New Ministry for Culture & the Arts to be created in WA from July 1

2/4/97

A new Ministry for Culture & the Arts will be created in Western Australia from July 1, Arts Minister Peter Foss announced today.

Mr Foss said the new Ministry would combine the talents and resources of the existing six arts agencies.

These comprised Arts WA, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the Library and Information Services of Western Australia, the Western Australian Museum, the Perth Theatre Trust and ScreenWest.

"The new Ministry will allow the current directors to not only run their own agency but also employ their talents within the Ministry as a whole," Mr Foss said.

"Most of the agencies are too small to have the full range of logistical support necessary for implementing either their own or the initiatives of their existing portfolio.

"Combining the existing six agencies will also allow for greater flexibility to develop new services, maintain a high level of public programs and strengthen existing corporate resources to back up these programs."

The boards of the existing agencies would be retained with statutory responsibilities for the objectives under their respective Acts.

The Library Board would continue to have a more direct responsibility for the State Circulating Library Service.

Mr Foss said each agency would be able to achieve better outcomes by using the combined resources of the new corporate structure.

It also would result in more of the Arts budget being directed to the delivery of specific programs and projects.

Mr Foss said the creation of the new Ministry was not a downsizing exercise and the majority of existing agency staff would remain in their current employment.

"Only a few jobs will be affected through relocation within the new Ministry," he said.

"The aim is to make better use of the available resources to deliver the best service."

The new Ministry would include:

·      a Director General;

·      a corporate executive comprising of the Director General and the directors of existing agencies;

·      a central co-ordinating, monitoring, policy development and corporate services body; and -

·      the Library and Information Service of WA, the WA Museum, the Perth Theatre Trust, the Art Gallery of WA; ScreenWest and ArtsWA as service agencies.

The establishment of the new Ministry follows a recommendation of the Machinery of Government Advisory Committee. It is one of many changes to the structure of the public sector which the Government is planning over the next few years.

"This is an exciting development and I am sure that through shared information, use of technologies and additional market research, the future challenges of the arts industry in Western Australia will be met," Mr Foss said.

"The new Ministry will result in a more focused delivery of cultural services for the benefit of all Western Australians.

Media contact: Chris Morris (09) 321 2222