Tizard Judith: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Tizard Judith: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:616;Page:12323] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage) 
: 
 I rise in this debate to answer some of the questions and assertions that have been made. The role of the board of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is to run an orchestra that in the 2002-03 year reported turnover of about $15 million; only $10.124 million of which came from the Government. 
It is the biggest performing arts organisation in New Zealand. This legislation will change it from a Crown-owned company a limited liability company under the Companies Act of 1993 to an autonomous non-company Crown entity because the Government recognises that the role of this organisation is to run a world-class New Zealand touring orchestra throughout New Zealand providing the best board support the best management the best players and the best music. New Zealand deserves that and we need it to express our culture here in New Zealand. 
The players have absolute rights to be heard at an artistic level in terms of the operations of the orchestra and indeed the players’ committee meet regularly with the management and the board and provide a wonderful contribution at every level. However the fact is that this orchestra is being brought into line with other Crown-owned entities so that there is clear accountability clear performance requirements and clear outlines for everyone involved. 
Clause 14 in schedule 1 “Administrative provisions applying to board and further transitional provisions” talks about conflict of interest. If a player or particularly the chief executive officer were put on the board those people would be put in a position where they would be in conflict of interest because they benefit from the decisions the board makes like terms and conditions of their employment. The board needs to make the decisions it needs to make and this Government is very passionate about workers. The rights of the players are absolutely protected and encouraged and the present board is doing a wonderful job raising corporate sponsorship and raising the visibility of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. 
I am truly delighted to see ACT members being such staunch advocates of the workers and I will be looking for their support in holidays legislation and labour legislation. But of course it is crocodile tears because those members oppose the bill—as does National. Paul Hutchison has asked us why we are putting up detailed legislation. Let me tell National and ACT members it is because the music community and the public of New Zealand are scared that if there were ever a Government with National or ACT in it it would destroy the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. I take it from the speeches that National and ACT have made in this House today that they would destroy the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. They would withdraw the Government funding and see the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra destroyed taken out of New Zealand’s culture and I want absolute assurances from those parties that that is not what they intend. I am deeply concerned by the tone of the ACT and National speakers and I say to them that the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is absolutely vital in New Zealand to music across the board. I am disgusted at those members’ approach. They say they care about the orchestra music and the players but no one in those two parties cares at all. 
The role of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is a very broad one. I say that all of the amendments on the Supplementary Order Papers are not possible in terms of the work of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. For example one of the amendments put forward by Brian Donnelly wants the orchestra to be described as a full-time professional orchestra. Right well the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra right now contracts its players for 25 hours a week. Members in this House will say—as will I am sure those who are attacking hip-hop and everything else that is happening and is good and energetic in New Zealand culture—that it is outrageous that the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra players play only 25 hours a week. Well of course they do not—they teach. They are mentors. They are involved in chamber music and string quartets. They are involved in schools and universities in opera and in the vast range and full variety of music in this country including wonderful contemporary music and including hip-hop. What I say is that if we had a definition that all of the orchestra must be made up of full-time professionals presumably that would mean that we would not let students in at all. This is a ridiculous set of amendments that should be rejected by the House.