By Charlene Gatt
THE State Government has restored funding levels for public libraries across the state in a surprising backflip last week.
Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell last week announced the State Government would restore funding for the state’s libraries over the 2011-12 financial year and would include additional funding next year to compensate for the loss of an indexed increase this financial year.
Ms Powell also announced a new Ministerial Advisory Committee, including representation from local government, which will review the funding of libraries.
Maribyrnong councillor Martin Zakharov was one of many councillors across the state that was left shocked when the State Government announced it would cut recurrent funding for libraries last month.
Cr Zakharov told Star he was unimpressed by the way the Government handled the situation and accused the Government of burying the move in its 2011-12 budget papers.
“It was done in a fairly sneaky manner,” he said.
“They had it as a single line in the budget but didn’t mention it and came out with an announcement that said they were continuing with the processes of the previous Government, and that wasn’t true.
“It’s been a bit dodgy.”
The comments were echoed by Shadow Local Government Minister Richard Wynne.
“There are still worrying signs as Ms Powell used today’s backflip to unveil yet another review, clearly with the intention of delaying the cut to library funding until 2014,” he said.
