What positive steps would you like to see to advance Australian Culture?

Create a Residencies Australia Initiative and give a huge boost to culture in the bush and outer metropolitan areas.

Set up a fund to invest in government-owned properties(e.g. old houses that can be adapted to studios) in outstanding landscape areas for use by visual artists for residencies.

These could either be for awarded residencies or for residencies paid for by practising artists (to help provide some immediate financial return).

A strong Residencies program in Australia would achieve enhanced landscape awareness (as artists have done while staying at Hill End or Bundanon).

Residencies Australia would provide many side-benefits to local economies - while promoting awareness of local Australian culture.

This is because local stories would be investigated by visiting visual artists (or writers).

Encourage/require property developers to include public art and include small tenancies for creative businesses/activities.

With the greatest respect, I feel that due to the (necessary) prioritisation of the environment as a political issue, it is critical that Australia recognize the importance of culture and the arts by establishing a separate ministry.

Poetry! We need more performance poetry venues, linked with live music venues which have the stages. Support for poetry publishing should be a focus too, with efforts to turn novel readers into poetry readers. The major publishing houses rarely touch poetry manuscripts, and I would like to see this change.

"Keeping culture strong" cannot and will not work if it's focused on the major, mainstream cultural institutions. There must be a focus on the many thousands of independent artists who are making art right now - in backyards, in borrowed boardrooms, in newly invented spaces. The organisations who develop, support and present the independent arts nurture and represent the majority of Australia's artists. Yet when it comes to policy input, or major financial investment, government is constantly turning to the museums, libraries and other agencies of government. This doesn't make sense.

A comprehensive approach to developing the independent arts should take in planning (empty commercial spaces, urban renewal), education (residencies, mentorships), community development (diversity, accessibility) etc. Create the conditions which make it possible for artists to develop and sustain an independent practice, and support the organisations who support those artists. This would make a strong start.

I'd like to see positive tax incentives for artists, and an agreement to lower the burden of regulation so that it is easier for artists to make and perform public artworks.

A proper arts education - education in the arts varies widely across the country, but generally just focuses on general knowledge, and doesn't really teach in depth the tools that artists need. Everyone would benefit from receiving a substantial education in the arts - especially artists.

Often the focus in these discussions is about more money for one particular area. I don't think that's particularly helpful: I think real benefits would come out of a focus, not on the distribution of taxpayer money, but on encouraging artists to take the initiative for themselves, and make creative choices in a liberal atmosphere. And this would probably best be achieved by taxing less, and encouraging people to go and see/hear/watch/read/participate in cultural events, thus making their own choices.

A legislative framework for government and private-sector support enabling established and emerging artists to create innovative, interesting and engaging work.

...and an end to the petty, ineffective and destructive bitching about who gets what from whom.

Encouragement given to arts philanthropists, again via tax incentives. Encourage voluntary contributions to the arts over time, thus increasing a sense of community involvement.

Income for artists is one of the hardest things to deal with. The proposed royalties system (similar to the of APRA) in which the artist receives money (30%) when ever their work is resold is a step in the right direction.

Artists should be recognized at Center Link either as working i.e not have to look for work for a period of 2-3 years.

Artists studios should be set up in which they can pay subsidized or no rent. Frazer st is a good example of this.

It is getting harder for Artists run spaces to exist. In 1998-2000 I lived with 8 people so that we could create a space in which we could work and show our own and others work. This closed due to rental increases. If this had not closed by now it would have contributed greatly to the Arts. ARI's open and close before they can fully bloom. More permanent spaces needs to be dedicated to the Arts.

I'd like to see the arts retained as an important broadcast element on the ABC. Sunday Arts should be retained as an hour-long programme AS WELL AS there being great arts adventures online. Upping the online content is a great idea but there's something that aids community cohesion I think, in serendipity - simply tuning into a programme, and taking in what's on offer. Online, you sort of have to quest for information, and the element of chance is taken out. I don't know about others, but often a show on the ABC will leave me satisfied and having learned something - and often it's something that directly inspires my art practice.

The discussion framework offered here suggests that "Australian Culture is a conversation", yet my experience suggests that conversation is not a priority for those who would claim to represent us. Not one of my government or opposition representatives has responded to my requests for a discussion on climate change or immigration. Both of these issues are relevant to the arts and to our culture. Allowing us to have our say is a positive step. For a conversation to take place, the next step requires a direct response. Will each of the worthy contributors to this 'initiative' receive a public and considered response? Or shall we throw our 'opinions' into the ministerial mincer and wait to see what pizza shape policy gets shat out at the end?

From the discussion framework "The role of government is not to directly shape culture but to enable all Australians", Peter Garrett - you have been invited to join Twitter by petition. I would be very pleased if you would accept that invitation, pick up the tweets of your followers and enage with them, or employ a staff of dedicated people who will engage on your behalf. You may not get a box of shapes out of the process, but you will enable a culture of conversation which a) keeps culture strong b) engages the community; and. c) powers the young and even old farts like me!

Ensure the new National Curriculum values the arts as much as the sciences.

SKILLBANK - 'Culture must both preserve and innovate'

While computer literacy has stimulated some wonderful new art forms and enabled new connections between artists and communities, without the basic creative skills this risks becoming a very narrow and homogenised band of expression. Universities are severely challenged to support the teaching of creative skills and many other specialist techniques in our community are dying out. Given that Australia has signed up to the UNESCO convention on Cultural Diversity, it would be important for us to ensure that our creative capacity is not diminished. A Skill Bank would provide a register for those capable of performing or teaching specialist techniques. Where these don't exist in Australia, there could be a means of drawing on the skills in our region. Think of batik, lace-making, shadow puppetry, ballads...

I think we need a significantly funded cultural budget aimed at stimulating the development and work of artists and for the educational environment as well.

Culture and the arts has being terribly devalued over the past few decades by leadership that lacks imagination, cultural knowledge and even a basic understanding that arts and cultural activity is fundamentally important for a healthy society - it is an essential - not a 'nice to have' and the first thing to go when the chips are down.

One prominent musician artist in this country describes what we going through in Australia is a "cultural cooling" - and we are in crisis. I do see it as the duty of Australian governments to properly fund the arts instead of always under-funding with the intent of forcing the corporate and philanthropic fundraising and a competition between arts organisations nationally to obtain scanty private funding.

If governments are unable to do that then maybe we need to develop a "Culture-trading scheme", with "culture-credits" for those companies and organisations to get tax relief for supporting arts organisations and arts education institutions, thereby indirectly funding the Arts through the business and industrial community.

i would like to see a Policy on investment in Arts Infrastructure-if we want a vibrant and creative community then we must have Infrastructure to support it.

I believe strongly in the private/public sector partnership model but this requires a formal policty too on where the government will match funding

What can we learn from elsewhere? In France for instance, a percentage of the cost of each movie ticket purchased goes towards a public fund for filmmakers and writers. I'm in favour of tax incentives to support culture.

Raise the profile of culture as an intricate and important element of our everyday lives. While notoriously difficult to define - culture is more than arts and more than nationality - this ought not prevent us from developing a healthy relationship with the word and its meaning in our everyday lives.

Raising awareness of the cultural implications of our Education, Health and Economic policies is an idea that has received significant airtime already here and internationally. We could do well by tapping into the existing research and working from there -

Examples of current and recent research into culture

John Hawkes "the Fourth Pillar of Sustainability"

Agenda 21 for Culture

http://www.tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/majorprojects/tate-encounters/

A first step might be unpacking why anyone would think there is one Australian culture. Perhaps we should speak about Australian cultures simply because that is the reality. There is a multiplicity of cultural expressions in Australia including Indigenous cultures, youth cultures, multicultures, rural cultures, regional cultures, urban cultures, hybrid cultures. The government has recently ratified the United Nations Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Good start. Let's now adapt the discourse to reflect that reality. If there was ever a place that speaks to the diversity of cultural expressions, then it is here in Australia.

The past decade or more has seen an increasing professionalisation of the arts and educational institutions and practices in Australia. We see economic imperatives and bottom lines increasingly driving artistic decision making and artistic planning and decisions by boards and producers rather than artistic directors and artists. Artists are asked to take on this process of accountability and legitimisation, a business paradigm as if it somehow makes for sustainability. Why is it that artists must model themselves on business? If we look at the world today and see the mess the business world has got us into perhaps the business world should be modeling itself on an artistic paradigm? Perhaps then the world might be a more sensitive and ethical place?

This underlies a greater cultural problem in the arts in Australia, of the overly paternalistic attitude towards artists. Artists cannot be trusted: to self manage, to self-assess, make their own decisions, to run their own spaces and create their own festivals. This has created an overly top-headed arts cultural beast, where funding is centered on the top - in management, or over-management, and little trickles down. By the time funding reaches the artists there is not much left. Artists generally don't get paid in NSW. Artists are relegated to 'hobbyists' in NSW.

I am reminded of the Faulty Towers line “this hotel would run perfectly if it weren’t for the customers!”

Yes, Artistic Institutions and companies, according to bureaucrats, would run perfectly if it wasn’t for artists! Increasingly artistic institutions and companies are run by bureaucrats, “professional” with little or no passion for the arts. They would prefer to run their institutions without artists or have a ready-made product shipped in from elsewhere and not be involved in the messy, risky, chaotic nature of the creative process.

Diverse cultural experiences that originate locally, beyond what is piped from elsewhere is also important in encouraging a sense of community and identity in Australia, it also allows young people here to make their own culture rather than be merely passive consumers. This is a privilege available to young people in most countries and one that Australian governments must provide its citizens. This is a democratic dividend- people as makers of culture not just consumers.

Sydney, according to architect Philip Cox “lacks attractive urban spaces”. Spaces that can inspire us or at least that give way to artists to re-invent and imagine in a different light. Independent art practice is virtually impossible in Sydney today. Right now, this sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. Not only from diminishing State government funding, but also severe rent hikes leading to an exodus of artists from the city. This is compounded by the over protective and prohibitive conditions that make working in the City financially unviable. The strangulating risk averse culture in Sydney is due to the growing shadow of public liability insurance issues and overly zealous OHAS practices that do not make for safer work places but for dead spaces, devoid of artists and people in general, rendering cities banal and devoid of life.

This distinct lack of imagination and creativity in Sydney is due to State Government back sliding on arts agendas, its’ pandering to developers and its’ distinct lack of vision. Why can’t we provide Sydney and its children vibrant cultural experiences and opportunities to build a new 21st century arts industry, get skills to participate, gets jobs in the arts and be competitive on the world stage?

Perhaps empower the artist, instead of business models for artists, lets create arts models for business and government. Maybe then we might have a society that has a more ethical aesthetic value rather than no values at all except the bottom line.

I would like to see different themes tackled in Australian film. How about we have a ban for three years on subjects such as depression, heroin etc and really start taking on the Americans. Why should they have complete domination of the film industry?

In Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida. One key ingredient which he states is essential for a great city. Is a vibrant live music scene. I would like the government to create venues in each capital city and one regional area in each state. Purely for live music and call it LIVE.

I don't know what the policy was in the late seventies and early eighties for Australian film, yet whatever it was it worked.

Between 1981 and 1986 Australia had three films crack the US Top 50 box office for that year. Man From Snowy River, Mad Max 2 aka The Road Warrior and Crocodile Dundee.

A huge achievement.

An Australian film hasn't done that for ages.

Our Music and Authors are internationally relevent. I would like film to become that again.

This is just my personal point of view, but I don't think this is something that the government should or need to actually address, but rather a development of acceptance by the general public.

When I walk out into the streets, it is hard to be different and a little bit outrageous with my clothes. Fashion is a big part of my life and I like to be able to wear beautiful and unique styles when I go out without being stared at by other people just because I am different in my tastes of clothing. To add salt to the wound, I am not a person of caucasian descent and more than once have I had racist comments made to me (when I was dressing normally =P)

I think we may need to start thinking of ways to increase the acceptance of people who "look different" to the everyday "normal" Australian, as we claim to be a multicultural and creative nation.

Just a thought. Please discuss!

Re-identify the Australian culture that used to exist in my parents time - the songs, poems, art and wit that everyone in Australia knew and identified with right up to the 1970s.

What little of it is left seems to have been pushed aside by aboriginal and migrant cultures that mean little to people who are not hyphenated Australians, and whose only culture is what their parents, and parent's parents passed down from their own schooling.

Schools don't do it any more and what passes for culture in Australia now is more relevant to other countries and other times.

Let's not beat around the bush.

Out of $156million funding allocated by Australia Council in 2006-2007, 40% went to Orchestras, 12% to Opera.

I fail to see how the Federal Government via the Council can possibly justify the fact that over 50% of its funding is wasted on such elite cultural pursuits, who are well supported by corporate sponsors, whose ticket prices and cultural programs are out of reach of most people, and - even if they were affordable - are of little interest to the broader Australian community.

Take some of that 50%, the $82million, and reallocate it to meaningful, interesting, relevant, engaging work that says 'something' about ourselves and our culture.

Reallocate it to work that has a snowball's chance in hell of actually engaging our population, and not just the citizens of Bennelong.

Reallocate it to artists who desperately need a leg-up - the very artists who can genuinely do what art should do: open minds rather than preserve the status quo.

We're not short on any of those things - we're not at all short on brilliant Australian work that speaks volumes to our culture past, present and future. But they are short on a platform, on promotion, (and sadly what it all boils down to, Peter) ... on funding.

Rebalance the arts funding paradigm, please!

A series of camps for school kids in the holidays where they can live in Aboridginal culture, learning how to live off the land, study an Aboriginal language, use a boomerang and woomera, play the digeridoo and learn the stories of ancient Australia. Alot of fun, massive employment oppertunities in country areas and it could be a good way of preserving our ancient heritage.

In a generations time we could have a rich experiecial understanding of the ancient culture and this will hopefully lead to a happier, more culturally confident nation.

There is a need for more funding, collaborative programs and support for smaller arts/performing arts/ cultural development roles and organisations in regional and rural Australia.

Australian 'culture' in its many forms needs to be promoted nationally and internationally with much greater emphasis and recognition...it's great that an Australian scientist won the Nobel Prize recently and was front page of many newspapers...why is there not similar recognition (or a comparable prize?) for our artists, poets, writers, designers, musicians, etc?

Many of the unique, quirky, eccentric and unusual aspects of our Australian culture and history are ignored in favour of mainstream , stereotypical and popular culture... why aren't these stories told in our cultural institutions, in the media and on-line?

Overall, Australians need to feel proud, stimulated, shocked and amused at our culture (all at the same time)...just yesterday my 17 year old step son said ' Australia is so boring; we have no culture here'. It's time to change these attitudes, particularly in young people. Why are they so ignorant of Australia's culture??

Creative institutions (particularly music) in our universities are in a state of crisis. They have been massively underfunded for a decade or more. The university funding model assumes class sizes of 40 students (approx.) and when you have to teach instruments and composition one on one its very clear that there is a substantial shortfall. A significant number of schools have either been forced to close or have had to compromise their teaching. Those that remain cannot be internationally competitive for much longer. They run on the goodwill of the staff who are aging because the rate of new appointments and teaching by postgrads has dried up.

If you are really serious about stimulating and assisting arts in Australia you must address this situation urgently.

I'll keep my list short and sweet for now.

1) divert extravagent finacial support provided to opera and orchestras into other artforms, leveling the playing field

2) Subsidise training for cultural practitioners to develop the entrepreneurial skills they need to fundraise, publicise and market themselves better

3) Support the development of online platforms, blogs, web-portals etc. to assist cultural practitioners to develop and grow export markets.

I would like to see the Government create a Ministry of Culture - bringing science, education and the arts .. and maybe heritage .. into the same portfolio.

Then we would have the Ministry for big brains in action - Australia stop thinking small - lets take a conceptual leap toward the really clever, compassionate and creative community - there is more to Australia than mate ship, love with its sleeves rolled up and football grand final world!

The Ministry of Culture where 60,000 years of human inhabitance meets the new world order of scientific knowledge, IT communication and a need for belonging in an increasingly connected society.

IN Australians and the arts a study developed in 2000 it was identified that whilst we value the arts we lack pathways to engage with them. A residency program is a fabulous way to do this. In schools ( obvious) but also in factories, prisons, hospitals, shopping centres, doctors surgeries etc. Provide employment for artists, but also demystify the arts and bring it central to peoples lives. There are many versions of the residency, a paid gig where the artist has the opportunity to create in a quiet supportive space, a residency where the artist has interaction with others and gives something back to the host community, a residency which the artists pays to attend, or is subsidised to attend, a residency where the artists attends a works space on a regular basis to work with other workers, attendees over a period of time or on a particular project. The US do it very well by granting tax incentives for donors to bequeath estates for this purpose. I reviewed residencies world wide in 2005 for research into establishing arts trails. I would be interested in what other findings and observations come from this discussion. In our region we are very keen to develop artist in residency opportunities- SCENIC RIM, SE QLD.

I am not sure how we keep culture strong or power the young by a policy that makes books more expensive here than anywhere else in the world.

I understand that this is an Australian government discussion framework, but it astounds me that we are still on the search and destroy mission for an Australian culture and identity - and that the arts should be enlisted and be required to understand its activities as part of this project. I thought we left that at the last election! In my own humble opinion, the arts project can more easily be linked to disturbing settled views of what is Australian, and perhaps seeking to stand in solidarity and give expression to the un-Australian, the outcast stripped of human (Australian) qualities and rights.

Anyway, responding to the question, as a first suggestion, I would say do not devise selection criteria for arts funding that selects out individuals and companies who question established ideas of Australian culture. To do so would, paradoxically, spell the end of Australian culture.

A broad wish-list for advancing Australian culture : i) ‘As fast as Korea’, on all the time, flat fee broadband access for all Australians, not just the wealthy, ii) On-line globally competitive syllabus K-12 and beyond into undergraduate resources for all Australians, not just the wealthy, iii) Support for Mark Scott’s intention to use ABC Network resources to carry Australian content to the world; and while there seems to be some need to explain this concept to Rupert Murdoch, this one idea adequately resourced and intelligently driven, will provide for not only forming and progressing awareness of the Australian perspective to the world, but will also provide a developmental cultural context more than any other single initiative, iv) As Australian contemporary music generates more export dollars than Australian film, isn’t it about time the Federal government introduced a tax incentive for investing in production and distribution of contemporary music based on similar criteria as 10BA 10b used to promote production of Australian film in the 80’s, v) Review tax on second and third income for all people under 25 as this would provide developing and emerging Australian youth an opportunity to enjoy the benefit of being productive without penalty.

1) An overhaul of the Collecting agencies in australia first by providing more IT training or staff with IT skills sets to engage with Librarians, archivists, museum curators to get our collections online and accessible.

2)Support for libraries by overhauling the Legal Deposit legislation

3)Overhauling the rights managment in libraries so that as much of our collections as possible are available for mashup and re-use. Bring on creative commons licening for pictorial collections and let try and remember 'our' collections aren't ours they belong to every citzen.

4)The abandonment of all ideas that to preserve culture for the future we have to restrict access today.

5)The recognion that as with many cultural organisations libraries and museums often have roles that cross from prservation to education and entertainment.

6)More joint projects across instiutions and cultural specialities. Orchestra in the library, digital museums, geo taging of cultural artifacts, development of mobile interfaces to collections.

I hope the National Cultural Policy will also support the preservation and promotion of past culture as well as new artistic forms. (And let's not forget that 'culture' doesn't just mean visual arts, writing, theatre and music - it also includes sport, religion, political activism, environmental activism, gardening, Scrabble, food festivals and all sorts of other things).

For example, the Collections Council of Australia has just had its funding withdrawn and will be closing in early 2010. In their work they particularly highlighted the importance of smaller collecting organisations - local history museums etc. If the government is serious about supporting community and culture, this seems like a backward step (see www.aiccm.org.au for more info and links).

More governmental support to contemporary artists! We allocate such a huge part of our funding to the arts bases that already have wealthy, older patrons support and private funding. Where is the money and guidance for young people starting out in fledgling arts industries?

If we support students we should support new artists!

Again I see that the true advancement of australian culture comes not in the funding but in the alignment to national goals that celebrate and engage the diversity of all australians. This is not about money it is about the importance of policy reflecting at its fundamental core the values of social inclusion, diversity, innovation and excellence.Once a national policy that is inclusive is in place then all programming seeks to meet these outcomes. Create the right environment for a healthy and sustainable sector approach to culture - a central tenet or fourth pillar and the outcomes will follow as programming aligns to these values.

Think locally act locally.

It seems there are many calls to support artists in various ways. My suggestion for a positive step builds on this.

In broad terms much of Australia's cultural output is project based. Groups or individuals coming together (sometimes guided by an established company or producer) to create a one-off event. Sometimes this event leaves a legacy or has multiple incarnations/seasons but at its core the project is a singular experience.

Each year Australia experiences many festivals where more often than not, outstanding international companies visit our shores to showcase their work. These companies have usually honed their artistic practice over many years of full-time dedication to their ideas and creative ingenuity. As a result we queue up to see Robert Lepage, or DV8 or Theatre de Complicite but their Australian equivalents are sparse on the ground.

So I suggest that we build some structures to allow, say, 4-6 small companies to work full-time on their artistic practice. Led by an artistic visionary, partnered with a good General Manager and with 3-4 full-time performers/dancers/musicians/artists these small engines of creativity could then really develop their practice and represent Australia at festivals and artistic events around the world.

Perhaps more importantly they would have the time to be true artistic explorers, developing their practice and building a reputation that together forms the basis for a true and sustainable career in the arts.

Just one immediate suggestion here:

A major 'all of government' initiative (fed/state/local) concerning efforts to help create additional outstanding architectural 'icons' - that reflect Australia and its culture in a positive light - could well contribute productively to our cultural advancement.

Currently in Australia the one shining architectural example, at least at this large scale iconic level, is still our lonely, but world regarded Opera House. Deserved respect too, given its extraordinary harmony with its spectacular location and the remarkable talent shown in its conception, design and construction.

But in valuing its achievements, we should also never overlook what a major cultural and economic return it (to this day) continues to deliver on such a relatively small investment! Along with the koala and kangaroo it effectively brands Australia (nowadays almost to the point of overkill).

Was the Sydney Opera House an accident? Never to be repeated in this country? And if so, what does that say about our culture and our capacity to create further built environments and structures (both big or small) as beautiful and outstanding as our unique land itself?

With regard to 'bigness' (an often dreaded but also wrongly maligned concept), yes we have the one brilliant icon of this kind, but what about the rest (and I don't mean office towers) - 'where the bloody hell are you?'

Such leaps of the imagination should be taken more seriously in Australia. It is not always an issue of money alone, but more one of vision, will and priorities it would seem.

By contrast, look at what e.g. Spain, Germany and various contemporary Asian cultures are now achieving.

Learning from their example, it is apparent that challenging the 'could be anywhere' appearance of our cities and their 'international' architecture can now only be achieved through truly imaginative initiatives.

And in this regard, there was once a time when government, even in relation to its own buildings, tried to make a significant contribution. Parliament House would appear to be the last and only noteworthy attempt here. Again, can't we do more and better?

Peter, you need to revamp the Australian Film Industry, especially Screen Australia. Its exclusivist agenda is a disaster, which is costing, we, the tax payers, more money cumulatively, than the other antiquated funding bodies it was designed to replace.

Don't listen to the mealy mouth crap from its bureaucrats, the facts speak for themselves. Out of the 35 feature films that have been made this year, only two, Samson and Delilah and Mao's Last Dancer - which was mostly privately funded - have made their money back. Aside from these, over 33 feature films have been nurtured and supported by Screen Australia this year, ALL OF WHICH HAVE LOST MONEY AND FAILED AT THE BOX OFFICE. There are reasons for this. Please, please read Louis Nowra's article Nowhere Near Hollywood, to get the facts.

If you don't do something to redress this problem, I fear our film industry will soon be defunct.

I would like to see more use of cultural institutions within the curriculum. I think there should be free admission for schools into all publicly funded cultural institutions.

I'd also like to see more and better training for educators within cultural institutions. There's simply not enough emphasis on the importance of education within cultural institutions and yet without these educators, a school student's experience within a cultural institution is severely diminished.

What about the Newstart Allowance also being morphed into arts grant for serious scriptwriters, for those that qualify for a tailored program, something like the Samll Business Nice Scheme. The Australian Film Industry needs an injection of ideas, those ideas are driven from the script stage. With the proper implementation of a " Means" tested program that would allow scriptwriters to work with a percentage of anxiety lessened with the knowledge that at least some of the basic costs of living are covered for a certain period. Talented filmmakers, Directors, Writers, Producers etc are walking away from the film industry...because a sustainable Australian film industry doesn't exist, and still we throw Millions of dollars at a film industry that only periodically connects with the taxpayers who fund these productions. It simply isn't good enough. We need an overhaul of what "Looking for Work" actually is and a new approach in how creative ideas that can generate revenue within the realm of cinema are actually realized...more often than not, these narrative concepts are developed hand in hand with "extreme" poverty.

Funding allocations should not be done by state or region which encourages pork barreling and disadvantages small country towns. A new system needs developing such as a national assement priority rating.

Artists should be funded to move to Europe or somewhere they have a chance to make a decent living. It is cruel to encourage peole to think they'll have some sort of future as artists in this country.

Bite the bullet and be honest - the interest isn't here to support artists to have anything remotely like an average income - even half an average income.

The money all goes to a few big flagship arts companies and to developers to build buildings which are all very well but give little or no benefit to living Australian artists. A bit goes to administer programs where a few artists get a few thousand dollars a couple of times in their life. Yet we keep pumping out art graduates. Why? To what end?

It is not fair to fill people's heads with ideas that this country will never be able to deliver on. We should accept that Australia is not an art focussed country and help the few who love art and wish to make it their life's work to do so - by offering them the support they need to move to countries where they have a chance to realise their dream.

Either that or actually put some real dollars in to buy and commission works from artists, cut the bureaucracy, cut the big 'museum, historical re-enactment' companies and fund living current practice. But don't keep on with the bull that the piddling amount that goes to living artists is anything other than a joke.

Increase the required amount of local content in Australian media.

First positive step? Recognise that "Australian Culture" will always remain a diverse, changing and often conflicted sum of it's (equally as diverse, changing and conflicted) parts. And it SHOULD be.

Secondly? An Orchestra, an Opera and a Theatre Company per Capital City does not a "Culture" make. They are legitimate parts of the cultural fabric of our nation but are no more important than any other performing arts company - the funding imbalance is cringingly, embarrassingly obvious.

Your positive step should be to address the imbalance - and not just by slashing funding to reduce the disparity!

Your third step to improving the role of Performing Arts in Australian Culture? Recognise that Australia is much, much bigger than just Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and IMPROVE REGIONAL TOURING. The $6m of Playing Australia funding is woefully inadequate and current allocation/tour selection processes are skewed. Regional Australians deserve better access to the quality arts that we are capable of, and not the dumbed down, condescendingly bland stuff that dominates the touring circuit out of financial concerns. Increase funding, encourage innovation, and help make things happen often enough in our regional areas for it to be a relevant part of Australia's cultural fabric...

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My comment is in regard to building a solid, highly efficient and regulated film industry, thus embracing a unique Australian culture which stands on its own and has the respect it deserves from our international counterparts. Financial support of the arts is the first issue to contend with. I believe we should aspire to have the healthy industry experienced by the French. For example, $2 from each movie ticket sold in France is injected straight back into the French film industry - why can't Australia do the same???? The French are open to foreign film and tv but will always nurture their industry before anyone elses - why can't Australia do the same???Please note - have you ever known all the european film stars to pack up and move to Hollywood? Hell no!!

Secondly, it concerns me that the film industry is the only industry where people consistently wait long periods of time(up to 6 months or longer for some) to be paid, even by elite production companies who shall remain nameless. Some companies are putting contractors wages into term deposits for 3-6 months, collecting the interest and then paying the earner. This shonky act should be abolished ASAP because it perpuates negativity within the industry, lack of respect for our own film culture and deters some aspiring artists from even entering the industry.

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I would like to see streamlining of Australia's Local, State and Federal Government arts and cultural goals.

I would like to see Federal Government funding and support made directly avaiable to Local Government Authority's both metropolitan and regional that looks to encourage arts and cultural participation at a grassroots. This would involve creating infrastructure and support programs that would increase the general population's "artistic" literacy.

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Close the climb at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

This would be a practical and very popular decision and create interest internationally regarding the Australian Governments' committment to Indigenous/ Aboriginal Australia and to the welfare of it's National Parks workforce.

PhD research conducted at UKTNP over a number of years indicates that international visitors (in the main) would still visit UKTNP if the climb was closed.

Australian men (in general), however, still feel the call to climb as a "right of passage" - something they did with their fathers.

There are many other activities that people can undertake at UKTNP - without endangering themselves and others : Anangu Cultural Tour, base walk, helicopter tours, and many other activities organised through the numerous tour groups that visit the park annually.

As it is Tour Groups and visitors have to have Plan B in place as the climb is ofetn closed due to extremes in weather - heat, wind, rain and/or for cultural reasons.

Anangu say - "we don't climb, please don't climb"

Park staff say - "every time we conduct a rock rescue we put our own lives in danger".

thanks

Suzie

I would like to see a review of funding streams, a top down approach with the funding of organisations, companies etc. is easy, but is it efficient? Large sums of money distributed to few, especially when budgets are regularly cut does not leave much for creative capacity building. We need now more than ever to unleash the creative potential of our communities, we need supported programs not only through the education sector, but also on the ground in local facilities which provides the opportunity for those who wish to pursue their art making but also for those who wish to participate and share in a cultural experience. These activities build communities, make them stronger and allow them to express what is important to them.

I would love to see afforable studio spaces for artists, that caould also act as redisency locations and exhibition spaces. A location that would also house small film nights and poetry reading performances. A space run by artists as a collective. Prime example of a location... Seaforth Tafe, Sydeny.

It has been vacant for 10 years.

In this time, space has been lost in Glebe due to housing and other spaces have cropped up but nothing that afforbale.

In Albury Wadonga an Arts Centre has been established that does all that I mentioned above and it was achieved with support from both NSW and the Victorian Governments.

I would love to see afforable studio spaces for artists, that could also act as residency location and exhibition space. A location that would also house small film nights and poetry reading performances. A space run by artists as a collective. Prime example of a location... Seaforth Tafe, Sydeny.

It has been vacant for 10 years.

In this time, space has been lost in Glebe due to housing and other spaces have cropped up but nothing that afforbale.

In Albury Wadonga an Arts Centre has been established that does all that I mentioned above and it was achieved with support from both NSW and the Victorian Governments.

Who do you approach for something like this to eventuate?

Who wants to run it?

The residency idea is a good one, as always in the arts it is the question of who funds the state or the market.

Perhaps indirect government support by way of tax breaks for australians putting up quality real estate under a residency framework is the answer to community providing infrastructure and maintenance and therefore buy in to the investment of the creation of cultural stock.

We need to devolve infrastructure support for cultural diversity and in regional australia especially as long a quality framework is established, this could provided very easily as infrastructure exists it is just difficult to keep it economically sustainable. This could provide an income stream/ useful deduction for primary producers and councils with the outcome of a quality and diverse platform for cultural cross fertilisation.

We dont need more silos or temples - we need more integrated opportunities for cultural expression for the 150,000 artistic producers we have in Australia.

Our sustainability dilemma is to 'Look after the farm' not the market.

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Removed by moderator - this was a duplicate comment

I support the expansion of the residency framework in Australia and as always in the arts it is the question of who funds - the state or the market.

From a policy perspective - given the critical lack of access to cultural infrastructure for artists beyond the educational environment there could be a good argument for indirect governmental support by way of tax breaks for ordinary australians putting up quality real estate under a residency framework. The infrastructure then is instantly available and the challenge lies in co-ordination and marketing and an equitable framework.

The community (rather than corporate sector) provides infrastructure and maintenance and therefore buy in to the investment of the creation of cultural stock for all Australians.

We need to devolve infrastructure support for cultural diversity and in regional australia, as long as a quality framework is established, this could be provided very easily as infrastructure exists and space is not at a premium; it is just difficult to keep it economically sustainable.

Architectural stimulus of culture in this way could provide an income stream/ useful deduction for all Australians including other artists, primary producers and councils with the outcome of a quality and diverse platform for cultural cross fertilisation.

We dont need more silos or temples - we need more integrated opportunities for cultural expression for the 150,000 artistic producers we have in Australia.

Our sustainability dilemma is to 'Look after the farm' not the institutional market.

True sustainability is about Australians shared responsibility to culture - not just the Governments or the corporate sector.

I believe we need key performing arts institutions to be set up in a similar way to Museums - by statute. It would be the mission of these institutions to champion and support the work of independent artists - almost like cultural centres.

Why are there no performing arts institutions created by statute?

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I would like to see more experiences for everyday Australians to experience and celebrate culture, particularly through the arts.

Regular local consultations by local parliamentarians to progress dialogue and development strategies in all areas of culture ... something like the 20/20 process but with real and effective outcomes from year to year,

People are generally apathetic when it comes to engaging the political culture and are worn down by the pork-barreling of election years ... we give the mandate and then the predominance of the economy always seems to erode creative progress and railroads the necessary cultural debate and development.

Keep culture strong? In some communities, there’s a struggle to keep culture ALIVE. Their challenge is compounded by the imminent closure of the Culture Portal and the Collections Council of Australia, and the uncertainty facing the Collections Australia Network. Commonwealth investment in these services would help! Please reinstate the Culture Portal, support the Collections Council, and ensure the continuity of Collections Australia Network. Increase the funding for all three so as to reach out to the amazing volunteers who initiate community museums and historical societies, and who make heritage places accessible to visitors. Across Australia, there’s a Distributed National Collection of objects, images and documents. It’s not yet fully understood, but with the right national framework it could inspire new generations of students, engage communities in telling stories about themselves and their neighbours, and underpin cultural innovation.