New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill

, on behalf of the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: I move, That the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill be now read a first time. It is my intention that it be referred to the Government Administration Committee. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has long been one of the country’s most prized cultural assets. For nearly 60 years, originally as part of the then New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation and then as a stand-alone organisation, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has provided New Zealanders with outstanding performances of orchestral music. More broadly, it is one of the platforms on which, over time, New Zealand has constructed a strong sense of artistic potential. The excellence of our national orchestra signals something very important about our culture and our cultural expertise both to New Zealanders and to the rest of the world.

The significance and quality of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has been well understood by successive Governments. Since the orchestra was founded all Governments have supported the funding of this publicly owned orchestra that has become a national icon. In the year 2000 the Government put the orchestra on a more secure financial footing. At that time, as part of the cultural recovery package, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra received a significant capital injection. An extra $1.4 million annually was put into its operational funding.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has its own Act of Parliament. Under the current Act, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Act, the orchestra is established as a limited liability company. It operates within the requirements of the Companies Act, but without any legislative guidance in respect of its purpose or functions. That primary concern with a commercial focus is an anomaly. Few people would assert that the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra exists principally for commercial reasons. It has been owned and funded by the New Zealand Government because, as our national touring orchestra, it plays a key cultural role. It would be an irresponsible Government that, as owner and funder, did not have expectations about the orchestra’s performance in that role. The Government believes it is now appropriate that those expectations are made explicit.

The purpose of this bill is, therefore, to provide the orchestra with clearly defined objectives and functions, and with a legislative basis for its operation as a non-company Crown entity that is consistent with those objectives and functions, and that accurately reflects the orchestra’s relationship to its owner, the Government. Among other things, the bill signals the Government’s expectation that the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will provide the public of New Zealand with performances of symphonic music of an international standard. It will be required to seek to contribute to the development of a distinctly New Zealand cultural environment and to encourage New Zealand musical composition. Its formal functions will include presenting a broad repertoire of orchestral performance, including New Zealand works and recent works, encouraging the development of New Zealand musicians, and encouraging the development of New Zealanders’ knowledge and appreciation of orchestral music.

Significant sums of taxpayers’ money are involved in funding the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. It is, therefore, appropriate that the clearest possible legislative mandate is in place for the orchestra. This legislation provides the people of New Zealand, as both music lovers and taxpayers, with a meaningful accountability mechanism. It provides a firm basis for the discussion between the Government and the orchestra each year over its funding, and provides Parliament with a touchstone for its examination of the performance of the orchestra each year during the estimates and financial review processes. The new legislation will guide the orchestra itself in its continuing development and in its continuing contribution to our lively and evolving cultural sector.

Let me add that the bill has been drafted with the support of the orchestra’s board and management, and there has also been consultation with the orchestra’s players’ committee. Nothing in this legislation diminishes the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s artistic independence or integrity. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will continue to act without ministerial or, indeed, parliamentary direction in artistic matters. The orchestra will continue to be required to make prudent financial decisions. The fact that the Government is involved with the orchestra, for cultural rather than commercial reasons, does not mean that the orchestra is exempt from commercial imperatives. The Government will expect the orchestra to operate in a financially responsible manner and to maintain its financial viability.

The Government recognises the very great importance of our cultural sector. It recognises that many cultural organisations, among them our committed and expert regional orchestras, contribute to the well-being of that sector and, therefore, to the richness of our lives as New Zealanders. We do, however, have special expectations of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as one of our foremost cultural institutions, and the public makes a considerable investment in its ongoing success. This bill is consistent with both the status of the orchestra and the expectations that the Government and New Zealanders have of it.

In closing, I add that I am, of course, introducing this bill on behalf of the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, who would like me to say that she endorses this legislation fully and looks forward to its passage through the House.

New Zealand First supports this bill being referred to a select committee. I asked some questions in the House last year about the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and I was particularly concerned that in this year’s programme there was a dearth of New Zealanders enjoying major roles. At that stage there was only one New Zealander taking part in this year’s orchestral programme. I would be interested to hear from the next Government speaker just how many New Zealanders do have principal roles in the orchestra’s programme this year. The Minister highlighted what was effectively a direction from Parliament to the orchestra, which was that there should be more New Zealand involvement. He said in his speech that Parliament would not be directing the orchestra, but we clearly are. It is unfortunate that we even have legislation for the orchestra. It has managed for all these years without legislation. There seems to be a demand by this Government that we have to legislate for everything, so we are legislating for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, as well.

I enjoy the orchestra’s programmes, both by way of live performance and by listening to them on the Concert Programme on the radio. Concert FM is probably my favourite radio programme. One must not forget that there are other orchestral groups around the country. Those of us in Auckland enjoy the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and other chamber orchestras. I am sure that the people of Christchurch, of Hamilton, and of various other parts of New Zealand enjoy their orchestras, as well. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is very well funded. I support all its funding—it is probably inadequately funded—but we must not forget that there are other orchestras, as well.

I look forward to hearing Lynn Harrell this year, playing Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. There is an excellent line-up of conductors this year. The Tchaikovsky piano competition winner Barry Douglas and Peter Donohoe will be playing, and the brilliant young violin star Ilya Gringolts will be performing, as well. There is a composer focus this year, with three concerts of music by Richard Strauss, Rachmaninov, and Prokofiev respectively.

Debate interrupted.

The House adjourned at 6 p.m.