The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.
Books Alive success to continue
The Books Alive programme will receive $2 million per year over the next four years to continue its innovative approach to promoting the value of reading in the community, following the announcement of the 2005–06 Federal Budget.
“Children, their parents and indeed everyone in the community will benefit from the activities of the Books Alive programme,” the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, said.
“A strong Australian industry of writing, publishing and selling books is dependent on a strong reading public, and the Australia Government is committed to playing its role in promoting the value of reading,” he said.
Books Alive has become an established national event, with strong ongoing support from booksellers, publishers, writers and libraries. The event promotes the intrinsic value of books and reading, and the books of Australian writers in particular.
Books Alive 2005, which will run from 27 July to 31 August, will include:
- The Books Alive Great Read Guide which will feature 50 highly recommended books covering fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles, chosen by an expert panel in association with the Australian Booksellers Association and the Australian Publishers Association; and
- The Books Alive Free Book Giveaway where a Books Alive gift book by a ‘brand name’ Australian author, Matthew Reilly, will be given away free, while stocks last, to any purchaser buying a title from the Books Alive Great Read Guide during the campaign period.
“There is no doubt that this programme is of great value to the community, authors, publishers, booksellers and libraries. It is a programme of which the Australian Government is justifiably proud.”
10 May 2005
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