Tuesday, 3 March 2026

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:48): The community should be aware that this government has delivered some stunning and very vicious cuts to the arts sector, and it has done that without proper process through a series of phone calls in the last few days before Christmas to key agencies that have had funding over a longer period and that make a very significant contribution to our community: the Abbotsford Convent had $200,000 a year cut to zero; Writers Victoria, an organisation funded under all governments since 1989, funding of $150,000 a year, cut to zero; the Public Galleries Association of Victoria is a similar story, funding cut to zero. Key organisations that have contributed massively, like Musica Viva, providing a schools program in Victoria – a very modest program at a modest cost – have been cut to zero. All of these organisations have been targeted by this government without proper process in a nasty set of cuts delivered by the minister through his Creative Victoria group. I have to say that group does not have proper processes, it does not make proper decisions and these are very damaging cuts to the arts. Six regional art galleries have been told, ‘You will only be funded for two years, and after that you’re on your own.’ These are nasty cuts, they are vicious cuts and Jacinta Allan has got to be held responsible for these cuts to arts organisations.