Page 1955 - Week 07 - Thursday, 13 August 2020
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MRS DUNNE: Would you like to check the record, minister? I can recollect you, during a Christmas valedictory, thanking your staff, including Mr Bradley Burch.
MR GENTLEMAN: I will take that on notice. It is not in my memory.
MISS C BURCH: Minister, when were you notified about the police investigation into Bradley Burch?
MR GENTLEMAN: I was notified in the press. I have not had a briefing from the CPO on this matter.
Arts—government policy
MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Arts, Creative Industries and Cultural Events. Minister, when will the 2015 ACT Arts Policy document be updated from five years ago?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Mr Milligan for his question. The policy of ongoing arts investment in the ACT is something that is continuing to be worked through and is continuing to be developed, especially in light of the COVID-19 situation, which has seen a significant impact on the arts and the creative industries. What we are doing at the moment is making sure that our arts are well supported. We have invested millions of dollars in making sure that our arts are well supported through this time—our arts organisations and our artists’ individual practices.
Mrs Dunne: I have a point of order. Madam Speaker, the question was direct: when will the 2015 document be updated? I ask that the minister be directly relevant.
MADAM SPEAKER: I cannot direct the minister on how to answer the question, but he is talking about an ongoing process in the arts community, so I think the response is in order.
MR RAMSAY: Whether it is the case that the 2015 document is amended or it is the case that we continue to unfold our ongoing arts support, we know that the arts are vital for us at the moment, during this COVID-19 time. That is why we have invested so significantly in our individuals and our arts organisations. We are continuing to work with our arts organisations and through the Minister’s Creative Council, which has recently conducted an extensive survey right across the arts sector to make sure that, as we move through and beyond this COVID time our arts and creative sector is particularly ready for what lies ahead. As I talk about an arts-facilitated recovery, it is a most important time, and clearly the situation in our arts industry at the moment is substantially different from what it was in 2015.
MR MILLIGAN: Why, on the artsACT website, does it say that you are the minister for the arts, but in another section it says that Ms Burch is the minister?
MR RAMSAY: I will take that question on notice. I am sure that the website contains references to the former excellent arts ministers that we have had. We are most
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