Federal MP rep meeting with sMAG Co-Chairs

Following the success of the Federal Music Education Charter on the change.org platform, https://www.change.org/p/the-hon-daniel-tehan-mp-federal-election-music-education-charter sMAG members printed and delivered the near 10,000 petition signature document to the Hon. Dan Tehan’s MP (Federal Minister for Education) office requesting a meeting.  On August 29, Co-Chairs Susan Buchan and Fiona Phillips, along with Bradley Merrick and Professor Gary McPherson met with Fabian Harding, advisor to Daniel Tehan MP.  The discussions around the points in this petition were discussed at length.  Specific recommendations under Federal legislation were listened to, and various points that fall under State legislation were redirected to those authorities.

sMAG Co-Chairs have also scheduled a meeting with the Victorian Education Minister, the Hon. Mr James Merlino MP.

Our main focus was to see a commitment from Federal government that pre service training for specialist music educators would improve.  Without expertly trained, specialist music teachers delivered to the field by reputable tertiary institutions, any investment in music education becomes money thrown to the wind.  We need a national plan of reform to ensure schools can employ the best staff, so that our students receive the best music education possible.

A focus on Early Years and and regional and rural potentialities being realised were also discussed with a focus on pedagogies that are relevant to the child. 

The lack of sequential, continuous and developmentally appropriate learning in music as per the National Curriculum for secondary were also made very clear in the discussions. Bradley reiterated the inequities experienced in Victoria in ATAR scores for those studying Music at VCE level. Nationally, the way an ATAR system is administered holds significant discrepancies across States.  These points will again be raised with local members and the Hon. Mr James Merlino MP. We are hopeful that every child, in every Australian school will experience more music in schools every day. 

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Don’t Stop The Music will rebroadcast on ABC TV and iview from 17 November at 2.30pm.  https://www.abc.net.au/events/dstm/

Results following the 2018 broadcast are published here: http://about.abc.net.au/press-releases/sound-of-music-plays-out-in-australian-classrooms-thanks-to-dont-stop-the-music-donation-drive/

sMAG will continue to promote, lobby and argue that expertly trained music specialists, is the best way to support all efforts in delivering the best music outcomes for all Australian children.