The CPSU has today welcomed the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to securing the future of Trove by providing ongoing annual funding.
For over a decade, the CPSU and our members have been campaigning for a complete overhaul of the short-sighted funding models that have hurt our National Cultural Institutions (NCIs) and those who work in them.
Insecure funding models and the efficiency dividend have not only plagued the capacity and capability of our National Cultural Institutions, but have also led to:
- Job cuts – with the previous government cutting 244 jobs across our NCIs.
- Insecure jobs –difficulty in attracting or retaining staff and reliance on contract or labour hire workers has diminished capacity and effectiveness.
- Staffing caps have forced NCIs to resort to casuals and labour hire including at the AWM where Visitor Service Officers are paid 22% less on holidays like Anzac Day than their APS colleagues.
- Risks to collections and WHS issues caused by aging infrastructure and chronic underfunding.
The announcement includes a $33 million funding boost over the next four years which will be part of the Government’s May Budget, and $9.2 million in indexed ongoing annual funding beyond the forward estimates.
The CPSU looks forward to working with the Government to put an end to the NCI efficiency dividend and secure the futures of all our National Cultural Institutions, not just the National Library’s Trove.
Quotes attributable to Beth Vincent-Pietsch, CPSU Deputy Secretary:
“The short-sighted funding models that our NCIs have had to deal with not only fail to provide certainty for their futures but demonstrate a disappointing lack of respect for the vital work they do.
“Our national cultural institutions play unique and critical national roles in collecting, preserving, and displaying our history, art, culture, and records for the benefit of all Australians now and into the future.
“CPSU members who work in our NCIs have felt the pain of the harsh budgetary measures imposed by the former government – from huge job cuts to job insecurity, staffing caps, WHS issues and risks to collections caused by aging infrastructure.
“The CPSU is pleased to see that Albanese Government is committed to ending funding cliffs and uncertainty for Trove, but now they must turn their focus to removing the efficiency dividend and developing a sustainable funding model for all of our NCIs.
“Long-term funding certainty is sorely needed to ensure all our cultural institutions can undertake strategic forward planning and reverse the steep decline they are facing.
Media contact: Tori McGregor 0429 000 620