Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

that is right—and the board offering to do so and to work with the department. This is a political sham, an academic sham and it is a professional music sham. We should be serious about encouraging the very best in this country. And, as Senator Milne said, it does not matter whether they come from Victoria, Tasmania or Sydney, we do not care. We have a fine institution that was training the very best in this country. This notion from the minister that elite classical musicians must be trained at degree level is a bit like telling an Olympian that they have to go back and do a physical education course. That is absolute, patent nonsense. A lot of these young people have already done degrees. This is about finishing off their expertise and enabling them to make their mark in the world. And have no fear: this is about world-trained young men and women. We should proudly go out and laud the great musicians of this country, the same as we laud our Olympians. Senator Milne and I want to know what the answers are to the questions that have yet remain unanswered and, on behalf of the young people in the gallery, we will insist on it.

Question agreed to.