“Mr. Speaker, we know some sectors and regions continue to do it tough,” said Treasurer Josh Frydenberg mid-way through Tuesday night’s speech. “That is why this Budget provides a further $2.1 billion in targeted support for aviation, tourism, the arts and international education providers.”
It was a rare mention for the arts, which tends not to be name-checked among the list of industries a government is keen to reassure.
Importantly, the Treasurer highlighted the arts alongside those interdependent sectors that drive Australia’s innovation and inspiration, and earn us the acclaim of the world.
Yet rather than take that as the starting point for a nation-building announcement, the Budget avoided that challenge…
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IMAGE: Shutterstock for ArtsHub
ESTHER ANATOLITIS 