The SPEAKER (9:01 AM) —In June 2003 the President of the Senate and I commissioned Mrs Betty Churcher AO to review a range of matters relating to the Parliament House art collection. Mrs Churcher's report was completed in October 2003. On 1 December 2003 copies were sent to all members and senators, and comments were invited. I reminded members of this invitation to comment on 11 March 2004. Having regard to the comments received and preliminary advice from the Department of Parliamentary Services on some aspects of Mrs Churcher's report, the President and I have made certain decisions about the future of the Parliament House art collection.

The Parliament House art collection has five main components. These are the commissioned art works, commissioned art furniture, the Historic Memorials Collection, gifts, and the Rotational Collection. While Mrs Churcher's review addressed issues relating to all aspects of the collection, the most important aspects of her review were those relating to the Rotational Collection. Having regard to Mrs Churcher's recommendations and the comments of members and senators, we propose a framework for a rationale and an acquisitions policy for this collection.

The purpose of the Rotational Collection is to provide Australian artworks of suitable quality for members' and senators' suites and for the public and semi-public areas of Parliament House. The collection has never been intended to function as the basis of a public art gallery, but it has in the past encouraged emerging artists. In view of the comments of some members and senators, I should emphasise that the new approach accepted by the President and me will not mean that the work of new and emerging artists will cease to be acquired. It will mean that new acquisitions will not be restricted to emerging artists solely.

The general criteria for selecting artworks for the Rotational Collection will be that the artist has appropriate professional standing and that the work is suitable to be added to that collection. The Department of Parliamentary Services will develop detailed criteria for the suitability of artworks for the Rotational Collection. This work will take account of the original development of the collection, the existing acquisitions guidelines and specific recommendations made by Mrs Churcher—in particular, the focus on better representation of some currently underrepresented areas of Australia.

We note, however, that Mrs Churcher's recommendations do not require any reduction in the acquisition of artworks for the Rotational Collection. Furthermore, since artwork acquisitions will no doubt continue to be constrained by funding limitations, works by new and emerging artists may well continue to represent a significant proportion of acquisitions. The point should be made that the current acquisition guidelines express a preference for first point of sale acquisitions, and this has effectively precluded consideration of the purchase of appropriate works from established artists, alive or dead. That issue has now been addressed.

Separately from her recommendations about the Rotational Collection, Mrs Churcher recommended the compilation of an alternative collection of reproductions that would be suitable for hanging in members' and senators' suites. These reproductions would not be accessioned into the Parliament House art collection. We have accepted Mrs Churcher's recommendation in principle because we agree that members and senators should have a broader choice of works available to them to decorate their suites.

An Art Advisory Committee will continue. However, we propose to supplement the membership as proposed by Mrs Churcher so that the committee consists of:

the presiding officers as joint chairs,

the Deputy Speaker,

the Deputy President and Chairman of Committees, and

the Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services.

The main role of the Art Advisory Committee will be to consider recommendations for acquisitions made by the art consultant, whose engagement was recommended by Mrs Churcher.

Several of Mrs Churcher's other recommendations will be implemented by the Department of Parliamentary Services, and the President and I will advise members and senators of the details in due course. There is more work to be done in relation to the Parliament House art collection, especially in relation to the rationale and acquisition policy for the Rotational Collection and in relation to funding for the extra commissions and the alternative collection recommended by Mrs Churcher. I will keep members informed of developments in this area.