[Greens-Media] ANAM must stay open for 2009: Interim solution 'completely inappropriate'

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

ANAM must stay open for 2009: Interim solution 'completely
inappropriate'

Hobart, Tuesday 18 November 2008

Peter Garrett must keep the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)
open next year to ensure continuing appropriate training for Australia's
top young classical musicians while any long-term solution is reached,
the Australian Greens said today.

The Australian Institute of Musical Performance as proposed by Minister
Garrett today is largely indistinguishable from ANAM's plans for next
year, but deserves to be discussed over time instead of launched as
policy on the run. Meanwhile, the interim measure, to send students to
Melbourne University until the new Institute starts in July, is entirely
inappropriate.

"Peter Garrett has treated these top young Australian musicians with
absolute contempt," said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Arts
Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne.

"The students at the National Academy of Music were looking forward to
an extremely exciting year of tuition, chamber music and orchestral
experience that had been organised for them by the Academy.
 
"The interim solution proposed by Minister Garrett ignores the bulk of
what makes the experience of learning at the National Academy so
valuable. Without any disrespect to the University of Melbourne, the
programs it runs are not geared to the specialist elite training that
the Academy's students enrolled for.

"You wouldn't dream of closing the Australian Institute of Sport and
sending top young athletes to a university while a new, similar body
under a different name was put in place. Why would you do that to
musicians?"

The Greens are calling for the Australian National Academy of Music to
be fully funded for its plans for 2009 and for any discussions as to its
future to be conducted while the Academy is operational, involving staff
and students in the planning process. It may be that, with appropriate
examination, the Government's concerns over existing administration can
be allayed.

"Why did the Academy need to be closed immediately?

"The unseemly haste with which Minister Garrett closed the Academy,
without giving any reasonable explanation, raises too many questions. I
have asked the Minister many of these in Questions on Notice filed last
week. 

"Minister Garrett appears to lack vital information on how the Academy
operates, proudly noting, for instance, that the new Institute would
conduct national auditions, which the Academy has always done.

"The appropriate path would be to take time to discuss the future of
elite classical music training in Australia while the existing
institution continues to provide its world class services."

Tim Hollo 
Media and Communications Adviser 
Senator Christine Milne 
Australian Greens Deputy Leader
ph: (02) 6277 3588 
mob: 0437 587 562
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