An investigation into the Federal Budget’s controversial arts funding reforms is due by September.

After weeks of petitions, protests and public outcry, Labor, the Greens and Independents have successfully joined forces to lobby the Senate to begin an inquiry into the changes to arts funding instituted in the Federal Budget. It was announced yesterday that the Senate would refer the matter to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, who will deliver their report by September 15.

Shadow Minister for the Arts Mark Dreyfus has been calling for such an inquiry since Senator George Brandis revealed in a Senate Estimates hearing on May 27 that he sought no public or arts sector consultation before announcing the establishment of the new National Programme for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA). Senator Dreyfus declared an investigation was vital “to force Senator Brandis to have the public consultation he has so arrogantly sought to avoid.”

However during yesterday’s vote Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield argued that the questions answered by Senator Brandis and staff from the Arts Ministry and Attorney General’s office in the May 27 hearing rendered the new inquiry unnecessary, and that an investigation into the NPEA was “absurd” as the it...