Labor’s Cultural Vision: Reviving Australia’s Creative Heart

As the Liberal government’s tenure recedes, a new chapter in cultural policy is emerging under the Albanese Labor government. With promises to reinvigorate the arts, public broadcasting, and creative industries, Labor is aiming to restore public trust and rebuild Australia’s creative identity.

This article looks at Labor’s cultural strategy, focusing on its investments in the arts, the ABC, and children’s content, and how its approach differs sharply from that of the previous Coalition government.

The Revive Policy: Australia’s First National Cultural Framework in a Decade

In January 2023, Labor unveiled Revive, the first national cultural policy in ten years, supported by an investment of $286 million over four years. The policy covers literature, music, cinema, television, and First Nations culture and aims to strengthen the creative industries after years of stagnation.

Revive introduced major reforms, including digital games tax offsets, expanded resale royalty schemes, and five-year funding cycles for the ABC and SBS. According to Arts Minister Tony Burke, consultations for the next cultural policy will begin if Labor secures a second term, signalling continuity and long-term investment.

Renewing Creative Australia and Restoring Independence

Under Revive, Creative Australia (formerly the Australia Council) was restructured under the Creative Australia Act 2023. Labor has committed to maintaining arm’s-length funding decisions and peer-reviewed grant allocations, reversing years of ministerial interference under the previous government.

Stabilising the ABC with Five-Year Funding

Labor’s approach to public broadcasting focuses on stability and certainty. As part of Revive, the government extended funding cycles for the ABC and SBS from three years to five. This allows the broadcasters to better plan programming, develop long-term strategies, and invest in Australian-made content.

This move provides a more secure future for children’s programming and national storytelling, ensuring the ABC can continue to develop local shows even as commercial networks increasingly rely on cheaper overseas imports.

Opportunities for Kids’ TV and Animation

With children’s content quotas still absent from commercial television, Labor has focused on rebuilding Australia’s storytelling infrastructure through public funding. Revive’s increased support for film, television, and digital media opens up new opportunities for local production, with initiatives targeting emerging creators and studios.

This framework ensures shows like Bluey aren’t isolated successes but part of a sustainable pipeline of Australian animation and kids’ programming.

Progress So Far

Since launching Revive, Labor has delivered several reforms designed to strengthen Australia’s cultural ecosystem:

1. Sharing the National Collection, making national gallery works available to regional institutions
2. Expanding educational lending and resale royalties into digital formats
3. Introducing the Digital Games Tax Offset to boost creative technology investment
4. Creating dedicated action plans for Indigenous languages, cultural equity, and disability access

If re-elected, Labor is expected to build upon these foundations, deepening its investment in the arts and expanding opportunities for creators nationwide.

Labor vs Coalition: A Shift in Cultural Priorities

Final Thoughts

Labor’s cultural strategy marks a clear departure from the austerity of previous Coalition governments. Through Revive, long-term funding commitments, and structural reforms, the Albanese government has set out to strengthen Australia’s creative identity and restore confidence in its public institutions.