Tony Burke’s double portfolio is what the arts need

Tony Burke is the first Federal Minister to hold the pairing of Ministry of Arts and Workplace Relations, a unique opportunity to address some of the industry’s structural issues.

With the swearing in of a new arts minister, there is a unique opportunity to address some of the structural issues around pay and job precarity in the arts and build a more equitable and diverse sector.

After holding the shadow portfolios, it is expected Tony Burke will be sworn in as minister for the arts and minister for industrial relations: the first federal minister to hold the pairing of these two portfolios. [Editor’s note: Burke has officially been appointed as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for the Arts since this article was published.]

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