The final piece of an expanded remit for Creative Australia is in place with the formation of Writing Australia.
Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke said Writing Australia would be a hub to build expertise and partnerships.
Minister Burke said it would support writers, publishers and would appoint a National Poet Laureate.
“An integral component of Australia’s National Cultural Policy Revive, Writing Australia is the final element under the expanded remit of Creative Australia and joins First Nations Arts, Music Australia and Creative Workplaces,” he said.
Minister Burke said Creative Partnerships would also be folded into Creative Australia, creating one body to support the government-funded sector, the philanthropic sector and the commercial sector.
He said award-winning author, Professor Larissa Behrendt, would Chair Writing Australia and its Council and be tasked with highlighting and boosting Australian literature among local and international audiences.
“The eight new Council members and its Chair offer broad representation from across the sector including authors, publishers, playwrights, poets and industry professionals.”
The Writing Australia Council Members are:
- Rachel Bin Salleh: A Nimunburr and Yawuru woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The publisher at Magabala Books in Broome has worked in publishing for more than 30 years. In 2024 she was appointed to the Public Lending Right Committee.
- Professor Sarah Holland-Batt: An award-winning poet, editor and academic. She is currently Professor of Creative Writing and Literary Studies at Queensland University of Technology and was also recently appointed as a member of the National Library of Australia Council.
- Sally Rippin: Australia’s highest-selling female author having written over 100 books for children and young adults and is the 2024-25 Australian Children’s Laureate.
- Dr Tim Jarvis: The owner of Hobart’s Fullers Bookshop, an independent bookshop.
- Tommy Murphy: An acclaimed playwright and screenwriter, he currently serves as a member on the Belvoir Street Theatre Board.
- Julie Pinkham: A Director of The Wheeler Centre, joint Vice President of the Australian Publishers Association and has 27 years’ experience in the book publishing industry.
- Claire Pullen: The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Writers’ Guild, and Australian Writers’ Guild Authorship Collecting Society.
- Christos Tsiolkas: An award-winning Australian author, playwright, essayist and screen writer.
