[LINK] OT: As well as everything else, our government is philistine!

[Robert Hart]

Hi

I know this is off topic, but I just have to share with you my horror at
what apparently is going to happen to our state orchestras.

This is probably another part of the 'shift the costs to the states'
line - I can just hear Costello saying "If you want an orchestra, you
pay for it!"

See http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12509545-421,00.html for the
full story.

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Orchestras facing cutbacks
By Katrina Strickland


THREE state symphony orchestras will be drastically reduced in size
under a recommendation in a Federal Government-commissioned report into
their financial viability.

The report, by former Qantas chief James Strong, proposes cutting a
total of 39 musicians from the Tasmanian, South Australian and
Queensland orchestras to reduce losses. 

The cuts would make it impossible for the orchestras to perform core
works such as Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, Beethoven's Choral
Symphony or Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, without hiring outside players.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Economic rationalism it appears knows no bound. Yet another reason
(should more be needed) to prefer Keating over Howard: at least the
former appreciated the arts and its importance to the nation.

-- 
Robert Hart                                      hartr at interweft.com.au
+61 (0)438 385 533
Brisbane, Australia                        http://www.hart.wattle.id.au