How do you think publishing should be supported?

Why do books get some sort of free pass when every other industry in Australia is being told to make its own way? We shouldn't subsidise Gunns to get out of the timber business in Tasmania any more than we should support books other than by buying them or not.

Well, if you want to kick around political footballs, poorly literary nations do not become world powers and that's what Australia aspires to be.

Writing is a vocation not just a profession (yes, still in the 21st century; especially, in fact, with all the text floating around) and writers and publishing employees are some of the worst paid and undervalued workers in one of the most valuable industries.

Global media saturation has seen a decline in reading and an education gap which, like the rich-poor gap which greatly contributed to it, is a governmental issue.

Just for starters.

How should publishing be supported? With a sympathetic ear and a nice shoulder to cry on I'd say. And if that doesn't work, a firmly applied pillow to the face. It's the only kind thing to do.

Damien, take a shower, mate, and then take a look at the Australia Council website. All major art and media forms receive federal funding -- it's not a 'free pass'; it's a tiny fraction of your taxes at work. The small amount of government money pumped into publishing and the like just makes some projects happen that otherwise would never get off the ground. This isn't necessarily a good thing, but it's the way it's worked for a long time. If you don't like it, at least form a coherent critique. It's got little to do with Gunns being subsidised to leave Tassie, because Gunns isn't offering any sort of cultural capital in addition to jobs; it just offers a small amount of employment, allowing it to hold a small state government to ransom. But hey, why not let the market sort it all out, or just read blogs. I'm sure the IPA will deliver.

Thanks for the considered comment, Jasper; and Jude the obscure, I'd love that shoulder, please, but a raincheck on the pillow. No need to kill the patient yet; as Damien might care to find out, a lot of publishers invest their own, non-government money in making great books because they care about them. Seems crazy, I know.