National Cultural Policy Is Being ‘Finalised’, Says Minister

Federal Arts Minister Simon Crean claimed that the promised Natural Cultural Policy is near completion at a conference in Mumbai yesterday.

In a keynote speech at the Music Connects India 2012 conference, Crean highlighted Australia's status as a music producer and consumer saying, “Music is one of the few markets in which – at least for now – we outweigh India.”

One of the minister's major promises to the arts community, it was hoped that the Natural Cultural Policy would be finished earlier this year. Previously telling theMusic.com.au that it would be released before the end of the year, Crean said yesterday that the government were “finalising” the policy, which will be Australia's first in two decades.

“The policy will plug the arts and creative industries into the mainstream of modern Australia,” he said, “because we know creative societies are productive and resilient societies.”

Such a national policy is being viewed as a positive move for streamlining the national arts, which members of the Australian Music Industry Network have previously expressed to theMusic.com.au as being long overdue.

Crean said the policy is part of the “major infrastructure investments and policy reforms”, including the roll out of the National Broadband Network, that he claimed would grow the industry.

Sounds Australia investment and the Aussie BBQ conference showcase platform were applauded by the minister. With an Aussie BBQ event taking place today he said that performing acts, “Big Scary, Jinja Safari, Karnivool, Sheppard and The Aston Shuffle exemplify the talent that is abundant in Australian music. And they're part of a generation of bands which are mixing it with the best in the world – indie bands like The Jezabels, Gotye and synthpop acts like Cut Copy are selling out internationally and achieving worldwide acclaim.

“The Aussie BBQ itself is symbolic of the growing global influence of our music. It has gone from an informal gathering at the SXSW festival to get Australian bands some notice, to an international industry and performance event.”

During the keynote the minister also called for greater ties between the music cultures of Australia and India. “This conference signifies the awakening of what is set to become a huge contemporary music industry [in India]  in future decades. I hope Australian music makes up a good part of it.”