ART GALLERY OF WESTERN
AUSTRALIA — ADULT CONTENT — SCHOOL VISITS
1152. Hon
NICK GOIRAN to the Minister for Education and Training:
I refer to a report in The West
Australian of 26 September, ''Victoria Park Primary School complains
of lack of warning about 'inappropriate' Art Gallery of WA
exhibit''.
(1) What has been done to ensure that young children
are not exposed to explicit sex acts on a school excursion?
(2) Has the
minister spoken to the Minister for Culture and the Arts regarding this
incident?
(3) If yes to
(2), when did this occur and what was the outcome of this meeting?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) The chief executive officer of the Art Gallery of
WA has apologised to the school. He also confirmed in writing that additional
signage had been added as requested and sighted as a form of barrier that
people have to pass to enter so the
warning of content is immediately visible. In addition, gallery staff have been
asked to provide all self-guided
school groups on entry of works of art that have adult content so that the
school staff have the necessary information to ensure students are not exposed
to inappropriate material. The Department of Education recommended to
the chief executive officer of the Art Gallery of WA that clear signage be
placed at every entrance to the exhibits so that signs are visible at whichever
entrance visitors use.