North-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:21): (756) My question is directed to the Minister for Creative Industries. Last week I was fortunate enough to attend a beginners ballet class at the Box Hill Ballet company hosted by the marvellous Jan Turner – and apparently I was a very good student. The ballerinas at Box Hill, like every other community arts organisation, should be worried that community arts funding is at risk. The Labor government have cut funding to the Melbourne Youth Orchestras, so what is next? The Minister for Creative Industries seems disinterested in arts funding and would rather quarantine a quarter of a trillion dollars for the Suburban Rail Loop. Will the minister give a guarantee that community arts groups will not be given the same treatment as the Melbourne Youth Orchestras and there will be no cuts to community arts funding?