Where do I find the State Plan?
The State Plan is available through the NSW Government home page at: www.nsw.gov.au/stateplan/
Why has the NSW Government released a State Plan?
On 14 November 2006 the Premier, Morris Iemma, launched the State Plan: A new direction for NSW.
The State Plan reflects a commitment by the Premier and the NSW Government to adopt a strategic, long term view in order to make NSW a better place to live, work and do business.
Providing the full range of Government services is a large and complex job that requires management of competing demands in environment of constant change. The Plan draws on the hopes and goals of people across NSW for the future of our State, to set clear priorities for government. These priorities will guide decision-making and the allocation of resources. The Plan will also improve accountability, by publishing results that will allow the public to judge the Government's performance.
What is in the State Plan?
The State Plan aims to help the NSW Government plan and deliver better services over the next ten years by setting out 34 priorities and 60 measurable targets. The Plan follows consultation with over 4,000 individuals and groups since August 2006, including community consultation involving arts practitioners and administrators.
The Plan has five themes with related government activities:
R Rights, Respect and Responsibility
- justice; community involvement; citizenship
S Delivering Better Services
- including health, education, transport
F Fairness and Opportunity
- promoting social justice; reducing disadvantage
P Growing Prosperity in NSW
- productivity, economic growth
E Environment for Living
- planning for housing and jobs; environmental protection; arts and recreation
Each of the 34 priorities in the State Plan has been assigned a lead agency.
The Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation (DASR) is the lead agency for one of the four priorities identified under theme E - Environment for Living : Priority E8: More people using parks, sporting and recreational facilities and participating in the arts and cultural activity.
What does the State Plan say specifically about arts and culture in NSW?
The main priority in the State Plan affecting arts and culture is: Priority E8: More people using parks, sporting and recreational facilities and participating in the arts and cultural activity.
Target: Increase visitation and participation in the arts and cultural activity by 10 per cent by 2016 (to be measured by ABS surveys).
Discussion in the State Plan about this priority (see Chapter 6, pages 132-135 of the State Plan) emphasises both current commitments and new directions at Arts NSW:
Actions we are already committed to:
• Maintaining the pre-eminence of the State cultural institutions;
• Fostering film and television production;
• Supporting arts practice through the cultural grants program;
• Maintaining partnerships with Local Government through Cultural Accords;
• Promoting the engagement of Aboriginal communities;
• Taking into account arts, culture and local identity when planning regional centres and urban consolidation.
New directions we will consider:
• Support for arts programs for children and young people, particularly ConnectEd Arts;
• Working with hotels and clubs to more effectively support arts, cultural and sporting activities, especially in rural and regional areas;
• Assisting local government to improve their arts, cultural, sporting and recreational facilities;
• Encouraging arts and culture and cultural precincts through partnerships with local government.
Where do arts and culture in NSW relate to other priorities in the State Plan?
Arts and cultural programs contribute to a variety of areas of NSW Government activity, such as education and lifelong learning, innovation in business, regional development, improving services for indigenous people and planning for new community facilities.
Accordingly, a number of themes and priorities in the State Plan provide scope for Arts NSW to continue to develop and support important programs. Arts NSW is examining ways that its programs could contribute to the following State Plan priorities:
R Rights, Respect and Responsibility (building harmonious communities, Chapter 2, pages 32-37 of the State Plan)
Priority R3: Reduced levels of anti-social behaviour
Priority R4: Increased participation and integration in community activities
The State Plan provides the following target for Priority R4 (page 35): The proportion of the total community involved in volunteering, group sporting and recreational activity or group cultural and artistic activity is to be increased by 10 per cent by 2016.
S Delivering Better Services
Priority S4: Increasing levels of attainment for all students (Chapter 3, pages 50-53)
Priority S8: Increased customer satisfaction with Government services (Chapter 3, pages 64-65)
F Fairness and Opportunity
Priority F1: Improved health and education for Aboriginal people (Chapter 4, pages 69-70)
Priority F2: Increased employment and community participation for people with disabilities (Chapter 4, pages 71-72)
P Growing Prosperity in NSW
Priority P1: Increased business investment through:
• tourism, (particularly from China , India and the Gulf states )
• fostering innovation in entertainment, media, design and the creative arts (Chapter 5, pages 89-92)
Priority P2: Maintain and invest in infrastructure (Chapter 5, pages 93-96)
Priority P3: Cutting red tape (Chapter 5, pages 96-98)
Priority P4: More people participating in education and training throughout their life (Chapter 5, pages 99-101)
E Environment for Living
Priority E4: Better outcomes for native vegetation, biodiversity, land, rivers and coastal waterways [through the scientific research work of the Australian Museum]
Priority E5: Jobs closer to home – improving cultural facilities in the regional cities of Parramatta , Liverpool , Penrith, Gosford, Newcastle and Wollongong as part of the Government's Metropolitan Strategy (Chapter 6, pages 123-125)
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Arts NSW will continue to work in partnership with all levels of government – the Commonwealth, other States and Territories and local councils – to strengthen support for the arts and cultural sector and to increase the significance of arts and culture for the people of NSW.
Arts NSW will also continue to work with other NSW Government agencies so that State planning incorporates the cultural characteristics and environment essential for Sydney, its major centres and regional cities.
February 2007