Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The electorate of Melbourne Ports is the heart of Victoria's, indeed Australia's, arts community. Some of our major institutions are located there, including the Melbourne Recital Centre, the Malthouse Theatre, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Arts Centre Melbourne and the National Gallery of Victoria. Some of our educational facilities include the Victorian College of the Arts, The Australian Ballet School, the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and our beloved Australian National Academy of Music. On 13 November I was at ANAM to attend a community event that they had put on, featuring their Symphony Orchestra conducted by the dynamic young Venezuelan conductor Ilyich Rivas, accompanied by the equally gifted Elsternwick vocalist Lior, along with staff and guests in a breathtaking performance for the local community.

All of these institutions are feeling the pressure from this federal government's cuts to the arts. I have spoken about it many times in this parliament. In most cases the state governments are being forced to pick up shortfalls, as is being done with the Australian National Academy of Music. Anyone who has been to St Kilda knows the famous National Theatre on the corner of Barkly and Carlisle streets, which, after the Second World War, used to be called the Victory Theatre. A wonderful ballet school operates from there—my niece, Shani, attended—and, of course, it has highly developed diplomas for high-end drama workers and dancers.

The Australian National Memorial Theatre's Susan Thacore and I met education minister Birmingham to discuss funding cuts affecting diplomas in acting and ballet. Minister Birmingham advised us that the current model will not be revised for several months and that state governments skills tests need to be looked at, to see whether or not the artists who graduated from there can continue to get VET support. I understand the states are reviewing their skill lists; however, it may prove too late for some students, as two states are required to list before VET-FEE HELP becomes available.

The National Theatre Melbourne Drama School graduates include Kat Stewart and Richard Harris from Offspring, Richard Cawthorne, Lawrence Mooney and Bella Heathcote. The National Theatre's ballet graduates include: the great Amber Scott, who is currently principal artist at The Australian Ballet and board director of The National Theatre; soloist with The Australian Ballet Jarryd Madden; and Alice Top, a highly awarded choreographer who also graduated from The National Theatre. In the last couple of weeks three of the advanced diploma students have been snapped up for professional caress at the West Australian Ballet and the Singapore Ballet.

This institution obviously produces the highest quality drama workers, actors and ballet dancers. It is not the kind of institution that should have been cut back as a result of the minister's campaign against colleges that are producing people from invented courses at the last minute. (Time expired)