Yesterday, after a whirlwind six week campaign, Melbourne Uni and the National Academy of Music put out a statement the upshot of which is that the full 2009 program that the Academy had planned to run will now be run, with Brett Dean as Artistic Director, staying in its existing location, key staff remaining the same, and places to be offered to existing students. A new independent board will be appointed with a view to determining the Academy's long-term programming.

The Australian Greens are today celebrating the reprieve for the National Academy of Music, after the Rudd Government effectively reversed its decision to close the world-renowned school.

The Prime Minister's office, which became involved when the Greens invited students and staff of the Academy to Canberra last week, has intervened to keep the school open and running its full planned program for 2009, with plans for a new independent board to secure its long-term future over the course of the year.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (3:13 PM) -I rise today to take note of the answer from Senator Wong pertaining to the decision by the Rudd government to close the Australian National Academy of Music. I want to say at the start that this is a shameful decision. It is an unjustified decision. Ever since the minister made it, he has been hiding in his office and failing to justify to anybody why he made the decision.

The Government is in damage control over the ill-advised decision to close the Australian National Academy of Music, and the Prime Minister must immediately step in to impose at least a 12 month moratorium on the decision, the Australian Greens said today.

In answering a question from Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Arts Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, Senator Wong once again denigrated the Academy by telling the students and staff present in the gallery that the world-class institution needed to be "revitalised".

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Australian National Academy of Music
Question

Senators Milne and Ronaldson to move on the next day of sitting:

Peter Garrett has added insult to injury by stealing the name of the Australian National Academy of Music after closing the world class institution, the Australian Greens said today.

The Greens are calling on Prime Minister Rudd to intervene immediately and, at the very least, impose a 12 month moratorium on the closure of the school, so that its future can be properly planned without disadvantaging students and staff.

AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING AUTHORITY BILL 2008 - Second Reading

On October 31, after an entirely inadequate process, Arts Minister Peter Garrett wrote to the board of the Australian National Academy of Music, Australia's world-renowned training ground for our top young classical musicians, informing them that they would be de-funded as of 2009.