NTEU: Labor's VCA funding commitment welcome, must be matched by Liberal Party
- Download the media release here.
Labor’s multi-million dollar funding pledge for the Victorian College of the Arts and Music will give the College certainty and help put arts training back on track in Victoria, said National Tertiary Education Union Secretary Matthew McGowan.
“Staff of the Victorian College of the Arts and Music welcome the ongoing funding pledge from Federal Labor, as well as the once-off funding from the State Labor Government. This fantastic announcement reflects the hard work by VCAM staff, students and the arts community,” said Mr McGowan.
“Arts funding has always been a bi-partisan issue, and the NTEU calls on Tony Abbott to put politics aside and match Federal Labor’s commitment,” he said.
The campaign to ensure funding and autonomy for the Victorian College of the Arts and Music has been widely supported by the community, and the Save VCA group – of which the NTEU is a key member – has been crucial to making the VCA an election issue.
The funding announcement follows the Switkowski Review into the VCAM which recommended that the College seek additional funding to ensure the future of practice-based arts training in Victoria.
“Autonomy of funding is essential to any extra money going into the College. Part of the problem at the VCAM has been caused by accounting measures imposed on the College by the University of Melbourne, as well as the cuts in funding by the former Howard Government.
“The NTEU will be keeping a close eye on the money to ensure that the additional funding is used to deliver world-class arts training rather than being diverted back to the central University’s coffers,” said Mr McGowan.
For more information
Matthew McGowan, Secretary NTEU Victorian Division
M: 0417 054 110
Alex White, Communications Officer NTEU Victorian Division
M: 0403 694 397
