With the announcement that Australia will now have an official poet laureate as a part of the Federal government’s new National Cultural Policy, the Star Mail spoke to Woorilla Poetry Prize founder Maria Millers about what it means for poets around the Dandenongs and beyond.
Ms Millers said many people will be surprised may be surprised to learn that this isn’t the first time the country has had a poet laureate.
“Back in 1810 an Oxford-educated convict, Michael Massey Robinson was appointed by Governor Macquarie as Poet Laureate of the fledgling colony. A short-lived appointment and not revisited till now,” she said.
“This puts us behind many countries which have Poet Laureates: UK. New Zealand, USA, Canada, Iran, the Netherlands, and Nigeria: These are not high paying positions but high in prestige and the benefits they bring to the cultural landscape of their respective countries.”
A poet laureate is officially appointed by the government and is expected to compose poems for special events, occasions and milestones.
Ms Millers said at the Woorilla Poetry Prize, it is clear poetry is alive in Australia but isn’t yet as universally embraced as music, dance and film.
“Poetry is flourishing with younger Australians, particularly among those whose heritage is from countries where poetry is accepted as integral to their culture. Whoever is appointed as Poet Laureate should mine this rich vein of strong young voices ready to be heard,” she said.
“For many reading this, poetry may bring memories of school lessons to be endured and best forgotten.”
She said while most people imagine poetry in the country as the likes of Banjo Patterson, Henry Lawson and Dorothea Mackeller and would be “hard-pressed to come up with names of any contemporary Australian poets,” there are many contemporary poets who escape public recognition.
“Just as musical festivals are now attracting huge crowds that form the basis for performing artists’ incomes so too poetry performances are lately attracting bigger audiences, particularly among the youth with events such as Slam Poetry,” she said.
“A Poet Laureate will be a public snapshot of everything that is happening in Australia and in times of change capture the mood of the nation.”
Despite this, there have been concerns raised about what exactly will be required of the position.
Ms Millers said many of the poets she has spoken to believe the inaugural Laurette should be held by a First Nations Australian and the position should be free of political involvement.
“When John Howard invited our ‘de facto Poet Laureate’, the late Les Murray, to help draft a new Preamble to the Constitution before the 1999 Referendum on the Republic, he was clearly using Murray as a political pawn to produce a document to suit his political needs,” she said.
“A disillusioned Murray distanced himself and walked away. Clearly, the independence of the position must be guaranteed.”
She said despite this, the announcement should be welcomed.
“Overall, after years of neglect of the Arts, something is being done and we praise the government for this and look forward to welcoming our second Poet Laureate,” she said.
The Woorilla Poetry prize was founded in 1989 by Maria Millers and Louise Rockne. The 2022 prize saw over 400 entries from around the world and was held at the Emerald Hills Hub.
Dates of the 2023 Poetry Prize will be announced shortly.
