Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Public libraries funding

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (17:28): (121) My matter for the adjournment is for the attention of the Minister for Local Government, although it will be of interest to the Minister for Creative Industries as well. It relates to public libraries. I am in receipt of communication, as I think many are, from Public Libraries Victoria. They point to the deteriorating financial position of public libraries in this state under this Labor government. Indeed they point to the fact that interlibrary loans have recently been suspended. Libraries cannot afford, they say, the 300 to 720 per cent escalation in courier costs. As a result, many Victorians have now lost access to the resources they want and need.

They go further to make the point that funding for public libraries has not kept pace with inflation nor the growth in the Victorian population and the demand for library services. Despite modest little dollops of spending, the Victorian government’s per capita funding for public libraries has continued to fall in real terms.

What they are seeking in the 2023–24 Victorian budget – and I think it is a very reasonable set of questions and asks – is for the indexation of the public library funding program to population forecasts plus an annual indexation that is linked to CPI. We know that inflation is out of control. We know that the government nationally and in Victoria have fed that CPI growth and are not returning that to groups like Public Libraries or to the expansion of the Living Libraries infrastructure program – they ask for at least $28 million over four years.

I mean, the truth of the matter is: local governments have had rate capping in place. At the same time the state government has withdrawn or not kept pace in terms of the funding that is needed to keep up with what is there in terms of demand, in terms of new population and in terms of the very significant support and demand for library services.

Libraries are of course very important meeting places for those in the community. Many older people find libraries are an important part of their social outing. They can meet people at a library meeting room or nearby. Young people often are able to congregate at libraries to do some of their homework and the various studies that they do. So libraries need to be properly resourced. Local government has by and large, I think, done a huge job in trying to keep our libraries running and working very well, and I can vouch for the fact that a number of my family members use our local library and enjoy that engagement. I would say the minister needs to step forward, guarantee proper funding for the libraries and make sure that it keeps pace with population and CPI, and I would expect that the libraries not be left alone in this budget.