The Victorian Greens will end the Victorian Government's $90 million funding deal with the racing industry and put the money into artists and small-to-medium arts organisations, more than doubling the grants and screen funding they currently receive.
Under the plan, the Greens will wind back the government's Funding Deed with the horse and greyhound racing industry and redirect the savings into music, theatre, visual arts, screen and other creative industries.
Despite Melbourne's historical reputation as Australia's cultural capital, Victoria ranks second-last in the country for per capita government spending on arts and culture. Right now, the racing industry's $90 million funding deal is bigger than the $83 million the government spends on Creative Victoria's annual grants to independent arts and VicScreen combined.
Funding for key arts programs has fallen by as much as 35% in real terms over the past five years, and the Creative Enterprises Program was recently cut by more than $20 million, leaving only $59 million across four years to share among 120 organisations. Meanwhile,
Victoria's creative industries contribute $41.1 billion to the state economy, make up 9% of the workforce, and generate more income than the mining sector.
The Greens say public money should back the artists and creative workers who make Victoria worth living in, not prop up an industry tied to gambling harm and animal welfare scandals.
As stated by Victorian Greens MP and spokesperson for the arts, Gabrielle de Vietri:
"Nup to the Cup, yep to the arts. It's time to stop backing animal cruelty and start backing the arts.
"The arts bring us joy, culture and billions of dollars for our economy. Horse and greyhound racing brings us gambling harm and a trail of dead and injured animals. Why on earth are we subsidising that?
"Victoria's arts sector employs more people than our schools, generates more income than mining and attracts bigger audiences than the AFL. Labor treats the arts like a luxury and the racing industry like an essential service. They've got it completely backwards.
"You shouldn't have to be a racehorse to get a decent run from the Victorian Government.
"We'd rather see public money going to artists putting on a show than horses being put down after one. The Greens will stop pouring public money into racing and put it where it belongs: into the music, theatre, art and culture that make Victoria what it is."
