Document
Index
Budget Paper 2
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Document
Index |
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Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will continue its enhancement funding for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) for a further year, to assist it in becoming a world class orchestra and meet planned commitments for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Initial enhancement funding of $2.5 million a year from 1995-96 was provided for the SSO to allow it to become a world class orchestra.
A wide ranging inquiry into the major performing arts sector, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is now underway. Future funding for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra will be considered after the completion of the review, for which a report is due in August.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will continue funding ArtsInfo and Australia’s Cultural Network (ACN). This measure builds on the success of implementing the Government’s policy of increasing access to Australian culture via the Internet.
Funding for this measure of $1.5 million over three years is to be offset by savings in the departmental expenses of Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts in 1999-2000.
Further Information
ArtsInfo provides information on opportunities for assistance, employment, training and business development as well as reference information.
ACN was launched in April 1998 to improve online access to, and participation in Australia’s cultural endeavours, commerce activities and events.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
As part of its regional arts strategy, the Government will provide funding of $6 million over two years to increase access to, and targeted support for, cultural activities. This meets the Government’s election commitment in its policy statement Arts for Australia’s Sake, to increase high quality cultural activity in regional Australia by extending the impact of Playing Australia, Visions of Australia and Festivals of Australia.
Further Information
Visions of Australia grants have dramatically improved the touring of exhibitions in Australia since 1994. The programme has offered some 300 grants for exhibition development and touring. Attendance at exhibitions has been almost 3 million since 1994.
Playing Australia grants have substantially increased the number of performances of the performing arts in regional Australia. During 1998-99, Playing Australia will assist approximately 730 performances of Australia’s best performing arts outside the capital cities.
Festivals of Australia has offered 311 grants to festivals in all states and territories, distributing the funds to regional and remote areas of Australia. Approximately 80 per cent of the grant funds have been distributed to festivals outside metropolitan Australia.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will support the establishment of a Call and Technology Centre in Cooma, NSW to improve information technology and telecommunications infrastructure and services in the Cooma region.
This measure delivers on the Government’s election commitment.
Further Information
The proposed grant is a one-off payment to set up the facility and fund its initial running. It is expected that income flows and community contributions would cover all ongoing recurrent costs of the Centre. Implementation is scheduled for July 1999.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will provide additional funding to the Cultural Development Programme as announced in its 1998 election policy statement Arts for Australia’s Sake. This additional money will help to maintain the funding base for the major national cultural organisations and training institutions and schemes funded through the Programme, such as Opera Australia and the National Institute of Dramatic Arts. It will also provide funding for the Protection and Return of Indigenous Cultural Property and the establishment of a National Cultural Heritage Fund.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will support the next stage of the planned Inveresk redevelopment in Launceston, Tasmania, which will involve the establishment of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery within the site. This phase will see the redevelopment of more than 20 former railway buildings, the creation of working exhibits based on the State’s industrial heritage, such as the old blacksmith’s shop and the restoration/construction of a new art gallery.
A commitment to support the Inveresk development was made in the Government’s 1998 election policy statement A Stronger Tasmania.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
As part of its commitment to support community broadcasting, the Government will continue special purpose funding of $4.5 million over three years for the community broadcasting infrastructure investment package and multicultural community radio broadcasting.
This funding will support community ethnic language radio groups and community radio stations which provide ethnic language programming. It will allow for the extension of the Community Access network to include new stations, mainly in regional areas; continued upkeep and further development of the Community Broadcasting Database; and continuation of the current level of multicultural broadcasting.
This measure will be partly offset by savings of $2.3 million in 1999-2000 in the departmental expenses of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts in 1999-2000.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will give a Centenary of Federation Commemorative Medallion to each primary school child in Australia in 2001. This memento, to the generation that will carry the nation into the future, will complement education programmes planned for school children in the Centenary year of nationhood.
Further Information
Activities for the Centenary of Federation are being co-ordinated by the National Council for the Centenary of Federation, which will play the leading role in the oversight of centenary related activities, celebrations and commemorations in Australia and overseas.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will support 1999 as Online Australia Year, as announced in its 1998 election policy Securing Our Information Future. This initiative will build on the momentum and interest generated in the lead-up to Online Australia Day – a national day of awareness raising coordinated by the National Office for the Information Economy on 27 November 1998. A programme of events, developed through consultation with industry, business, community and government stakeholders, will be conducted from March to November 1999.
Funding for this measure of $1.1 million in 1999-2000 will be offset from savings in departmental expenses of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will support an Analogue Closure Public Education Programme to assist the Australian Communictions Authority to fulfil its consumer protection functions under the Australian Communications Act 1997 more effectively. The programme will involve advising analogue users of details of the staged analogue closure to assist them to make informed decisions, particularly about purchasing other telecommunications products and services, including other mobile services.
The funding for the Australian Communications Authority will be offset by savings in departmental expenses of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
Further Information
The analogue mobile network will close on a staged basis. At December 1998, there were 1.379 million analogue services in use.
Costs associated with the education programme will be recovered from industry via cost recovery arrangements.
See the related revenue measure in Part II titled Australian Communications Authority cost recovery.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will provide additional resources to the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) to conduct a review of the longer term cost effectiveness of telecommunication interception arrangements. The ACA will report to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts by 28 May 1999. A specialist member has been appointed to the ACA for the duration of the review to lead it.
The funding for the Australian Communications Authority will be offset by savings in the departmental expenses of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
Further Information
See the related revenue measure in Part II titled Australian Communications Authority cost recovery.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will provide additional resources for the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) to undertake activities related to digital television conversion.
The Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Act 1998 (the Act) sets out the legislative framework for converting all national and commercial television services from analogue to digital mode, with a commencement date of 1 January 2001 for the five largest metropolitan centres, and by 1 January 2004 for regional Australia.
The Act requires the ABA to develop conversion schemes for commercial and national television broadcasters that will include the development of digital channel plans and approval of implementation plans by each commercial and national broadcaster. The Act also requires the ABA to assess technical feasibility of access to transmission towers and sites by broadcasters and datacasters for installation of transmission equipment.
Costs associated with this measure will be recovered from industry. See the related revenue measure in Part II titled Cost recovery for Australian Broadcasting Authority costs associated with digital television.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
To protect Australian citizens, especially children, against illegal or highly offensive material on the internet, the Government will establish a regime to regulate the carriage of content over the internet. The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) will administer this regime.
This measure honours the Government’s commitment to make the internet safe and secure, maximising business and consumer confidence in the internet, online services and electronic commerce as announced in its 1998 election policy Securing Our Information Future.
Further Information
The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts announced these changes on 19 March 1999. The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Sevices) Bill 1999 was introduced into the Parliament in April 1999.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will provide for continuation of the Young and Emerging Artists Fund as announced in its 1998 election policy statement Arts for Australia’s Sake, with a stronger focus on youth.
The Government’s commitment to the Young and Emerging Artists Fund provides greater public exposure for the work of new artists, assisting their career development.
Further Information
In its first 18 months, the Emerging Artists Fund provided 61 grants to organisations and 208 grants to individuals.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will extend funding for the Major Festivals Fund, which was established in the 1996-97 Budget. The Fund provides support to Australia’s major international festivals to enable them to develop and present large scale commissioned works.
This measure honours a commitment made by the Government in the 1998 election policy statement Arts for Australia’s Sake.
Further Information
As a result of the high profile exposure gained by arts productions through the Major Festivals Fund, several national and international tours have been negotiated, such as Cloudstreet to Melbourne, Sydney, Zurich, London and Dublin; the Stalker Theatre Company's Blood Vessel to Europe in 1998 and 1999; and the Australian Dance Theatre's Possessed to France and Germany.
On the basis of past performance, it is estimated that State and Territory Governments and other partners in programme delivery contribute at least one dollar for every dollar the Commonwealth invests in the Major Festivals Fund, thereby doubling the community impact.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will continue support for its Regional Arts Fund to ensure that the arts are more accessible to Australians in regional areas.
The Regional Arts Fund was established in the 1996-97 Budget to encourage new partners and supporters for arts activities in regional areas and increase opportunities for regional artists to undertake professional development.
This measure honours a commitment made by the Government in the 1998 election policy statement Arts for Australia’s Sake.
Expense ($m)
Explanation
The Government will make funding available to assist the LOUDER Youth Festival, which is planned for January 2001. LOUDER is the sequel to LOUD, Australia’s first national media festival of youth culture and the arts which took place in January 1998. LOUD highlighted the creativity of Australians aged 12 to 25 using television, radio, print media, advertising and the Internet.
This measure honours a commitment made by the Government in the 1998 election policy statement Arts for Australia’s Sake.
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