Senator IAN MACDONALD (Queensland) (17:06): I move: That the Senate take note of the document. Because of the curtailment of the Senate estimates last Tuesday as a mark of respect for the passing of the former Prime Minister Mr Gough Whitlam, the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee did not get on to its inquiry into elements of the department of the arts and, in particular, the Australia Council. That is a great shame to me, because I was particularly wanting to question the Australia Council, and I will do so whenever the Senate decides that we will resume those abandoned estimates hearings. The Australian Festival of Chamber Music is wonderfully successful, both in Australia and internationally. It has been held in Townsville for almost 25 years. I want to question the Australian Council on why it chose the 25th anniversary of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music to reject the festival's application for funding—the sort of funding that has been given almost as a matter of course over the last many years. The Australian Festival of Chamber Music applied for a $50,000 grant, but the application was not successful. For the last three years, the festival has received upwards of $62,000 towards its program costs from the Australia Council. The festival is a wonderful event for Australia. From very humble beginnings 24 years ago, the festival has now grown to Australia's pre-eminent festival of chamber music. The festival attracts approximately 60 per cent of its audience from across Australia and overseas, and approximately 40 per cent from Townsville and surrounding regions; both sectors are going. Total numbers last year are approximately 14,000 people. Guest artists who perform at the festival are selected for their capacity to engage with each other and the audiences. One of the most frequent comments about the Festival of Chamber Music is the pleasure and stimulation derived from the close access to performers that the audience get. Time does not allow me to go into too much detail on this event, which has been a great success story in regional Australia, and Townsville, and has worldwide recognition. Many of the artists who come are international artists, and they are very keen to appear at this festival. I am perhaps alerting the Australia Council in advance to be prepared to answer questions at estimates, whenever they do occur. I really want to know why the Australia Council has not funded the Australian Festival of Chamber Music on this occasion. As I say, it has been funded for year after year, and it is the sort of thing that the Australia Council should be supporting. I do not want to be paranoid about this, but do I suspect that the Australia Council is more interested in events from Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra than from way up there in regional Australia and North Queensland? I will want them to compare for me the grants they are making in the capital cities compared with the grants that they are making in parts of regional Australia. This is, I emphasise yet again, a world-class event. I am a great supporter of chamber music although it is not always to my liking, but for those who understand music this is a wonderful event. I simply cannot believe that on the 25th anniversary of this festival the Australia Council has decided for the first time in many years not to fund it. I look forward to asking directly why this occurs. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned.