Cabinet reshuffle can be a fresh start for arts sector, says MEAA
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance welcomes the appointment of Senator Mitch Fifield to Minister for Communications and Minister for the Arts as an opportunity to press the restart button.
MEAA CEO Paul Murphy said the union would seek to raise with Senator Fifield at the earliest possible stage the issues of adequate funding to the arts through the independent and peer-reviewed Australia Council; funding and editorial independence at the ABC and SBS; and entertainment visa regulations.
Mr Murphy said relations between Senator Fifield’s predecessor as Minister for the Arts, Senator George Brandis, and the arts sector had become toxic in recent months, but the Cabinet reshuffle could mean a fresh start.
“Arts organisations and individual artists are still reeling from Senator Brandis’ unilateral decision in May to take $105 million from the independent Australia Council and allocate it to a new grants body inside his own office,” Mr Murphy said.
“This decision will have disastrous consequences for the arts for years to come, and we will be urging Senator Fifield to reconsider proceeding down this path.
“It is still early enough, with the new National Program for Excellence in the Arts yet to properly begin work, to reverse the cuts to the Australia Council.”
Mr Murphy said MEAA would also seek to have constructive discussions with the Senator Fifield about funding and independence of the two public broadcasters.
“The ABC is one of Australia’s most trusted public institutions, but has been decimated by almost $500 million in cuts over the past two years, leading to the loss of almost 400 jobs and cut backs to services and programming,” Mr Murphy said.
“The attacks on the editorial and programming decisions of the ABC must stop and journalists and other employees there will expect nothing less from their Minister than to be the ABC’s staunchest defender and advocate.”
For more information contact: Mark Phillips, Communication Director, 0422 009 011
Cabinet reshuffle can be a fresh start for arts sector, says MEAA
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance welcomes the appointment of Senator Mitch Fifield to Minister for Communications and Minister for the Arts as an opportunity to press the restart button.
Last update: October 21, 2015
