CAMD has welcomed the recent passage of the Commonwealth Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Act 2013.   The Act, which received assent on 14 March, will protect cultural objects loaned to museums and galleries for exhibition from seizure while in Australia.

The lack of legal assurances in relation to seizure meant that Australian cultural institutions were finding it increasingly difficult to organise loans of items from international museums.

The new Act will address this problem and ensure that our audiences continue to have the opportunity to enjoy access to important cultural material from around the world and also to artefacts originating from Australia and New Zealand which now resides overseas.

The Act delegates authority for the acceptance of loans to Government-funded collecting institutions approved and accredited for the purpose.  Discussions are now underway on the development of regulations to implement the new statutory scheme.