Aboriginal galleries unhappy with royalty scheme

Minister for the Arts Peter Garrett is in Alice Springs today to launch the scheme, which kicks off tomorrow.

The scheme will see artists given a 5 per cent commission on works sold for more than $1000.

Papunya Tula Artists general manager Paul Sweeney says the Government needs to consider exemptions for companies with a similar structure to Papunya Tula.

"Old paintings that were obviously selling for very high amounts and, the thought of a 5 per cent residual coming back to the estate of those artists or those particular artists if they were still alive, was what was motivating us to support the scheme.

"But I think they've got some tidying up to do."

The director of RAFT Artspace, Dallas Gold, says the intentions behind the scheme are good but it will create a bureaucratic nightmare.

"People that I've talked to, my colleagues in the industry, are mostly worried about a new thing, more paperwork brought into and discouraging investment in the arts industry in a flat market."

Mr Garrett says the industry's jitters are unfounded.