2018-11-06
A National Institutions Council would ensure all Canberra-based national arts and cultural institutions can realise their mandates, the ACT Greens said today.
In a recent submission to the Federal Inquiry into Canberra’s National Institutions, the ACT Greens called on the Federal Government to establish a top-level National Institutions Council to support culture, heritage and the arts across all cultural institutions.
A National Council could see institutions brought together to collaborate on strategic policy, advocate for collective funding to Government, and coordinate their digitalisation.
“After decades of pressure to realise arbitrary ‘efficiency dividends’, many of our national institutions are now being rewarded with further Budget cuts by a Federal Coalition that is clearly uninterested in protecting our arts, culture and heritage,” Greens spokesperson for the Arts Caroline Le Couteur said today.
Across our national cultural institutions, there has been an average reduction in staffing levels of over 12% in the last ten years – except for the Australian War Memorial, which saw a 2% reduction.
It comes after the Commonwealth Government announced funding of $498 million to upgrade of the Australian War Memorial.
“Funding for our national institutions shouldn’t be determined by the political leanings of the Federal Government,” Ms Le Couteur said.
“These are Australian institutions that should be funded adequately to reflect all Australian stories.”
Advancing reconciliation through our national institutions: Monument to the Frontier Wars
The ACT Greens also recently called on the Commonwealth Government to investigate ways to use national institutions to progress reconciliation – including establishing a monument to the Frontier Wars and fallen Aboriginal warriors near the Australian War Memorial.
The Greens also believe that it would be appropriate for the Aboriginal Tent Embassy to be given standing as an interim national institution, ensuring that access to basic facilities is provided for – such as water, bathroom facilities, and waste collection.