From the NBN, to First Nations people and Double J, Here's how Albo's new 'Revive' arts package will affect you

The new $286 million Revive policy is set to shake up so many facets of arts and culture from improving the National Broadband Network, making sure musicians get paid what they should, ensure more Aussie content will stream on Netflix and boost gaming development.

Kirli Saunders believes the funding should continue beyond the proposed four-year term but was stoked at the investment pledge to First Nations artists, organisations and the preservation of language.

"I am thrilled to see the bar raised and to know that our communities, languages and arts practices which have been alive for tens of thousands of years are being celebrated," said the 2020 NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year.

"I received support to write my debut novel through AUSCO this year, which will be a focus for me and to know that funding for literature, ebooks and audiobooks will also continue to be prioritised is really reassuring."

Director of the South Coast Writers Centre Sarah Nicholson was excited writers would finally be paid what they're worth with changes to lending rights and royalties paid.

"Authors will finally receive lending rights compensation on e-books and audiobooks that are borrowed through libraries, so it's been a good week for writers," she said.

A National Survey of Australian Book Authors (by Macquarie University for the Australia Council) found the average income for authors to be $18,200 - a wage to barely live off.

Currently, book publishers and creators are only entitled to compensation when printed works are held in Australian public and educational lending libraries, and not when digital works such as e-books and audiobooks are made available for public access - but this will change under Revive.

Chair of Screen Illawarra Sandra Pires said the most exciting point for her industry was the quota for Australian content to be placed on streaming services like Netflix and Paramount.

"Even if they do a 10 or 15 per cent [quota] we're talking about millions of dollars in the economy for Australian producers, and we're ready in the Illawarra to capitalise on that," she said.

Ms Pires said Screen Illawarra had recently completed a feasibility study for the region which, when released, will highlight the benefits of utilising the area for all types of television and feature film productions.

Director of the Wollongong Art Gallery John Monteleone said the last time such a broad-ranging policy was unveiled was in 2013 though it never saw the light of day due to a change in government.

He welcomed Revive as it puts decision-making "back in the hands" of independent experts and provides support "where it's needed".

Mr Monteleone believed many of its objectives would help the gallery grow and enhance their offering for the community. Those he noted from the plan were respecting the crucial place of First Nations stories; acknowledging the crucial role the arts plays in preserving historical stories and improving diversity; supporting artists and creatives that would "help make Wollongong a more attractive place to live".

Other notable inclusions in the multimillion dollar package is to improve regional connectivity to the NBN, strengthen laws on ticket scalping, overhauling copyright laws, supporting investment in gaming, supporting artists with a disability and establishing a centre to provide advice on pay, safety and welfare for the arts and entertainment workplace.

"So many people ask for freebies on creatives, or don't value the work that goes into it ... or expect us to work long hours without pay," filmmaker Nick Bolton said.

"Why do we pay professional services by the hour ... yet for creative services it's not the same. Creatives are expected to do so much work for free. This change in policy will benefit us greatly."

Meantime, seasoned musician Glenn Whitehall said creative workers would be "breathing a little easier" after the announcement which he believed puts faith back into the future of the arts and entertainment.

"We have such a unique voice and perspective here, and this support will mean Australian artists will have a chance to be further heard and identified internationally," he said.

"I'm particularly excited about the establishment of First Nations leadership in creative fields, and the possibility of Double J hitting standard FM radio - certainly help the gig kms go by faster."

* The national cultural policy, Revive, comes with $286 million in dedicated funding over four years.

* About $200 million of those funds will go to a revamped Australia Council, which will be re-named Creative Australia.

* The government says about $44 million in extra funding for Creative Australia will reverse cuts made under the coalition.

* Creative Australia will have an expanded remit, with the creation of Music Australia, Writers Australia and the Centre for Arts and Entertainment workplaces.

* A First Nations-led body will give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders autonomy over funding decisions, one of a slate of measures addressing Indigenous art and culture.

* These include $11 million to establish an Indigenous languages policy partnership, and the establishment of a strategy to develop a First Nations creative workforce.

* Promised new laws to protect traditional knowledge and cultural expression, including stamping out fake art, were already on the government's agenda, while the October interim budget also allocated $80 million to establish a national Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs and $50 million to Perth's Aboriginal Cultural Centre.

* The government promises Creative Australia will fund organisations and projects based on artistic merit and decisions will be made at arm's length.

* The government revealed on Friday that authors would get paid for library holdings of their audio and e-books for the first time as part of the policy, a $12.9 million measure that is expected to significantly boost their income.

* Revive also commits the government to regulating Australian content on streaming platforms, although it's not clear where it will land on the issue of content quotas.

* The previous government did not have any overarching cultural policy and many arts organisations survived on precarious or much-reduced funding despite the emergency $200 million Rise program rolled out in response to the pandemic.

* The policy has not addressed the funding problems facing some of Australia's most important collecting institutions, including the National Gallery of Australia, National Museum and National Archives.

-- With Australian Associated Press.

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