Australian Arts funding: we need to spread it around more widely

But it's not just about me. I'm happy cleaning bathrooms to fund my art. It's seeing stories that should be told not being told - that's what sucks. Tom is 86 years old and lives in a boarding house. He doesn't know anyone who's been to NIDA, doesn't look like Bill Hunter - no-one will ever know about his life or what he's learned.

That's sad and it's because many people who have real stories lose the motivation to struggle on; or because they think you need to go to university to have credibility; or because they're outsiders and think it's cool to embrace rejection. But it doesn't have to be that way.

I say, make funding accessible.

That makes sense. Sure, defecating in Tupperware is low-brow - but it's now. Les Murray hosting the World Cup Soccer standing up, that's now. Now is what the government should be funding - they've got it half right with Les but we need to go the full distance. We need more.

We need to filter out the insiders and give control to the outsiders - get some fresh ideas. OK, I'm sounding like some hippy orgy-lovin' green leftie - but hey, I've owned an old Volkswagen and I can see beyond the A-list yo-yos.

The administration of all Australian arts funding needs to be re-focussed. Give it to the Government of Nauru. Then everybody would be outsiders trying to get in. That makes even more sense and it's so now it's scary that one person could come up with such a brilliant idea.

In fact, I'm going to put together a proposal for the Leon Fish Pacific Arts Funding Solution - so, get ready and hide all Tupperware.