In September 2006, the Cultural Ministers Council agreed to develop cultural indicators. In November 2006, the Standing Committee established the Cultural Indicators Working Group.

The Cultural Indicators Working Group’s role was to:

• develop a suite of high-level cultural indicators for Australia
• examine and make recommendations on their relevance and usefulness to a range of applications
• recommend timing, cycle and longevity for collecting and reporting on cultural data.

This working group wa s chaired by Queensland. Other participating jurisdictions we re the Australian Government, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, and New Zealand. Other members ca me from the Australia Council, the Australian Film Commission, and the Australian Local Government Association.

In February 2008, the Cultural Ministers Council decided that work on cultural indicators would occur as part of the development of the Cultural Ministers Council Strategy for the Arts and Culture.