Minister Foss Bails Out Another Company
Wed, 8 Sept 1999, 09:56 pmGrant Malcolm6 posts in thread
Minister Foss Bails Out Another Company
Wed, 8 Sept 1999, 09:56 pmThe following press release courtesy of Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Secretary, Steve Shaw. Thanks for keeping us informed, Steve!************************PRESS RELEASE.ARTS MINISTER "BAILS OUT" ANOTHER COMPANY.Minister for the Arts Peter Foss has yet again said one thing and done another. In an ABC Radio interview (Tues. 31/8) Mr Foss stated "...I don't bail out companies, my policy is not to bail out companies...".Branch Secretary of the Alliance Mr Steven Shaw has been able to confirm that Concert Enterprises trading in part as Music Theatre Company of WA has very recently had a $25,000.00 debt written off after direct intervention by the Minister."Concert Enterprises are very happy about this and why wouldn't they be. According to Concert Enterprises, without the Minister's write-off assistance, that organisation would not be able to continue with its activities," Mr Shaw said.Mr Foss recently refused to offer assistance in the vicinity of $20,000.00 to prevent
Perth's Effie Crump Theatre Company having to suspend its operations. He justified this lack of support in a letter to The West Australian (Thurs 2/9) where he stated "...Companies cannot automatically expect Government to be the first port of call when the going gets rough..."."Clearly the Concert Enterprises write-off makes a mockery of such statements. This is an example of Mr Foss's selective approach as to who should receive the benefit of his largesse.""The irony for the Theatre profession is that Concert Enterprises is not a fully professional company. It employs and pays a small number of performers in major roles as well as the musicians and crew it hires. Everyone else is a volunteer. Mr Foss's actions suggest he has a preference in offering survival support to a company using unpaid volunteers rather than to a company employing waged, highly skilled professionals.""Mr Foss is nothing if not consistent. When questioned on the ABC regarding a $500,000 survival loan provided last year to Black Swan Theatre Company , Mr Foss said "...that didn't come from me. That came from Central Government...". For Central Government read State Cabinet. Foss had voted against the loan thereby guaranteeing the total collapse of a major professional organisation. The folly of such a decision was recognised by his Cabinet colleagues and in particular the Premier who voted to ensure the survival of Black Swan." Mr Shaw said.Further Comment: Mr Steven Shaw, Branch Secretary.(9227 7924)
Perth's Effie Crump Theatre Company having to suspend its operations. He justified this lack of support in a letter to The West Australian (Thurs 2/9) where he stated "...Companies cannot automatically expect Government to be the first port of call when the going gets rough..."."Clearly the Concert Enterprises write-off makes a mockery of such statements. This is an example of Mr Foss's selective approach as to who should receive the benefit of his largesse.""The irony for the Theatre profession is that Concert Enterprises is not a fully professional company. It employs and pays a small number of performers in major roles as well as the musicians and crew it hires. Everyone else is a volunteer. Mr Foss's actions suggest he has a preference in offering survival support to a company using unpaid volunteers rather than to a company employing waged, highly skilled professionals.""Mr Foss is nothing if not consistent. When questioned on the ABC regarding a $500,000 survival loan provided last year to Black Swan Theatre Company , Mr Foss said "...that didn't come from me. That came from Central Government...". For Central Government read State Cabinet. Foss had voted against the loan thereby guaranteeing the total collapse of a major professional organisation. The folly of such a decision was recognised by his Cabinet colleagues and in particular the Premier who voted to ensure the survival of Black Swan." Mr Shaw said.Further Comment: Mr Steven Shaw, Branch Secretary.(9227 7924)
Re: Minister Foss Bails Out Another Company
Mon, 13 Sept 1999, 08:33 am> He didn't "bail out" Music Makers, get the facts right.Jeff was only quoting from the MEAA press release.> He allowed the Perth Theatre Trust to write off an unrecoverable
> debt. how the PTT allowed such a situation to occur is another story.
> PTT have to get the Minister's permission to write off bad debts,
> they applied to do so on this occasion and were granted same.
> That is NOT 'bailing out'mmm... an accountant might appreciate the distinction. i'm sure a lawyer would.I can't help wondering how "unrevcoverable" the debt was in the light of this quote from the press release::> Branch Secretary of the Alliance Mr Steven Shaw has been able to confirm
:> that Concert Enterprises trading in part as Music Theatre Company of WA
:> has very recently had a $25,000.00 debt written off after direct intervention
:> by the Minister.
:>
:> "Concert Enterprises are very happy about this and why wouldn't they be.
:> According to Concert Enterprises, without the Minister's write-off :> assistance, that organisation would not be able to continue with its
:> activities," Mr Shaw said.Perhaps Concert Enterprises has cleverer lawyers and accountants than Effie Crump? Maybe Effie Crump was too honest in calling a halt to their operations before irresponsibly running themselves into debt and what should perhaps have been bankruptcy? Perhaps Concert Enterprises has the right Nedlands-Dalkieth connections?Cheers
Grant
> debt. how the PTT allowed such a situation to occur is another story.
> PTT have to get the Minister's permission to write off bad debts,
> they applied to do so on this occasion and were granted same.
> That is NOT 'bailing out'mmm... an accountant might appreciate the distinction. i'm sure a lawyer would.I can't help wondering how "unrevcoverable" the debt was in the light of this quote from the press release::> Branch Secretary of the Alliance Mr Steven Shaw has been able to confirm
:> that Concert Enterprises trading in part as Music Theatre Company of WA
:> has very recently had a $25,000.00 debt written off after direct intervention
:> by the Minister.
:>
:> "Concert Enterprises are very happy about this and why wouldn't they be.
:> According to Concert Enterprises, without the Minister's write-off :> assistance, that organisation would not be able to continue with its
:> activities," Mr Shaw said.Perhaps Concert Enterprises has cleverer lawyers and accountants than Effie Crump? Maybe Effie Crump was too honest in calling a halt to their operations before irresponsibly running themselves into debt and what should perhaps have been bankruptcy? Perhaps Concert Enterprises has the right Nedlands-Dalkieth connections?Cheers
Grant