Art market - best of intentions, worst of realities

Allow a 25-30 per cent tax rebate for all art collectors who purchase art by living Australian artists. A useful notional rate at which to start this scheme would be for purchases of artworks $3,000 and upwards.

This would create an incentive for the private sector to put some money back into the arts. While the new policy initiatives seek good outcomes in theory, they effectively remove funds as well as commercial incentives from the commercial visual arts sector. The government is thereby unwittingly undermining confidence in this sector - once again due to a lack of industry consultation.

If you agree with my solution to avert this perfect storm, please let me know! More importantly, let you local parliamentary representative know, let your local artists, your local galleries know, and your local newspaper know.

The arts industry needs straightforward incentives for people to buy art. We need the government to stop acting offhandedly as gatekeepers to an industry they barely understand, but desperately want to control.