Australia will no longer have a federal department with a major focus on the arts.

On Thursday 5th December 2019, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a public service overhaul, cutting the number of departments from 18 to 14 from next February.

Under the changes, the current Department of Communications and the Arts will be rolled into a new entity that will be called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

Imagine going even a few days without the arts. No music, TV, visual art, movies, books, illustrations, dance or comedy. All the good things in life and the things we look forward to on the weekend. Without them our mental health will suffer abhorrently placing greater strain on a system that is also underfunded.

It has been well proven time and time again how beneficial and essential the arts are for mental health, culture and education for young and old. What would the world be without the childrens books, singing to your god, Christmas carols. Native art work, museums, galleries and theatre.

Music is used by the corporate giants to put us in the mood to spend (think shopping center music or radio and television advertisement) but this is not acknowledged in the ceaseless bid to grow the economy.

Australia is just starting to build the Arts after far too long on the back bench. This move will put them straight back there. Roads and infrastructure will always take priority over the arts, they need their own voice and own resources.

This is not even to mention the loss for communications - think internet and telecommunications.

Sign the petition and show Scott Morrison the public deserve a voice. I don't recall this being part of his election campaign!