We advocate to government on behalf of our members and the wider dance community to better understand the needs of the dance sector as an industry, to improve conditions and to promote the essential role dance plays in Australian lives.
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Ausdance Submission to the National Office of Child Safety
February 2025
 

The national Ausdance network has made a landmark submission for dance to the National Office for Child Safety in response to its Child Safety Annual Reporting Framework consultation paper.

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It is not possible to overstate the urgency expressed by Ausdance members to comprehensively address the issue of child safety. The overwhelming response of the dance sector – following substantial consultation over more than four years – is that it should be better regulated so the safety of children in organisations is improved.

The national Ausdance network has championed ‘Safe Dance’ since 1990. Currently, improving safety in dance environments, particularly for children, is a key priority for the network.

The National Office for Child Safety’s proposed child safety annual reporting framework aims to encourage and support organisations through capability building to implement good practice child safety policies and processes to embed cultures that prioritise the best interests of all children.

The national framework operates in addition to state-based Child Safe Standards regulatory requirements.

Investing in Dance: A Call for Federal Budget Action

February 2025
 
The Ausdance network is calling on the federal government to recognise the vital role dance plays in the nation’s health, economy, and cultural identity by making meaningful investments in the 2025 federal budget.

In Australia, 573,726 adults and 387,617 children participate regularly in dance activities. According to Fitness Australia, dance is the third most popular form of recreational activity. It is a part of everyday Australians’ lives, and the diversity and impact of its sectors and industry practice needs recognition in all new arts policies.​
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Ausdance is asking for the 2025 federal budget to support:​

• First Nations Dance Leadership – Direct investment in long-term workforce capacity for First Nations dance practitioners, leaders, and communities.

• Safety in Dance – Support Ausdance to introduce nationally consistent child safety regulations in dance workplaces, update best practice guidelines and provide more professional development, working towards a more regulated industry.

• Stronger Arts Education – Ensure schools are properly resourced to teach the arts curriculum and urgently reverse unfair university fee increases for arts and humanities courses.

• Fairer Pay and Workplace Protections – Address wage disparities in dance employment and invest in services and resources that support arts employers to meet their workplace health, safety and pay obligations.

• Affordable and Accessible Venues – Reassess government venue pricing to support sustainable independent dance practice and production viability.

• Dance and Wellbeing – Expand dance programs for vulnerable and ageing Australians, leveraging evidence-based research into arts and health.

• Data-Driven Investment – Support research and data collection to measure the social, cultural, and economic value of the arts.

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The Ausdance network are urging the government to reverse years of under investment that have left the sector struggling to meet demand. If we want to see a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable dance sector, investment must be a priority in this budget.
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