SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
THE HON. E. G. WHITLAM, M, P.,
TO A DINNER GIVEN BY THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF AUTHORS,
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, 4 MARCH 1975
I AM HONOURED THAT YOUR COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT
HAS ARRANGED THIS EVENING FOR ME. THE LAST TIME I SPOKE
AT THE OPERA HOUSE WAS IN THE ELECTION LAST MAY. I WAS
IN THE COMPANY OF PATRICK WHITE, So YOU WILL SEE THAT I
HAVE ALWAYS HAD SOME SUCCESS IN GETTING WRITERS ON SIDES
NOW THAT AUTHO'RS ARE RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS, NOW YOU ARE
ALL ON THE GOVERNMENT PAYROLL, I EXPECT AN EVEN BIGGER
TURNOUT AT OUR NEXT OPERA. HOUSE MEETING, WHENEVER THAT
MAY BE. IN THE MEANTIME IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET SO MANY
OF YOU PERSONALLY, NAMES FAMILIAR FROM INNUMERABLE DUSTJACKETS
AND. TITLE PAGES, FROM COUNTLESS AIRPORT BOOKSTALLS AND
LIBRARY SHELVES, ARE NOW FLESHED OUT IN LIVING FORM.
IT IS GOOD TO BE AMONG YOU.
MY WIFE OF COURSE HAS A MUCH GREATER REPUTATION
AS A WRITER THAN I DO, NEVERTHELESS, I TAKE GREAT PRIDE
IN THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH
THE PUBLIC LENDING RIGHT IN FULFILMENT OF ITS UNDERTAKINGS
IN 1972, AUSTRALIA AND. NEW ZEALAND ARE THE ONLY TWO
ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES WITH THE PLR. DENMARK, SWEDEN
AND NORWAY ARE THE ONLY OTHER NATIONS TO INTRODUCE IT.
WE DON'T NORMALLY TAKE OUR LITERARY AND ARTISTIC STANDARDS
FROM SCANDINAVIA EXPECT PERHAPS IN FILM MAKING BUT ON
THIS OCCASION WE ARE IN THE VANGUARD OF A VERY IMPORTANT
REFORM,
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FOR YEARS WE HEARD IT SAID THAT THE PLR WOULD BE
. TOO DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER, THAT THE LEGAL AND TECHNICAL
PROBLEMS WOULD BE TOO GREA', IT WAS EVEN SUGGESTED THAT
GOVERNMENTS SHOULD NOT GIVE ASSISTANCE TO WRITERS FOR FEAR
OF COMPROMISING THEIR INDEPENDENCE. I THINK WE HAVE
SHOWN THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES OF PLR WERE NOT
INSUPERABLE AFTER ALL, AND I DOUBT IF ANY OF YOU WILL BE
EASILY SEDUCED BY THE SCALE OF PAYMENTS INVOLVED. WE
DON'T SEE THE PLR AS A PRIVILEGE OR A BENEFIT FOR AUTHORS.
WE SEE IT AS A R'IGHT. WE SEE'IT AS AN OVERDUE RECOGNITION
OF SERVICES YOU HAVE GIVEN THE COMMUNITY; A PAYMENT FOR
YOU WORK, MOST OF YOU WILL. ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED SOME
AMOUNTS UNDER THE SCHEME, LAST WEDNESDAY I AUTHORISED THE
FIRST PAYMENTS RECOMMENDED BY THE AUSTRALIAN AUTHORS
FUND FOR THE 1974-75 FINANCIAL YEAR, AMOUNTING TO $ 440,000
FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS,
OF COURSE THIS IS NOT A LARGE SUM AS GOVERNMENT
EXPENDITURES GO, BUT IT STANDS FOR SOMETHINU IMPORTANT,
IT MEANS THAT AUSTRALIA AS A NATION RECOGNISES THE VALUE OF
CREATIVE WRITING, THE PLACE OF LITERATURE AND THE ARTS' IN
A ROBUST AND CIVILIZED SOCIETY. GOVERNMENTS CANNOT CREATE
GOOD WRITING OR GREAT ART BUT THEY CAN CREATE THE CONDITIONS
IN WHICH ART AND LITERATURE ARE MOST LIKELY TO FLOURISH.
THEY CAN REMOVE UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP,-THE FINANCIAL ANXIETIES
THAT INHIBIT MANY ARTISTS ANI) WRTT[ R EVEN WELL-ESTABLISHED
AND SUCCESSFUL ONES.
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WRITING IS NOT THE tlt-Pt LUC1tATIVE PROFESSION, AND THE PLR
WILL HARDLY MAKE IT SO; BUT AUTHORS NOW HAVE AN ADDITIONAL
AND A6SURED SOURCE OF INCOME FROM THEIR WORK, AND THAT INCOME
WILL FLOW TO THEIR DA8ENDANTS. I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO INFORM YOU THAT. THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOW AGREED THAT PLR
PAYMENTS AFTER AN AUTHOR'S DEATH WILL. BE MADE TO THE HUSBAND
OR WIFE OF THE AUTHOR AND TO ALL THE'AUTHOR'S CHILDREN
NOT JUST DEPENDANTS, OUR OBLIGATION TO WRITERS DOES NOT END:-WITH THE
PLR. IT IS JUST OVER TWO YEARS SINCE I ANNOUNCED THE
FOUNDING MEMBERSHIP OF THELITERATURE BOAPD, SINCE THEN WE
HAVE DISBURSED ALMOST $ 2 MILLION FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF
AUSTRALIAN'WRITING AND PUBLISHING. OUR TOTAL BUDGET FOR
THE ARTS THIS FINANCIAL YEAR IS $ 20 MILLION. THIS AGAIN
IS A COMPARATIVELY MODEST SUM IN OVERALL GOVERNMENT
SPENDING, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CRITICS WHO SEE IT ' 4.
AS WASTEFUL, SOME PEOPLE REGARD ANY SPENDING ON THE.
ARTS AS WASTEFUL. I DON'T, I BELIEVE THE ARTS ARE A
PROPER, INDEED A PRIMARY, AREA OF GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS NOT SO MUCH THAT PRESENT EXPENDITURES ARE EXTRAVAGANT.
BUT THAT PREVIOUS EXPENDITURES WERE INADEQUATE AND UNPLANNED.
THE ARTS ARE A FIELD IN WHICH QUITE MODEST INVESTMENTS CAN
BRING HIGH RETURNS. IT COSTS THE COMMUNITY VERY LITTLE TO GIVE
A PROMISING AUTHOR AN INCOME FOR SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR,
THE BENEFITS FROM SUCH EXPENDITURE THE RETURNS TO SOCIETY,
AND ONE HOPES TO POSTERITY MAY WELL BE INESTIMABLE,
THE EMPHASIS IN OUR SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS HAS BEEN
ON ENCOURAGING WORTHWHILE PROJECTS, ON DEVELOPING TALENTS,
ON M~ VING HELP WHERE HELP IS NEEDED OILING THE MACHINE.
TAKE PUBLISHING. IT IS PROBABLY TRUE THAT MOST BOOKS WORTH
PUBLISHING WILL BE PUBLISHED ANYWAY, BlUT WHAT THE LITERATURE
BOARD CAN DO IS MAKE PUBLICATION A LITTLE MORC PROMPT
AND EASY. A SUBSIDY CAN BRING DOWN THE PRICE OF A BOOK AND
MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. OUR PRESENT
SUBSIDY SCHEME. GOES FURTHER . THAN THE PRACTICE OF THE OLD
COMMONWEALTH LITERARY FUND OF GUARANTEEING'A PUBLISHER
AGAINST LOSS. I THINK THE LITERATURE BOARD-HAS HAD SOME.
NOTABLE SUCCESSES IN HELPI NG THE PUBLICATION OF MORE AUSTRALIAN
WRITING. IN 1972-73 NO MORE THAN 18 NOVELS WERE PUBLISHED
BY THE LOCAL INDUSTRY. SUBSIDIES TO DATE HAVE HELPED THE
PUBL ICATION OF 21 NOVELS AND 23 VOLUMES OF POETRY AND
OTHERS, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED WITHOUT SUBSIDIES#
SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME PORGRESS'HERE. QUANTITY DOES NOT
ALWAYS MEAN QUALITY; BUT THERE ARE DEGREES OF QUALITY, AND
WORK OF THE-HIGHEST MERIT MAY SOMETIMES RESULT FROM
ENCOURAGEMENT GIVEN TO EFFORT OF A LESSER OR MOST MODEST KIND.'
11 a,
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS ENCOURAGE A WHOLE NEW
CLIMATE IN THE ARTS, A NEW PERCEPTION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE ARTS IN THE LIVES OF AUSTRALIANS, AS WELL AS GREATER
ACTIVITY AND GREATER VITALITY. WE WANT THE ARTS TO
PERMEATE SOCIETY AT ALL LEVELS, TO BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE
WHO WANTS THEM AND) DARE ONE SAY IT TO SOME . PEOPLE WHO
DON IT: FUNDAMENTALLY, OUR ASSISTANC'E TO THE ARTS IS NOT
INTENDED TO BENEFIT ARTISTS THEMSELVES, THOUGH INEVITABLY
IT DOES, AND ONE WOULD NOT WISH IT OTHERWISE: IT IS
INTENDED AS A SOCIAL MEASURE, PART OF A COMMITMENT TO THE
QUALITY OF. PEOPLE IS LIVES. NOT THE LEAST OF-THE SOCIAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEPRIVATIONS AT THE HEART OF OUR
CONTEMPORARY URBAN MALAISE IS THE INADEQUACY OF ARTISTIC AND
CULTURAL STIMULATION; A LACK OF ACCESS TO THE ENRICHMENTAND
STIMULATION THAT THE ARTS ALONE CAN BRING. W~ E DON'T WANT
TO BE POMPOUS OR PATRONISING ABOUT SUCH THINGS. IT IS NOT
FOR GOVERNMENTS TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY SHOULD LIKE. IT
IS, HOWEVER, A RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE THE
BENEFITS AND REWARD S OF OUR CIVILIZATION AND INDEED OTHER
CIVILIZATIONS AS WIDELY AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE. CERTAINLY
IREGARD THAT AS A DUTY OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
SUCH AS MINE.-OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC
ENJOYMENT SHOULD BE-PROVIDED , READILY, AND AS EQUALLY, AS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION OR HEALTH. IT MAY EVEN BE
ARGUED THAT THE ENJOYMENT OF THE ARTS IS AN ESSENTIAL PART
OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH. 9 e/ 6
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I HOPE THE ASSISTANCE WE ARE GIVING TO AUTHORS
WILL ENCOURAGE A STRONGER INDIGENOUS LITERARY COMMUNITY.
IN-PARTICULAR, I HOPE IT WIL. L ENCOURAGE AUSTRALIAN
WRITERS ABROAD TO RETURN TO AUSTRALIA. I DON'T BLAME
AUTHORS FOR WANTING TO WORK ABROAD; FAR BE IT FROM ME
TO DISPARAGE THE IMPORTANCE OF OVERSEAS TRAVEL. FOR THOSE
LIKE COLIN SIMPSON, WHO WRITE TRAVEL BOOKS, I SUPPOSE
SME TRAVEL. IS ESSENTIAL. NOW THAT WE HAVE THE PLR I MAY
BE ENCOURAGED. TO KEEP A DIARY OF MY OWN, As OSCAR WILDE
SAID I LIKE SOMETHING SENSATIONAL TO READ ON THE TRAIN.
OUR MISFORTUNE WAS THAT TOO MANY WRITERS WHO TRAVELLED
ABROAD PREFERRED NOT TO LIVE IN AUSTRALIA. THERE WAS A
CLASS OF EXPATRIATE AUSTRALIAN WHOSE CRITICAL FACULTIES,
WHOSE POWERS OF SOCIAL OBSERVATION, WERE SORELY NEEDED AT
HOME. WE WERE THE POORER FOR LOSING THEM. I KNOW THAT IN
MANY WAYS AUSTRLAIA CANNOT PROVIDE ALL THE STIMULATION A
WRITER NEEDS; ALL THE EXPERIENCE OR ALL THE PECUNIARY
REWARDS. NEVERTHELESS, I SEE OUR ASSISTANCE TO WRITERS,
IN PARTICULAR THE PLR, AS SYMBOLS OF A DEVELOPING
CULTURAL MATURITY. I HOPE THEY WILL BE A: PRACTICALN CINCENTIVE
To AUSTRALIAN AUTHORS TO LIVE AND WORK-IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. 17
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WE HAVE IN AUSTRALIA A RICH AND REMARKABLY DIVERSE
' LITERARY HERITAGE. THE LABOR PARTY OWES MUCH TO IT.
CONSIDERING OUR COMPARATIVELY SMALL POPULATION, OUR
CONTRIBUTION TO WESTERN LITERATURE HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY.
THE STIMULUS WE ARE GIVING TO THE OTHER ARTS, TO THE THEATRE.-
AND TO THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRIES, WILLCREATE
WIDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIAN WRITERS. THESE
OPPORTUNITIES MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO COMPROMISE ARTISTIC
STANDARDS. SADLYo OUR REPUTATION ABROAD IS NOT ONE OF
HIGH CULTURAL ATTAINMENT11. IDEPLORE THE INFLUENCES IN THE
MEDIA, IN ENTERTAINMENT THAT PERPETUATE A DEBASED AND
DISTORTED VIEW OF OUR SOCIETY. ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE
COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS UNDER THIS GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN THE
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE IN ALL FIELDS OF ART; IT IS FOR
WRITER S AND PUBLISHERS TO PRESERVE THESE STANDARDS IN OUR
WRITING. BE WARY OF THE PRETENTIOUS; DON'IT BE SATISFIED
WITH THE SLIPSHOD OR THE SECOND-RATE, WITH SECOND-HAND OR
DERIVATIVE IDEAS. IF AUSTRALIAN WRI'TING IS TO HAVE ADISTINCTIVE
PLACE IN WORLD LITERATURE IT WILL'BE BASED
ON AN AUTHENTIC AND ORIGINAL STYLE. OUR BEST WRITING HAS
ALWAYS REFLECTED OR EMBODIED SOME PECULIAR. TRUTH ABOUT
OURSELVES, WHETHER EXPOSING SOCIAL INJUSTICE OR REVEALING
QUALITIES IN THE AUSTRALIAN CHARACTER. THIS HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH CRUDE NATIONALISM. GREAT-WRITING IN EVERY SOCIETY,
ESPECIALLY GREAT FICTION, WHILE DEALING IN UNIVERSAL HUMAN
VALUESo HAS CHOSEN DISTINCTIVE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL
IDIOMS. IT IS THROUGH SUCH NATIONAL IDIOMS THAT THE BEST
WRITING HAS ACHIEVED ITS TIMELESS QUALITY AND BROUGHT US
CLOSER TO A DEEPER KNOWLEDGE OF OURSELVES AND OF HUMANITY.
I HOPE I WILL BE FORGIVEN THIS SOMEWHAT PORTENTOUS
NOTE. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ARTS IS BY NO MEANS THE
LEAST TROUBLESOME OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES; IT IS, HOWEVER,
AMONG THE MOST SATISFYING. I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE ARE
CREATING PRECEDENTS AND ESTABLISHING ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCEDURES AND INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL-PERMANENTLY ENHANCE
THE QUALITY OF ARTISTIC LIFE IN THIS COUNTRY. DO NOT
IMAGINE THAT THE THINGS WE ARE DOING OUR BOARDS AND
COUNCILS, OUR SPECIAL GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES ARE INVULNERABLE
TO ATTACK. THEY ARE NOT. THEY MUST BE GUARDED'AND PRESERVED,
THE CURRENT LEGAL CHALLENGE BY CERTAIN STATES TO THE
VALIDITY OF THE REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT SCHEME AND
THE AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE PLAN HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
FUTURE OF MANY KINDS OF ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
INVOLVING COMMONWEALTH GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS.
IF THIS CHALLENGE SUCCEEDS THE PLR WOULD BE AT RISK, YOUR
SOCIETY, I NOTICE, IN AN EDITORIAL IN " THE AUSTRALIAN .4
AUTHOR", HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THE
PLR AND URGED THAT IT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED BY AN ACT OF
PARLIAMENT. ACTS OF PARLIAMENT, OF COURSE, CAN ALWAYS BE
REPEALED; THOUGH I ACKNOWLEDGE THE FORCE OF YOUR ARGUMENT.
I ASSURE YOU IT WILL HAVE THE GOVERNMENT'S FULL CONSIDERATION. S
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Two YEARS AGO, WHEN I ANNOUNCED OUR INTENTION TO
ESTABLISH THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS AS AN
INDEPENDENT AGENCY, I SAID THIS ABOUT OUR GENERAL POLICY
FOR THE ARTS: " THE POLICIES WHICH my GovERNMENT'WILL PURSUE
WILL HAVE A TWO-FOLD OBJECTIVE THE PURSUIT OF
EXCELLENCE AND THE SPREAD OF INTEREST AND
PARTICIPATION, WE WILL SUPPORT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS WHICH PRODUCE, SUSTAIN
AND DISPLAY THE TOP LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL
ACHIEVEMEN4T IN THE'ARTS THE . MAJOR THEATRE
COMPANIES AND ORCHESTRAS, THE NATIONAL GALLERY
AND COLLECTION, AND SMALLER GROUPS AND PARTICULAR
PROJECTS OF HIGH QUALITY. BUT OUR SUPPORT FOR
ESTABLISHED ORGANISATIONS AND ART FORMS WILL
BE BALANCED BY A STRONG PROGRAM OF ENCOURAGEME4T
FOR EXPERIMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR NUMEROUS
SMALLER GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS, WHOSE ACTIVITIES
BRING ENJOYMENT TO MANY PEOPLE...
"' VITALITY IN THE ARTS IS FREQUENTLY ACCOMPANIED
BT INNOVATION, BY CONTROVERSY AND BY CHALLENGE
TO ESTABLISHED CONVENTIONS OF TASTE, BELIEFS AND
BEHAVIOUR. ARTISTS NEED PROTECTION FROM
UNNECESSARY RESTRAINTS, AND GOVERNMENTS
BE ABLF TO RESIST PRESSURE FROM THOSE WHO ARE
DISTURBED BY CONTROVERSY AND CHALLENGE." .1/ 10
THESE REMAIN OUR OBJECTIVES, THE PLR AND OUR OTHER
PROGRAMS FOR AUTHORS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THESE AIMS. I
COMMEND THE WORK OF YOUR SOCIETY IN HELPING US DEVELOP AND
IMPLEMENT OUR PROGRAMS, WE DON'T LOOK TO WRITERS JUST
FOR ENTERTAINMENT OR ESCAPE, THOUGH GOOD ENTERTAINMENT IS
A HIGH AND NECESSARY CRAFT. WE LOOK-TO YOU ALSO FOR
THAT SPIRIT OF INNOVATION, CONTROVERSY, OF CHALLENGE,
THAT IS THE BASIS OF ALL CHANGE AND ALL TRUE PROGRESS.
AUSTRALIA WILL ALWAYS NEED MORE WRITERS. WE WILL ALWAYS
NEED BCTTER WRITERS, AND BETTER WRITERS WHO ARE BETTER OFF.
I KNOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT, JUST AS
YOU THE WRITERS AND AUTHORS OF AUSTRALIA CAN COUNT
ON OURS,