The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has expressed its disappointment at news that funding to Austrade’s Export Market Development grants (EMDG) has been drastically cut in the recent federal budget.
APA CEO Maree McCaskill told the Weekly Book Newsletter ‘this will have a significant effect on many publishers as they rely on EMDG funding to support their attendance at international book fairs’.
The APA is also very concerned that, because the EMDG refunds expenses rather than giving up-front money, that there could be a substantial shortfall on publisher entitlements expected from 2008/09 submissions. The shortfall in funding to Austrade could mean that exporters who are expecting a second EMDG payment may be short-changed by up to 50%.
The funding cut puts in doubt the continuing ability of the APA to offer a group stand at international fairs, says McCaskill. ‘Our future for book fairs and the capacity to provide for our publishers will be reduced as the Australia Council funding to revamp our collective stand was for three years and finishes early next year and if the EMDG grant is also dramatically reduced then we would need to review what we do,’ McCaskill said.
The shortfall in EMDG funding is likely to have its biggest impact on mid-tier publishers who are trying to establish an international profile. ‘Developing export markets is a lifeblood for many publishers,’ McCaskill said, ‘and any cut in EMDG funding will hit hardest on the sort of publisher who has exhibited at a few fairs on the APA collective stand then has struck out on their own with a small stand: smaller players are still likely to have their costs covered and well-established ones have moved beyond the EMDG--but for mid-tier publishers this is a big hit.’
Are you a publisher who relies on the EMDG to support attendance at book fairs? What impact will it have on you? Email bookseller.publisher@thorpe.com.au with your comments.
