More treasures to be kept at home

'Museums, galleries and archives can now apply for Federal financial assistance to buy artefacts considered too precious to ever leave our shores,' the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, announced today.

The National Cultural Heritage Account has been set up following the recent amendment to the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.

'A total of $500,000 has been allocated to establish the fund, which is expected to be topped up to the same level each year,' Senator Alston said.

'This fulfils an election commitment which recognises that investing in our past enriches our future. It is good news for owners, collectors, public collections, and current and future generations of Australians.'

The Account will be used purely to retain objects of great archaeological, ethnographic, artistic, scientific, or historical significance to Australia.
Funding will only be granted to cultural organisations with permanent collections, including museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, and historic buildings. However, it may also encompass organisations with special collections that can only be accessed by a particular group, such as sacred/secret material held in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander keeping places.

26 July 1999

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