Who we are and where we come from – end to the rot in our national cultural institutions?

After a hiatus of ten long years Australia finally has a new national cultural policy that maps out what the current Albanese Government plans to do in support of Australian culture and creativity. At first glance the new policy appears to be an arts policy, rather than a broader cultural policy, but on closer scrutiny it is connected to far wider initiatives. Part of a series of three articles that consider different aspects of the cultural policy, this article looks at the boost to the national collecting institutions which collect and safeguard Australia's cultural heritage, outlining how after decades of damage from the so-called efficiency dividend, these institutions, amongst our most important publically-owned assets, might just have been saved. The first article looks at the policy generally and outlines some of the major components it will deliver. The second article is about the connection between the policy and broader social and economic features, such as the cultural economy and First Nations economic development.

Finally, after decades of neglect, this Government has seen fit to start to address the dire state of our national cultural institutions. These are the publically-owned institutions which belong to the Australia people and which play a crucial national role in supporting and preserving Australia’s culture and heritage. Yet over decades their work has been steadily and stealthily crippled by the operation of the ‘efficiency dividend’ the 1.25 per cent annual levy introduced in 1987 by the Hawke government and continued by Government under both major parties ever since.

This is an automatic bureaucratic mechanism which through its cumulative impact cuts support for the work of the organisations at the very time it needs to be expanded to service the growing needs of an expanding population and economy – it is about everything but efficiency. This was a crucial issue recognised by Arts Minister Crean at the time of the last national cultural policy. 

The National Film and Sound Archive, one of nine national collecting institutions which received a funding boost in the 2023-24 Budget as part of the delivery of the new national cultural policy.

Much of what is happening to these national organisations is also occurring at state level to state cultural institutions of national significance. The disappointing and badly thought through changes to the once-mighty Powerhouse Museum are a good example. These organisations are very different to Government departments, which have much more room to adjust to major cuts. They have very specific requirements to operate effectively, including a body of highly specialised expertise, with staff with long-established international and national professional networks to facilitate their roles.

New demands of the digital universe, the knowledge economy and the interconnected world
These responsibilities have been expanded by the changing demands of the digital world and the public expectations of ever broader access to their collections, knowledge and expertise. They have an important role in the new clean and clever industries of the future which comprise the growing knowledge economy.

There is an important connection between our major cultural institutions and the creative industries, even though the institutions have been steadily cut back at the very point at which their potential for the economy of the future could start to be realised. This potential was detailed in an early report from 2003 by the then Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. The report ‘Economic benefits from cultural assets’, one phase of the three part Creative Industries Cluster Study, outlined the significant economic potential the vast collections of cultural institutions offered for development of high quality digital content. It also highlighted the barriers to this potential being unlocked, including the ongoing need for large scale digitisation of collections. Finally the Government is starting to recognise that all of this requires adequate resourcing.

‘These responsibilities have been expanded by the changing demands of the digital world and the public expectations of ever broader access to their collections, knowledge and expertise. They have an important role in the new clean and clever industries of the future which comprise the growing knowledge economy.’

In the increasingly interconnected international environment, the role of the major cultural institutions in the soft diplomacy, recognised so clearly by Asian governments like China, with their grasp of the long term role of cultural bodies, has expanded not diminished. As in so many other areas, such as Australia’s support for intangible cultural heritage, in Australia but also in the Pacific and Asia, the major cultural institutions pick up the slack as a result of the neglect by the rest of the Australian Government and carry the torch for Australia.

The Government has recognised that ‘these institutions house a majority of Australia’s most valuable collections.’ Tellingly it noted that ‘they also play an important role in truth-telling for First Nations people and in fostering international cultural exchange.’

Ongoing, indexed funding for the future
In the Budget the Government announced it will invest significantly more in the nine National Collecting Institutions over the next four years. According to the Government ‘this will guarantee ongoing, indexed funding into the future and ensure that vital repairs and urgent safety improvements can finally be made.’ The funding will be provided to the Australian National Maritime Museum, Bundanon Trust, Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House), National Archives of Australia, National Film and Sound Archive, National Gallery of Australia, National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery of Australia.

Included amongst the Budget commitments the Government will also secure the long-term future of the National Library of Australia digital portal Trove with funding over four years. Trove is ‘the point of entry to the collections of hundreds of Australian libraries, universities, museums, galleries and archives with over 14 billion digitised artefacts and stories from Australia’s cultural, community and research institutions.’ The Government has also committed to providing indexed ongoing annual funding beyond the forward estimates. What is also noteworthy is that the average staffing level across the institutions will rise significantly.

Unfinished business
However, according to The Canberra Times, the so-called efficiency dividend remains in place, so there will be long-running issues in this area for years to come.

Given the broad scope of the national cultural policy – and particularly the components that connect to areas of Government larger than arts and culture – it was a missed opportunity not to link the policy in some way to two other important cultural institutions. The Australian War Memorial and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies play important collecting roles and are part of the suite of institutions that preserve our cultural heritage. Perhaps in future refinements of the policy we might see this occur.

See also

Time to revive with renewed national cultural policy
‘After a hiatus of ten long years Australia finally has a new national cultural policy that maps out what the current Albanese Government plans to do in support of Australian culture and creativity. The previous policy, announced by the Gillard Labor Government in 2013, was a very good policy, even though it had its gaps, but its impact was cut short by what turned out to be a series of Governments that managed to steadily become worse the longer they were in office. At first glance the new policy appears to be an arts policy, rather than a broader cultural policy, but on closer scrutiny it is connected to far wider initiatives, including some that have never been included in a cultural policy before. Part of a series of three articles that consider different aspects of the cultural policy, this first one looks at the policy generally and outlines some of the major components it will deliver. The second article is about the connection between the policy and broader social and economic features, such as the cultural economy and First Nations economic development. The third article looks at the boost to the national collecting institutions which collect and safeguard Australia's cultural heritage’, Time to revive with renewed national cultural policy.
 
The whole picture – an arts and cultural policy for everyone and everything
‘After a hiatus of ten long years Australia finally has a new national cultural policy that maps out what the current Albanese Government plans to do in support of Australian culture and creativity. At first glance the new policy appears to be an arts policy, rather than a broader cultural policy, but on closer scrutiny it is connected to far wider initiatives. Part of a series of three articles that consider different aspects of the cultural policy, this second one is about the connection between the policy and broader social and economic features, such as the cultural economy and First Nations economic development. The first one looks at the policy generally and outlines some of the major components it will deliver. The third article looks at the boost to the national collecting institutions which collect and safeguard Australia's cultural heritage,’ The whole picture – an arts and cultural policy for everyone and everything.  

Endless attrition at major collections institutions undermines our cultural future
‘The endless attrition of the ‘efficiency dividend’, with its long-term debilitating impact on our major national cultural institutions, continues to do harm. With the periodic announcement of job losses, more and more valuable expertise is increasingly lost and important programs affected. This will undermine the ability of these institutions to care for our heritage and to provide access to their collections for Australians across the country. The long term impact of these cumulative changes will be major and unexpected, magnifying over time as each small change reinforces the others. At some point Australians will ask where valued and important programs have gone and how critical institutions have managed to diminish to the point where return will not be possible,’ Endless attrition at major collections institutions undermines our cultural future.

Who owns Australia’s ‘soul’? Our cultural institutions, our history and our future
‘The announcement of a substantial sum from the Government for expansion of The Australian War Memorial has highlighted some crucial issues around shrinking support for our cultural institutions, recognition of our history and heritage, and sponsorship in a time of diminishing budgets. The Director of the War Memorial has commented that “the Australian War Memorial is…a place that reveals our character as a people, our soul.” In the end though, Australia's ‘soul’ might turn out to be larger, longer and wider than our history of wars’, Who owns Australia’s ‘soul’? Our cultural institutions, our history and our future. 

Cut to the bone – the accelerating decline of our major cultural institutions and its impact on Australia’s national heritage and economy
‘I always thought that long after all else has gone, after government has pruned and prioritised and slashed and bashed arts and cultural support, the national cultural institutions would still remain. They are one of the largest single items of Australian Government cultural funding and one of the longest supported and they would be likely to be the last to go, even with the most miserly and mean-spirited and short sighted of governments. However, in a finale to a series of cumulative cuts over recent years, they have seen their capabilities to carry out their essential core roles eroded beyond repair. The long term impact of these cumulative changes will be major and unexpected, magnifying over time as each small change reinforces the others. The likelihood is that this will lead to irreversible damage to the contemporary culture and cultural heritage of the nation at a crucial crossroads in its history’, Cut to the bone – the accelerating decline of our major cultural institutions and its impact on Australia’s national heritage and economy.

Too soon to tell – is the Powerhouse Museum saved and what happens next? 8 May 2023
‘Over the years I have written several articles about the decline of the once mighty Powerhouse Museum, one of the gems of Sydney and an internationally renowned institution. It was steadily undermined by a State government more at ease with pork-barrelling the suburbs it had long neglected than fostering a great museum and major tourist attraction. Rather than extending and upgrading the museum into the Western suburbs, it seemed intent on establishing a de facto entertainment and functions centre in Parramatta. Now, with a new State Government, that all may have changed’, Too soon to tell – is the Powerhouse Museum saved and what happens next?