Labor is calling on the Premier and Arts Minister Steven Marshall to withdraw the massive cuts to the arts sector imposed in the last two Liberal budgets.
$31.9 million was axed over four years in the Liberals first budget, followed by cuts totalling $5.4 million in last year’s budget.
The arts and entertainment sector has been decimated by the coronavirus restrictions, with thousands left jobless and a full recovery expected to take years.
ABS data released this week reveals the arts sector is the second hardest hit sector after food and accommodation, with a 27% drop in jobs since the crisis hit.
The Grattan Institute has also released a report finding up to 75% of arts workers nationally will lose their jobs during the crisis.
Arts companies have been forced to shut to comply with group gathering limits, social distancing requirements and domestic and international travel restrictions.
Quotes attributed to the Shadow Minister for Arts Jayne Stinson
It’s wrong to insist on big budget cuts during this unprecedented crisis for the arts.
People working in the arts have enough to worry about right now, let alone having to slash their starving budgets even further to meet tough targets.
It’s unlikely these groups will be in a position to meet the cuts imposed on them by the Marshall Liberal Government, driving their bottom lines into the red.
Arts organisations should be focusing their limited funds on retaining workers, developing new work and trying to stage and exhibit work as the restrictions are gradually lifted.
The Premier has already refused to fight for JobKeeper payments the 200 workers left jobless with the closure of the Adelaide Festival Centre.
What’s the point of the Premier being the Arts Minister if he can’t stick up for the arts
sector at the time it most needs his support?