FOLLOWING yesterday’s 2015 Arts Policy launch the Liberals’ Brendan Smyth wants to know what progress has been made.

“The release of the government’s Arts policy framework yesterday shows that three years on from the 2012 policy nothing has changed, with the government telling us more needs to be done in the Arts without detailing what,” Brendan said.

“The 2012 Arts policy framework had four principles but said that the goals and outcomes associated with the policy would be developed. This never happened.

“The 2015 Arts policy which again has four principles also says that a number of operational plans are to be developed. It would seem in three years the government and Minister Burch have learnt nothing about supporting the Arts in the ACT, except to put out a bigger glossy document with a larger print size.

“I’m also concerned that the new Arts policy was available in June when the consultation report was only finalised in May. You have to question how seriously the government has taken the consultation with Canberra’s Arts community when they have produced the 2015 Arts policy without almost any detail reflecting the consultation.

“This is very disappointing lack of leadership from the Barr government for a sector which contributes millions to the economy and employs thousands of people,” Mr Smyth concluded.