Alston’s final gift: more lip service

Media Statement - 7 October 2003

After seven years, Richard Alston has used his last day as Minister for the Arts to once again pay lip service to the Howard Government's plans to introduce new legislation for a Resale Royalty scheme; a commitment Labor has already made to the visual arts sector.

The Australian Arts community and Indigenous Arts groups have been calling on Senator Alston to implement a Resale Royalty scheme for Artists since he became the Arts Minister in 1996.

Labor committed to introducing a Private Members Bill designed to implement a Resale Royalty Scheme for Artists, last month. The difference between the two proposals is that Labor's commitment is real.

Labor's commitment to a Resale Royalties scheme will include a direct economic benefit to artists, particularly indigenous artists, if their work is later resold for a higher value - a key recommendation of the government-commissioned Myer Report, published in June 2002.

How many more announcements of arts sector initiatives must the Howard Government make before it actually does anything?

For proof of how long this government is prepared to wait you need look no further than Senator Alston's announcement last Friday of an art labelling system to denote authenticity for indigenous art. This proposal was first announced in 1999!

Unfortunately it does not look like the arts sector will be any better off under the new Arts Minister, Daryl Williams. His reputation for being very slow to respond to issues precedes him and Resale Royalties is more than likely to end up on the backburner once again.

By leaving this announcement until his last day as Arts Minister, it is clear that this vital issue has been at the bottom of Alston's policy priorities. We won't be holding our breath for this scheme to be implemented. That's why Labor is preparing a Private Members Bill for Resale Royalties.