APY Art Centre Collective

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Arts. Will the minister restore annual funding and the capacity to have project funding for the APY Art Collective, and will she backdate that funding to when she removed it?

The SPEAKER: Sorry; I might ask the deputy leader to rephrase the final bit of that question.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Okay, sir. My question is to the Minister for Arts. Will the minister or the government restore funding to the APY Art Collective and will that funding be backdated to the period on which they last received funding? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

The SPEAKER: Excellent work, deputy leader. Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: As the minister is aware, in the middle of last year she authorised the removal of annual funding to the APY Art Collective, and since then they have not been funded that annual funding and they have not been able to receive project funding for their artists.

The Hon. A. MICHAELS (Enfield—Minister for Small and Family Business, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, Minister for Arts) (14:41): As I have previously said publicly, and as the member is aware, we undertook a review of certain matters that related to the APY Art Centre Collective. The independent panel referred certain matters to ORIC, as I understand it, and I have not received anything to suggest otherwise.

ORIC is still investigating those matters and, as I have said publicly before, until those matters are resolved with ORIC the situation stands. The previous funding agreement was terminated. Once those matters are resolved they will be more than welcome to apply for more funding.