Page 3282 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Returning to the CSO, according to the CSO’s website the combined commonwealth and territory funding of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra contributes just 25 per cent of its operating budget. In 2011 the Canberra Symphony Orchestra received $457,000 in funding from the ACT government. As far as the commonwealth is concerned, it was the good work of my colleague the former Chief Minister of the ACT, now senator, Gary Humphries, that secured at least some modicum of funding from the commonwealth.
In 2007 the CSO received its first-ever round of commonwealth funding, a princely sum of $100,000. Whilst I am thankful for small mercies, this funding has continued since then at the same rate. So in real terms the commonwealth funding for the CSO has declined over time. It should have been the start of something big for the CSO but it was not. The CSO is still receiving a meagre contribution from the commonwealth, to the tune of $100,000. This is for an orchestra that is comparable to the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, which at the same time received nearly $5.9 million and $6.2 million, respectively.
Is it any wonder, when we compare these orchestras, that the Canberra Symphony Orchestra is unable to reach its full potential? The funding directed to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, particularly by the commonwealth, significantly limits the orchestra’s ability to do the kinds of things that other state orchestras do. The Tasmanian and Adelaide symphony orchestras provide the most reasonable comparisons.
Just as Canberra is the nation’s capital, so should the Canberra Symphony Orchestra be a symphony orchestra for the nation. It should be Australia’s premier symphony orchestra. But without commonwealth funding that is comparable to other orchestras, particularly the Tasmanian and Adelaide orchestras, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra can never even dream of being Australia’s premier symphony orchestra, let alone aspire to it.
The Canberra Symphony Orchestra is much loved by the people of Canberra; it has a special place in our community. It is time for the Canberra Symphony Orchestra to be freed from the shackles of what amounts to tokenism from the commonwealth. It is time for the commonwealth to realise its full potential. It is time for the commonwealth to see Canberra Symphony Orchestra not for what it currently is, a part-time professional local orchestra, but for what it could be as a world-class full-time professional outfit that takes the nation’s capital to the world and brings the world to the nation’s capital.
The ACT government needs to share this vision. It needs to take the vision to the commonwealth. If the Canberra Liberals are elected to government in October we will do that. The ACT government’s commitment to Canberra Symphony Orchestra is commendable, but it can do much more to turn the impossible dream into a dream that can come true.
I commend my motion to the Assembly, calling on the current government to work with the commonwealth to increase the funding to a very important institution in the ACT, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video