Federal Minister Delaying Indigenous Arts Inquiry

Senator Trish Crossin has accused Senator Kemp of dithering over the Senate inquiry into the Indigenous visual arts industry.

"Tired of waiting since March for Senator Kemp to respond to revelations about scams in the Indigenous arts industry, I tabled terms of reference for a Senate inquiry into the industry six weeks ago (21 June)” Senator Crossin said.

"It is frustrating that the Federal Arts Minister after five months, a trip around Central Australia and the tabling of my terms of reference for the inquiry says he still needs to talk to the Indigenous Affairs Minister about what the inquiry needs to look at.

"As one of the few economic drivers on indigenous communities we can't let the Indigenous art industry be brought down by unscrupulous scammers and a lazy minister.

"If Senator Kemp wants changes to the terms of reference I put up for the inquiry he should state them publicly now.

"Then we can consider and debate them and get the inquiry happening as soon as the Senate resumes next week” Senator Crossin said.

Senator Crossin put in the following notice of motion in the Senate on 21 June. It was then deferred until the next Senate sittings in August.

That the following matter be referred to the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee for inquiry and report:

The Indigenous visual arts industry, with particular reference to:

(a) the economic impact and value of the industry with regard to diverse communities throughout Australia through business development and job creation and the value of the industry as an export;

(b) the extent and effect of unscrupulous or unethical conduct in the Indigenous visual art trade, and the effect of this conduct on artists and their communities;

(c) the extent and effect of the importation of fakes and copies of Indigenous art and craft; and

(d) strategies to address the exploitation of Indigenous visual artists including the roll of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and relevant measures to maintain and appropriately regulate the Indigenous visual arts industry.

2006-08-01