Prime Minister Scott Morrison has abolished the Department of Communication and the Arts in a brutal department restructure to take place from February 1, 2020.
The Department of Communication and the Arts will be merged with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development to create the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
“Cultural and creative activity” contributed $111.7 billion to Australia’s economy in 2016-17, which is approximately $4,400 per Australian resident. This is almost double the revenue of the Australian farming industry, which in the same year (16/17) generated $60 billion for the Australian economy.
The Morrison government’s scheme to offer drought-affected farmers’ welfare is noble in thought, while the more economically profitable arts sector struggles with budget cuts to grants.
Given Australian art’s enormous, documented, financial contribution to the nation’s economy, which is to say nothing of its untold cultural contribution, one finds it difficult to imagine an explanation Morrison could come up with beyond his government’s obsession with silencing dissidents.
The Liberal party had not taken a specific arts policy to the last election.
Read on for a full list of mergers
The Department of Education and the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business will merge to become The Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
The Department of Agriculture will merge with the environment functions part of the Department of the Environment and Energy.
The Department of Industry, Innovaion and Science, the energy part of the Department of the Environment and Energy and small business functions from The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business.
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development will merge with The Department of Communications and the Arts.
Services Australia, formerly known as Human Services, will form a new executive agency within the Social Services Department.
As a little bonus, enjoy this “honest government ad” by The Juice Media.
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