Industry ‘Confident’ Cultural Policy Will Live Beyond Simon Crean

Stakeholders of the music industry are quietly confident that the recently-announced National Cultural Policy will remain on the cards in the May budget, despite Simon Crean's 'self-destruct' move yesterday that will likely see him stripped of the Arts minister portfolio.

Crean, who called for a leadership vote of the Labor party but was left red-faced when Kevin Rudd refused to stand against Prime Minister Julia Gillard, announced the policy earlier this month, to a mostly positive reaction in the industry.

Today live music campaigner John Wardle told theMusic.com.au that Crean's policy had left a “great legacy… [having] undertaken such a major task and delivered such a wide ranging policy.”

He added, “With the legislation introduced into parliament this week and the budget costed and approved by Cabinet prior to launching, we would expect the process to progress regardless of who's at the helm. It's not a change of government. As a new Arts Minister is chosen shortly they will find there's much to do on Creative Australia. It's a great opportunity to make a difference.”

A representative from the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia [PPCA] told theMusic, “We would prefer not to speculate on whether the recent changes in the Federal Government will affect the National Cultural Policy.”

Having had time to digest the policy the PPCA spokesperson was able to comment further on the NCP than previously, and said they “believe it has potential to increase the creative output of our local artists.”

As part of the policy the Government will commission the Australian Law Reform Commission to consider where the current Copyright Act 1968 is “appropriate in the digital environment”. Long campaigners of stronger copyright regulations, the PPCA said today, “The ALRC Review into 'Copyright in a Digital Economy' has the potential to have a monumental effect on our industry as we seek to ensure artists continue to be rewarded for their creative work via adequate copyright protection. PPCA along with a host of other rights organisations have submitted detailed submissions on the ALRCs Issues Paper and eagerly await the results of the ALRCs findings, due to be delivered to Government on 30 November 2013.”