CORONAVIRUS —
CULTURE AND THE ARTS
243. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Culture and the Arts:
Thank you, Madam President. I refer
to the economic impact of COVID-19 on the Western Australian arts sector.
(1) Has the
minister communicated with the federal Minister for Communications, Cyber
Safety and the Arts to discuss further funding to support the state's
arts sector; and, if yes, what further support did the federal minister
indicate?
(2) Can the
minister please advise what state funding is available for the Western Australian
arts sector, and can the minister please
advise how this funding will support all arts workers, including causal and
freelance, during this pandemic?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) A
teleconference has been scheduled for this week between the federal Minister
for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts and the states' arts
ministers.
(2) The Department of Local Government, Sport and
Cultural Industries is aware of the impact on the WA arts and cultural
sector and is working with the sector to quantify short, medium and longer term
responses. Budgeted funding of the arts sector is still in place and funding
agreements are being modified to allow for these circumstances and to maintain
employment. The department has established appropriate communication with
central government to allow timely decisions to be taken in support of the
sector.