The Australian Government is consulting on the next National Cultural Policy.
The policy aims to address gaps, respond to emerging priorities, and provide a clear framework to support a vibrant and sustainable cultural future. It will set a clear direction for the coming years and guide how the Australian Government supports creativity, cultural expression and participation across the nation.
It is vital that the policy reflects a wide range of views and responds to the challenges and opportunities ahead. With the last policy Revive, a large number of submissions from the writing and reading community led to the creation of Writing Australia and some additional funds for national strategic delivery (now beginning to roll out).
This is an important opportunity to make the case for books, reading, writing and Australian stories.
Books Create Australia is a collaboration between authors, booksellers, librarians, and publishers. This group is urging the Australian Government to include a Plan for Books and Reading in the next National Cultural Policy, ensuring Australian stories and ideas are created, discovered, and read.
Writers SA endorses the Plan for Books and Reading, emphasising the importance of state-based Writers’ Centres and the National Writers Centre Network. Our submission to the Australian Government is included below.
We encourage Writers SA Members, Friends and stakeholders, and all readers and writers, to consider making a short submission of 500 words. Your submission matters. It does not need to be long or technical. You are welcome to copy and paste text from WSA’s submission and/or add your own areas of concern or importance. It is vital that writing does not get forgotten, or considered finished work in the previous policy.
You can also access a submission template HERE (as a Google Doc)
Submissions can be made HERE. The consultation closes at 11.29pm (ACST) on Sunday 24 May.
Support for Writers’ Centres through the National Writers Centre Network – As Part of a National Plan for Books and Reading
A sustainable Australian writing culture depends on connected infrastructure.
This infrastructure remains underfunded, uneven and vulnerable to rising costs, service gaps and fragmented policy responsibility.
The next National Cultural Policy should treat it as a national system requiring coordinated investment, stronger institutions and long-term policy responsibility.
Writing Australia is the institutional anchor for this system, but it needs sufficient scale and scope to inform policy, fund sector development and coordinate literary infrastructure.
Our experience and circumstances
Writers SA works with and connects to a national infrastructure for writers and the wider sector – operating in a State-wide context where access to opportunities, particularly to publishers, regular events alongside national and international authors and dedicated writing space is limited. Opportunities for South Australian writers can be limited both across the State and in national reach and recognition.
Australian writers represent the largest single artistic occupation in the country, with an estimated 8,800 practising professionals. Yet writing remains one of the most economically precarious creative careers.
Why writing centres matter
Writing and storytelling are among the most fundamental human activities, and their benefits extend well beyond the literary sector, with value not only for individuals but for communities.
Working within the National Writers’ Centre Network allows for shared resources for writers, greater reach for activities and reduces duplication of services. It ensures that local delivery has national connectivity and national impact.
Current pressures
Providing broad, equitable access to professional writers’ development and community participation and engagement is increasingly difficult to sustain. Competition has overtaken many of the activities that sustained writers’ centres in the past. The sector faces rising costs, and is constrained by limited private and uneven government resourcing.
Without stronger support, access to Australian literary culture will become more concentrated in the three major east coast cities.
Writers SA asks government to:
ensure that the NWCN receives investment that recognises the ongoing role the centres play to provide Australia wide services to writing and nationally significant programs with discrete areas of expertise and delivery, as part of a connected national infrastructure;
support mechanisms that provide payment to Authors for creation, risk taking and engagement (including NWCN), contingent on recognised industry rates for authors, illustrators, translators and cultural advisers;
invest in First Nations writers, illustrators and storytelling and infrastructure, including cultural protocols, community consent, ICIP protections and fair payment for First Nations authors, publishers, Elders and cultural authorities;
establish a stand-alone Australian Book Fund to support new Australian works and culturally significant publishing, including literary journals;
encourage community-led writing practice and increase opportunities for writers to receive payment to engage with readers through participatory activities, presentations and talks.
Writers SA endorses the Books Create Australia call for a National Plan for Books and Reading.
Writers SA endorses the submission of Australian Society of Authors.
Writers SA, as part of the National Writers Centre Network, would welcome the opportunity to work with Writing Australia and industry partners on these measures.
