The NOR misses the publication deadline for its findings, while artist submissions mount for senate inquiry into the NPEA.

It never rains but it pours for Minister for the Arts George Brandis. After two solid months of bad press following the revelations in the Federal Budget of the senator’s raid on the Australia Council to fund his own National Programme for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA), another of the Minister’s pet projects has seemingly run aground.

The National Opera Review (NOR) was established a year ago to “examine the artistic vibrancy, engagement with audiences and financial positions,” of the four companies receiving the largest amount of government subsidy: Opera Australia, State Opera of South Australia, West Australian Opera and Opera Queensland. Led by Dr Helen Nugent, alongside Moffatt Oxenbould, Kathryn Fagg and Andrew McKinnon, this panel of experts was tasked with gathering evidence, including conducting a nationwide public consultation, for a report that should have been published by June 30, but now the Ministry for the Arts say the review will not be published until the end of 2015.

No specific reason has been given for the delayed publication of the National Opera Review, but the timing suggest the release...