Education

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has welcomed the Bradley Review's call for greater income support for struggling tertiary students.

Among its 46 proposed changes, the Bradley Review of Higher Education recommends lowering the age of independence to 22 and allowing students to earn $400 a fortnight before payments are affected (up from $236 per fortnight at present).

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.

"They say that music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, and no-one who has heard the beautiful music the Academy produces could consider closing it down," said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Arts Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne.

A national uniform curriculum will fail to deliver more uniform educational outcomes unless it is backed up with equal and adequate funding, the Australian Greens said today.

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.

The Australian Greens have moved to make education funding in Australia fairer by amending the Schools Assistance Bill 2008.

Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said the Greens amendments would ensure the Rudd government replaced the flawed Howard government model with a fairer system in two years.

The award of the world's most prestigious composition prize to Brett Dean today is yet another reason why the Rudd Government must reverse its decision to close the Australian National Academy of Music, the institution he heads, the Australian Greens said today.

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 Government could not deny that the two independent reviews of the Australian National Academy of Music both recommended increased funding to the Academy, not its closure, following questioning by the Greens in Question Time today.

Peter Garrett must keep the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)
open next year to ensure continuing appropriate training for Australia's
top young classical musicians while any long-term solution is reached,
the Australian Greens said today.

The Australian Institute of Musical Performance as proposed by Minister

Plans to restrict the use of local Indigenous languages in Northern Territory schools are a backwards step, said the Australian Greens today.

"It is clear there is a huge amount of concern over English literacy in the Northern Territory, but we need to ensure there is a
researched-based reason for any radical changes to the curriculum, particularly when it comes to language," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

"What we need is evidence based policy that works towards creating better education methods for our children. We know that to engage kids with education, schools need to be accessible, culturally appropriate and meet kids' needs. These changes don't do this."