Annette Ellis (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to take the opportunity this morning to talk about the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. Just over 40 years ago the then newly arrived founding director of the Canberra School of Music, Ernest Llewellyn, took the reins as conductor of a small amateur orchestra ensemble which became, under his direction, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The CSO has grown and developed over the years since, with great pride within this community. Sadly, however, a question mark has been put over the CSO as the result of a recent decision by the Australian Ballet not to come to Canberra next year, claiming that it is not worth their while as the orchestra is too expensive for them and not up to scratch and that our theatre here is inadequate for them to continue touring here.

Honourable Member:

Honourable member—Rubbish!

Annette Ellis (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely. There is always room for improvement, of course. Ian McLean, the chief executive of the orchestra, is doing wonderful things in leading the CSO through further development of the orchestra into what we know will be a positive future. I am very pleased to know that there are discussions of a positive nature now occurring between the Australian Ballet and our CSO. Hopefully, we are all looking forward to a good outcome from those discussions.

I would like to take the opportunity to put some facts before the House regarding our Canberra Symphony Orchestra. They are in fact holding scholarships through October—six unique scholarships for young people to gifted honours and postgraduate students from the Canberra School of Music. Next year, in conjunction with ArtSound FM, they are going to introduce a young performer competition. Most importantly, Opera Australia has confirmed that the CSO is to provide the orchestra for its blockbuster production of The Pirates of Penzance in the Canberra Theatre during November of this year. Opera Australia management are delighted to be coming here and to be doing that work with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, unlike the Australian Ballet—but of course I am not here to criticise the Australian Ballet; I am here to talk about the CSO.

The ACT government assists the CSO with funding. I am very pleased to welcome the recently announced federal government funding of $400,000 over four years through the Australia Council to assist the CSO. Of course it should have been happening prior to this time. I am not going to be mean about this, but it is the Canberra national capital symphony orchestra we are talking about. I am very pleased to see that eventually some funding has come from the national parliament, from the government here, to assist the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. I want to wish the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Ian McLean and all of the students of music in this town all the very best for a very positive future. I look forward with all other people in the Canberra arts community to welcoming the Australian Ballet back at an appropriate time in the future.