Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the extraordinary expressions of support from around the world for the excellent standard of tuition offered by the Australian National Academy of Music,

(ii)

that the Government, having said that the academy must be closed down, has now appropriated its name and reputation for its replacement institution, undermining any credibility in the Government’s claims that the new institution would be a ‘better alternative’ than the existing academy,

(iii)

that, as of 1 December 2008, there are still no appropriate transitional arrangements in place for the students from the academy whose plans for 2009 have been destroyed, and

(iv)

the extreme distress of some of our most outstanding young musicians, who have no idea what they will do in 2009 or where they will be sent, having already missed the audition deadlines for the great majority of other music schools; and

(b)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

acknowledge its mistake, and

(ii)

immediately impose a 12-month moratorium on the closure of the Australian National Academy of Music with a view to continuing the excellent standards of the academy while undertaking a proper consultation process in 2009 of ways to implement the findings of the two independent reviews which both recommended expansion and increased funding for the academy.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One minute.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure I can do it in one minute.

Leave granted.

The government opposes the motion. The government does remain committed to providing ongoing support for elite-level classical music training. On 18 November 2008, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts announced that Australian government funding of up to $2.5 million annually would be provided for a revitalised elite-level classical music performance and training centre operating in conjunction with the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of the VCA and Music. The new centre will retain the Australian National Academy of Music name, in order to build on the significant artistic achievements of ANAM in recent years, and will commence training in July 2009.

The government is keen to ensure continuity of training is provided in the interim. Therefore, additional funding of $0.5 million to boost performance training during the transition to the new program was announced on 28 November. In addition, a working group comprised of representatives of ANAM, the University of Melbourne and the Australian government has been established to oversee a smooth transition. The university has appointed a planning advisory board comprised of leading international authorities on elite music training to develop a truly world-class training program. The training will provide flexibility for a broad range of orchestral roles, including concert master and orchestra section principal, and will include accredited and non-accredited training individually tailored to meet the needs of students.

The university is working to individually tailored training options for each student during the transition period. As at 27 November, more than half of the 2008 ANAM intake has approached the university regarding their training options for 2009. The government believes that the revitalised Australian Academy of Music will deliver a comprehensive, elite-level professional performance training program that responds flexibly to the training needs of our most talented young musicians and connects strongly to the orchestra and Australian classical music sector.

Question agreed to.