PRIME MINISTER FRIDAY, 10 APRIL, 1981
LAUNCHING OF A NEW RECORDING BY THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTA
Mr. Chairman, members of the Orchestra, and ladies and
gentlemen, I am delighted to have been asked to come here
tonight to launch the new recording of the Australian
Chamber Orchestra. The main reason I am pleased to be here
is that it gives me an opportunity to say how delighted I am
at the success of the Orchestra and with the way in which its
quality has become so widely recognised in Australia and
wherever it has visited overseas.
I do remember a concert in the Music Centre in Canberra in
1976 when the Orchestra was conducted by Neville Mariner
and that thne Orchestra would go from strength to strength was
clear on th'at night.
Since then h Orchestl--ra has toured in Japan and South East Asia,
as the Ch7--4an has told us, and next year . I understand, it
will be gr; to Europe. It is an orchestra of world standard
of which al! Australians can be very proud indeed.
There is of course another reason why I am pleased to have been
asked to be here tonight. I welcome the role that private
enterprise has played in supporting both the Orchestra and
the record being launched this evening. I am always pleased to
see private enterprise becoming involved in support for the arts in
Australia. That is a habit that is catching. More and more
corporations, I believe, are starting to be involved.
I congratulate 7 Records for releasing the record, and IBM for
its sponsorship of the Orchestra. Thank you for giving me a copy
of the record which both Tamie and I have listened to before
this-evening. It is beautiful music, beautifully played and
very professionally recorded.
The Commonwealth Government has also assisted the Orchestra
through some subsidies from the Music Board through the
Australia Council. The N. S. W. Government has also provided
some support.
Over the last five years, the Commonwealth Government has had
to concentrate heavily on economic management. I think some people
suspect that that is all we are interested in, but that is not true.
But it would be entirely wrong to infer from that as some people,,
as I have just suggested, might have done that the Government is
therefore not interested in the well-being of the arts and of t" he
other broader and vastly important areas of life in Australia.
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In fact, the Government's commitment to an Australia in
which the arts will flourish is fundamental. We know full
well what a barren country Australia would be without the
Australian opera, without ballet, without art, without music,
without the Chamber Orchestra. The way of life which the
Government is promoting, and which I think most of us want in,
this country, is a way of life in which cultural opportunities..
in the widest sense are open to as many Australians as possible.
The Government's concentration on economic recovery over a
number of years needs to be viewed in the context of th * at much9
broader commitment. If they are making profits, corporat * ionswill
be* mord' inclined to support the arts and to support . the
Orchestra. If they are making losses, I suspect they would
find it harder to justify it to their shareholders. If the
company is doing well, Governments themselves have greater
revenue with which to support the arts and other areas of life
in Australia. So in this sense, a sound and a growing economy
is important to many of our aspirations and to many of our hopes.
We take the view that a weak economy shackles both Governments
and private enterprise. Just as business will not contribute
to the arts unless it is thriving, so Governments cannot
contribute nearly so effectively unless the economy is sound
and growing.
None of t-his means, however, that the Government has been
inactj-7-in areas such as the arts during the last five years.
One of : robjectives as a Governm~ ent has been to encourage
the par-lcinatLion of private enterprise in the arts in Australia.
This hesboth to civilise private enterprise and to strengthen
artist4: " life in Australia. It encourages a diversity of
endeavo-.-r which Government alone might be unable to achieve.
I also believe that it provides a much greater sense of independence
to areas of artistic endeavour if they know that resources are
available from different corporations and private enterprise
as well as from Governments. If Governments do not then do
what they ought, there are other opportunities available. I
think that is good.
It has never been our view that the arts in Australia should come
to be dependent upon Government support and Government support
alone. Wide support throughout the community is the best
possible guarantee of continued freedom and development of art
in Australia.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra is an excellent example of
what can and has been achieved. Private support will be
forthcoming for outstanding artistic quality. There are occasions
when most can be achieved by Governments and private enterprise
working closely together. I want to take the opportunity to
mention briefly the International Cultural Corporation of
Australia. Thah Corporation has been established recently
to enable Government and private enterprise-to be
closely involved in the planning and presentation of international
cultural projects in Australia. The Corporation brings together
art administrators and business experts to manage large exhibitions
and to attract large scale commercial sponsorships. / 3
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The Commonwealth Government role is to underwrite the ventures
through the indemnification process. Though only recenlty
established the Corporation has already made a significant
contribution in this area. It has been able to secure
sponsorship for the Chinese Classical Paintings Exhibition
which is at present visiting Australia, and which has only
recently opened in this great city. It has a number of future
projects planned.
We welcome very much the ready and the generous response of
companies and of business, foundations and individuals . in
providing sponsorship funds for the arts a development which
I think all Australians see as important for the future fund: Lng
of arts, for the well-being and the strength of the arts in
Australia. But this evening is a celebration of the work of the Australian
Chamber Orchestra, and an occasion for congratulating 7 Records
and IBM on their good sense in supporting the Orchestra.
Australia is very proud of the Orchestra. I would like to
wish all its members now and in the future the best of good
fortune, and I am sure that the Orchestra will go from strength
to strength in reputation here and overseas.
The reccrding of works by Mozart and Bach will further advance
its rep::_ ation, and bring enjoyment of its work to a much
wider a: oience.
Very macy zongratulations to the Orchestra and all of those
who have contributed to its success, and may the record sell
by the hundreds of thousands however many it is meant to sell
and then double the number. I have great pleasure in launching
the record. 000---