Page 2287 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 9 May 2012
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programs benefit from an enhanced sense of wellbeing, belonging and social inclusion. Significantly, improvements in attendance and engagement with learning have also been observed in schools offering music programs for young people. In addition, our community outreach program also gives the broader ACT public free access to the library and its excellent music resources, including access to musical instruments, music scores and research and internet services.
In closing, the government understands that the ANU is responsible for its own financial base and has, as is its right, the responsibility of developing and delivering curriculum across all areas of academic offerings.
It is worth noting—I think this relates to a number of motions that come to the Assembly—the note of caution for all of us to be mindful of our actions when it comes to independent entities. But, that said, I think a significant part of the community has made its views known following the recent decisions and announcements. The government understands the importance of community outreach programs and the benefits of CSO to this great city and certainly the benefits of the ANU School of Music since its inception in 1965. I commend my amendment to the chamber.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (6.05): I have a number of comments to make about this. What I would like to do is put on the record an exchange between me and the general secretary of the ANU Students Association when I was apprised of their position. I did not think I would get an opportunity to go public in the way I felt about this because I thought I would be overseas at the time.
I thank Mrs Dunne for bringing it forward and giving me the opportunity to do that because I was particularly appalled about not only the staff reductions but also the way in which they occurred. We talked earlier on about consultation. Consultation should be a conversation in the contemplative stage, not about delivering bad news to somebody. That is not consultation; that is dictatorship, totalitarianism. What we are seeing here—I digress here—is a bit of artistic cannibalism and academic bastardry. It is as simple as that. I am going to call a spade a bloody shovel here tonight, Mr Speaker, and I am sure you know that I am not very good at that.
I was not particularly impressed by the lack of understanding of the role that elite musicians play in forming the fabric of our society and of the leadership role the School of Music plays and has played since its inception. But what really galls me and appals me is the obvious ignorance of the raison d’etre for the institution. Where did it come from? What makes it different from every other music conservatorium in the country?
For the information of members and the general public, I was the registrar of the school from 1972 to 1976 and I was bursar of the institution from 1976 to 1978. I worked directly to the late Ernest Llewellyn, the founding director, and was on the building committee to build the current building when it transferred from premises in Manuka in 1976.
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