This edition of Policy Comparisons is on Arts and Events. What do the parties have to say? Let us find out!

Labor (Government)

Ministers: Martin Pakula (Tourism, Sport & Major Events), Danny Pearson (Creative Industries)

Labor’s platform includes promoting arts and cultural events, including in rural and regional areas. Their policy also includes promoting the videogame, television and film industries in Victoria. They also want to increase diversity in the arts, including people with disabilities, Aboriginal Victorians and the LGBTI community.

Another policy is their 2020 investment of some $1.46 billion in Melbourne’s Art Precinct, including the NGV Contemporary gallery.

Liberal (Opposition)

Shadow Ministers: David Davis (Arts and Creative Industries), David Southwick (Events Industry), Cindy McLeish (Sport)

The Liberals have a few proposals to attract more tourism and events. This includes recreating the CBD Tourism Information Centre, encouraging more eco-tourism developments, and working with First Nations organisations to promote Aboriginal heritage.

They also have a $50 million program to promote music education in schools, including funding for musical instruments and music scholarships and reforming the curriculum to promote continuous music learning.

Greens

Spokespersons: Sam Hibbins (Major Events), Ellen Sandell (Arts)

The Greens’ art policies include engaging with First Nations artists and returning Indigenous sacred and heritage objects, promoting the arts in education, and adequately funding libraries, museums and galleries.

The Greens want an end to greyhound racing and commercial horse racing events, along with ending the use of animals in circuses.

Minor parties

The Animal Justice Party similarly have big concerns for the welfare of animals in commercial (or gambling related) activities. Hence, they want to end all animal racing, including greyhound or horse racing, along with animals being used in circuses or theme parks.

Taking the opposite position, the Companions and Pets Party strongly support racing events, including horse racing, greyhound racing and harness racing (while maintaining the need to uphold animal welfare standards).

Reason has a “Vibrant Accessible Arts” policy that includes promoting music education in schools and arts scholarships. Uniquely, they also propose the creation of a Minister for Fashion.

The Sustainable Australia Party wants more support for community arts and local film and television production. They also want to limit residential developments around concert venues (i.e. to prevent music being hit with noise complaints).

The Victorian Socialists similarly want protections for venues against noise complaints. They also propose a $1000 monthly stipend for established artists, while also supporting emerging artists and performers. They are critical of any “ideological criteria” to public funding.

Sources

Labor

https://viclabor.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Platform-2018-Final-Web.pdf

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/backing-australias-cultural-capital-and-jobs-it-creates

Liberals

https://vic.liberal.org.au/our-plan

Greens

https://greens.org.au/vic/policies/arts-and-culture-policy

Animal Justice Party

https://www.animaljusticeparty.org/animals_in_entertainment

Companions and Pets Party https://companionsandpetsparty.com.au/position-statement-animals/

Reason

https://www.reason.org.au/vibrant_accessible_arts_vic

Victorian Socialists

https://victoriansocialists.org.au/policies/arts-and-culture

Sustainable Australia Party

https://www.sustainableaustralia.org.au/the_arts