01 Apr 2019

This content is tagged as Multi-Artform .

NEWS

Creative New Zealand to make submissions on three major government work streams

Creative New Zealand’s advocacy work continues this year, with upcoming submissions on three major government work streams. We’re also encouraging others to endorse our submissions or make their own on matters important to them.

The work streams, all open for public feedback on proposed changes, are:

  • The Reform of Vocational Education
  • The Copyright Act Review
  • Modernising the Charities Act 2005

Each work stream has the potential to impact the skills and training artists and arts practitioners can access, how creative professionals earn through their work, and the rights and obligations of arts organisations and funders. Each review proposes changes of importance to the future of New Zealand arts.

Creative New Zealand will continue to work on draft submissions to each consultation, and provide an opportunity for others to endorse these submissions. We’re also encouraging others in the sector to make submissions of their own.

Reform of Vocational Education

The Ministry of Education is undertaking a reform of vocational education, which aims to create “a strong, unified vocational education system that is sustainable and fit for the future of work, delivering what learners, employers and communities need to be successful.”

There are three primary proposed changes outlined in the discussion document:

  1. Redefined roles for industry bodies (ITOs) and education providers.
  2. Creation of an institution, with the working name of the New Zealand Institute of Skills & Technology, bringing together our 16 public Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) as a single entity with a robust regional network of provision.
  3. A unified vocational education funding system.

Creative New Zealand believes it is crucial that artists and arts practitioners can access high quality training and development opportunities to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to find employment in the arts sector. 

“Artists with the right skills and experience are essential for creating the dynamic arts and resilient arts sector we need,” says David Pannett, Creative New Zealand’s senior manager for advocacy.

Submissions on the Reform of Vocational Education close at 5pm on Friday, 27 March 2019.

Review of Copyright Act 1994

The Copyright Act Review aims to address the significant technological changes since the last major review of the Copyright Act in 2004. 

In November 2018, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) released an Issues paper informed by the Copyright and Creative Sector report, which makes up the first stage of consultation. Once feedback has been received on the issues paper, a second public consultation will take place on an options paper proposing ways to address the issues identified. 

The first stage of consultation is seeking input on issues with the way the Copyright Act is currently operating, or opportunities to improve its operation, including:

  1. rights
  2. exceptions
  3. transactions
  4. enforcement
  5. other issues

Submissions on the Review of Copyright Act 1994 close at 5pm on Friday, 5 April 2019.

Modernising the Charities Act 2005

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is leading a public consultation on Modernising the Charities Act 2005. Many funders, arts organisations, regional arts development agencies, venues, festivals and local arts councils are registered charities. 

“An effective Act will help ensure that our charities sector is as impactful as possible and enjoys the public’s trust and confidence,” said Raj Krishnan, General Manager Policy at DIA.

Creative New Zealand encourages the arts sector to take an active role in the consultation process to ensure that changes to the Act can increase the impact arts organisations, funders, and practitioners have on their communities, and build a stronger arts sector. 

The key issues focused on in the discussion document are:

  1. Current and future focus: what’s needed for the Act to work for a diverse sector?
  2. Obligations: are current requirements for remaining on the register working?
  3. Regulator: does the regulator have the right functions and powers?
  4. Appeals: how can the process to appeal decisions be improved?
  5. Te Ao Māori: how can the Act work better for Māori charities and Māori communities?
  6. Business: how can the risks of charities operating businesses to raise funds be managed?

Submissions on Modernising the Charities Act 2005 close at 5pm on Friday, 30 April 2019.