On September 11, Julia Gillard announced her new ministry, and to Simon Crean’s surprise along with a whole new department to run he was asked to take on- the Arts.
It’s now Simon Crean Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Minister for the Arts. Or is that, Minister for all things difficult and far away, plus arts? Given the critical independent wrangling (Oakshott, Windsor et al) pairing regional development and the arts may be a carrot waving, smart strategic move. And for good or ill, it shifts the arts away from the now defunct and always bulky Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts into the arms of the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet, as the Office of the Arts.
