Federal Budget 2007-08

Major initiatives announced on Tuesday 8 May in the Federal Government's 2007-08 budget included: personal tax cuts, low income tax offsets, child care benefits, bonuses for seniors and carers, a new education endowment fund, vouchers for literacy and numeracy tutoring, tax rebates for the Australian film industry and digital services for the ABC and SBS. As to be expected in a pre-election budget, money was spread across a large number of areas that represent the concerns of the day.

There are several initiatives of significance to the library and information sector and more broadly to cultural institutions.

National Library of Australia

The total appropriation for the National Library of Australia in the 2007-08 Budget is $65.673 million, including an equity injection of $7.095 million. The equity injection comprises $1.030 million for the purchase of Library collections and $6.065 million for building works including the podium refurbishment.

The appropriation this year compares to the 2006-07 total of $64.205 million that included an equity injection of $4.978 million.

Education

DEST Budget Information 2007- At a Glance

• $5 billion to establish the Higher Education Endowment Fund as a perpetual source of university capital works and research facilities.
• grants from the annual $304 million in dividends from the endowment will be available from 2008-09.
• $3.5 billion Realising Our Potential package includes an additional $638 million for vocational training.
• FEE-HELP will be extended to full-fee-paying students in Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses that are accredited as VET qualifications, where agreed credit for a university degree is available to the student.

Information and Communication Technology

2007-08 initiatives

• ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority)
  • an extra $16.3 million over four years to fund information technology upgrades as its regulatory role and workload increases
• Improving e-security for home users and small business
  • $13.6 million over four years to help protect Australians from sophisticated online attacks targeting their home computers and small businesses annual National E-security Awareness Week
• Australian Broadband Guarantee
  • an additional $20.0 million in 2007-08 to the Broadband Connect programme
• Australian Broadband Guarantee: establishment of broadband blackspot programme
  • $112.4 million in 2007-08 to provide subsidised internet access for Australians currently unable to gain a metropolitan-comparable level of broadband service at their principal place of residence or small business.

Ongoing initiatives in regional areas

• Australian Broadband Guarantee
• Broadband Connect Infrastructure Programme
• Clever Networks
• The Broadband Blueprint
• Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund

Local Government

Local Community Infrastructure Renewals Fund - not funded

Collections Australia Network

In 2007-08 the Australian Government will contribute $240,000 to Collections Australia Network (CAN) with state and territory governments contributing a further $160,000.

CAN, formerly Australian Museums and Galleries On-line, is a website that provides access to cultural heritage held in museums, galleries, libraries and archives all over Australia. The website is aimed at improving online services for small to medium and regional collecting organisations enabling them to expand into the online environment in a more effective manner. The site also allows participating institutions to remotely upload, add, delete and modify their webpages, news items, exhibitions, events and collections.

Other cultural initiatives

• $10.2 million to complete the preservation of a unique historical and cultural resource collection held by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
• National Portrait Gallery, set to open in Dec 2008, will receive another $21.2 million over three years to expand its collection.
• $10.5 million for community and national digital radio broadcasting.
• Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme.
• Film industry initiatives.
• Travelling exhibitions support.
  • Australian National Maritime Museum.
  • National Museum of Australia.
  • National Gallery of Australia.
  • National Archives.

Other initiatives

Women on Boards in regional areas.