Inauthentic art inquiry hearings in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne

THE Indigenous Affairs Committee will be holding public hearings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne in the first two weeks of March 2018 for its inquiry into the growing presence of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'style' art and craft products and merchandise for sale across Australia.

The Canberra hearings will include government agencies such as the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, IP Australia, and the Department of Communications and the Arts.

The Sydney hearings will feature a number of industry experts, peak organisations, and state government agencies including Ms Terri Janke, the Indigenous Art Code, and the Aboriginal Arts Association of Australia.

In Melbourne, the committee will hear from the Victorian Government and also organisations such as Creative Economy.

In 2018, the Committee intends to travel to other urban, regional and remote areas to hold further hearings.

New Committee Chair, Ann Sudmalis MP, said “The Committee welcomes all interested parties to our hearings and encourages individuals and organisations to continue to make submissions via our website.”

Canberra public hearing details

Time:              11.45 – 12.15
Date:              Thursday, 1 March 2018
Location:       Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House

Time:              09.00 – 13.20
Date:              Friday, 2 March 2018
Location:       Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House

Sydney public hearing details

Time:              09.00 – 17.00
Date:              Tuesday, 6 March 2018
Location:       Macquarie Room, Parliament of New South Wales

Time:              09.00 – 10.20
Date:              Wednesday, 7 March 2018
Location:       Meeting Room 1, Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, 1 Bligh Street

Melbourne public hearing details

Time:              09.00 – 13.20
Date:              Thursday, 8 March 2018
Location:       Room G7, Victorian Parliamentary Offices, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne

The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

To keep up to date with where and when the hearings will be held, track the inquiry from the website. Click on the blue ‘Track Inquiry’ button and use the form to log-in or register for a My Parliament account.

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