory of Events and Contacts which includes a calendar of cultural events and information on performing arts, festivals and heritage attractions; an information brochure which provides an overview of Australian arts and culture from a tourist's perspective; and a Guidebook containing information on topics such as visual arts, music and film.

international cultural tourism International visitors to Australia are attracted by the distinctive features of Australian culture which cannot be duplicated elsewhere in the world. Their interest in Australian culture is evident from the Survey of International Visitors to Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts, conducted in 1993. Sponsored by the Australia Council, it gives information on the cultural interests of international visitors: Forty eight per cent of international tourists to Australia were interested in seeing and learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Over a third of visitors to Australia undertook an activity related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture; for example, visiting a gallery or museum, or taking a tour involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The value of purchases of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and souvenirs by international visitors was estimated at $46 million a year in 1991, an increase from $30 million in 1990. Tourists are a significant client group for the full spectrum of our cultural industry groups, from performing arts to craftspeople and manufacturers.

domestic cultural tourism The Survey of Australian Domestic Tourists' Cultural Participation, conducted in 1990-91, showed that the focus of domestic tourism was heritage sites, craft workshops and multicultural fairs and markets. The Government believes that improved marketing and product development in this area will increase the domestic cultural tourism sector by extending the length of visit, increasing daily expenditure during the holiday and encouraging Australians to holiday in their own country.



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Creative Nation _ Commonwealth Cultural Policy, October 1994

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