Canada isn’t the only country whose writing community occasionally questions the value and method of distribution of government grants, as an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald attests. What is different is the degree of bluntness the Australian writers bring to this discussion. Though most agree that government funding of literature is necessary to support a truly national literature, few agree on how much or how often that money should be doled out. Peter Skrzynecki, a poet and full-time teacher who took time off after receiving a grant in 1975, says the experience was so negative that he never applied for assistance again. “It didn’t help me write more poems,” he said, “and I learnt very early the importance of self-reliance. Grants should go to young writers to establish themselves. My generation is turning 60 and I see those who continually apply for grants with no shame or self-respect.”
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Read the Sydney Morning Herald article
