May 31st 2010
"GLADSTONE Park students are excited that Australia’s best-loved school dance competition will return next year", runs the story about the return of Rock Eisteddfod in today's online edition of the "Hume Leader" newspaper. Gladstone Park's 2011 performance is reportedly based on the Trojan War and there's a good photo of set construction under way!
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May 21st 2010
"Get set to rock the Eisteddfod in 2011" is the headline on this article in today's online page of the "Adelaide now..." newspaper in Australia, talking of the return of Rock Eisteddfod in 2011. The South Australian Secondary Principals' Association president Jim Davies is quoted as saying they would get "right behind" its return."
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May 19th 2010
"THE 2011 Rock Eisteddfod Challenge and J Rock tour are going ahead", says today's "CAMPBELLTOWN MACARTHUR Advertiser" newspaper. It continues: "Schools are invited to submit entries so the schedule and budget can be finalised."
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May 6th 2010
There are several positive quotes about future Rock Eisteddfod events in the online edition of the "Hornsby and Upper North Shore Advocate" newspaper.
"ORGANISERS of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge are thrilled the NSW Opposition has promised to provide extra funding for the event should it get into government next year.
Opposition arts spokesman Anthony Roberts has pledged the Coalition will spend $200,000 a year for four years if the Liberals and Nationals win the March 2011 election.
"We have been able to secure this funding," he said. "It went through the shadow cabinet."
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May 5th 2010
A report in today's online edition of the Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser newspaper quotes a New South Wales Liberal party spokesman as saying that if elected, "Next year we want to make it (Rock Eisteddfod) the biggest and best that it's ever been."
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Apr 2nd 2010
"Glenhaven students delighted rock eisteddfod will return" is the headline in this story from the online edition of the "Hills Shire Times" newspaper. The team's co-ordinator Janine Wilson is quoted as saying "Nothing is as good as the Rock Eisteddfod".
Mar 29th 2010
"MACARTHUR area schools are celebrating after organisers of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge said they were confident it would make a return in 2011 after this year's event was cancelled due to funding problems," runs the report in today's online edition of the "Macarthur Chronicle" newspaper. The Rock Eisteddfod Challenge co-ordinator Michael Landrigan at the John Therry Catholic High School is quoted as saying "All the kids were ecstatic and I've had a lot of students come up saying they're very excited. Everyone is looking forward to putting their heads down in term four and coming up with a new production for next year."
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Mar 26th 2010
"... we're looking forward to getting going for 2011", says Rock Eisteddfod Producer Peter Sjoquist in an article yesterday on the "ABC Central West NSW" website !
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Mar 23rd 2010
"No guarantee on government funds for Rock Eisteddfod", says an article in today's online "Penrith Press" newspaper. It adds "Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt has not guaranteed funding beyond two more years. She declined to answer questions put by Cumberland Courier Newspapers as to whether the government would underwrite the Rock Eisteddfod ..."
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Mar 19th 2010
The New South Wales Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt is reported in today's "Macarthur Chronicle Camden" newspaper as declining to confirm whether or not the state government will provide funding for the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge beyond 2012, despite "overwhelming support" for the REC from schools, students, teachers, parents and child support groups.
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Mar 18th 2010
Support for the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge in Australia has come from Natalie Watson, clinical services integration manager for Headspace (a youth mental health foundation) at Mount Druitt, reported as saying that one in four young Australians aged from 12 to 25 will experience depression but that young people reported that performing to their parents or community made them feel better in general. There's more in today's online edition of the "North Shore Times" newspaper.
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Mar 17th 2010
"For want of an extra $50,000 from the State Government, almost 8000 high school and primary school students in NSW missed out on this year's Rock Eisteddfod", says today's online edition of the "CENtRAL SYDNEY - THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR METRO LIFE".
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Mar 14th 2010
"Cumberland-Courier Newspapers thinks the show must go on and this important national event should be supported as a strong community initiative which binds together people from all backgrounds", says an article in Thursday's "Fairfield Advance" newspaper. Meanwhile, "Cancellation rocks Brimbank teen performers" is the headline in the "Brimbank Leader" newspaper, which interviewed Lynn Dahl, the head of performing arts at Keilor’s Overnewton Anglican College.
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"MACARTHUR region principals have backed the Macarthur Chronicle campaign to save the iconic Rock Eisteddfod Challenge and J Rock eisteddfod", reports the "Macarthur Chronicle" newspaper. Rock Eisteddfod executive producer Peter Sjoquist pointed out that offers of some increase in the state funding only came after he had already had to let all the REC staff go. Michael Landrigan of the John Therry Catholic High School is quoted as saying "The cancellation is pretty devastating to the kids in all areas because it's an Australia-wide competition. Part of the reason it was so good was because it was so professionally run and students were able to perform under a professional production."
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Mar 6th 2010
The online edition of the "Berwick Gazette" newspaper carries news about the reactions at Emerald College to the news of the cancellation of the 2011 Global Rock Eisteddfod Tour in Australia.
John (editing)
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Mar 4th 2010
"THE Rock Eisteddfod competition for Victorian schools, which launched singer Vanessa Amorosi into stardom, has been cancelled this year because of a lack of funding" is the opening sentence in today's report in the "Dandenong Star" newspaper. MP Inga Peulich is reported as saying "Failing to support the Rock Eisteddfod and the opportunities this provides to Greater Dandenong students and schools is a strong contrast to how willing John Brumby is to fund $20 million worth of fairy lights on the West Gate Bridge."
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Youth Affairs Minister James Merlino is reported in today's "The Advertiser" newspaper as saying that the Victoria State Government would work with the Rock Eisteddfod committee to ensure the long-term future of the event.
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Mar 3rd 2010
"MANLY State Liberal MP Mike Baird is calling on the State Government to underwrite the Rock Eisteddfod, reports yesterday's "The Manly Daily" newspaper.
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"THE (Victoria) State Government's 'unprofessional', tardy approach to funding the yearly Rock Eisteddfod has been blamed for the popular competition's shock axing this year", says a report in today's online edition of the "Brimbank Leader" newspaper.
Feb 23rd 2010
Fairhills High School Rock Eisteddfod producer Anita Chipman is reported as working hard to arrange a "Band-Aid" substitute event in today's "Knox Leader" newspaper.
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Feb 20th 2010
CAIRNS State High School is reported as leading the push to hold an alternative local area 2010 event given the cancellation of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. There's a meeting for schools who want to take part: it's on March 3 or 5 and you can contact Tanya or Glyn on 4050 3030. Read more in today's edition of the "Cairns News".
John (editing)
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Feb 18th 2010
In today's "Cranbourne News" newspaper, Hampton Park Secondary College Principal David Finnerty is quoted as saying "in a community such as ours where you have (a) reputation that isn't necessarily earned and warranted, but one of being disengaged, and to remove something (Rock Eisteddfod) that engages positively across such a broad spectrum is a travesty of justice." Read more about the Casey Council area's reactions to the cancellation of the 2010 Rock Eisteddfod Tour here.
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Feb 17th 2010
"HUNDREDS of Maroondah students and teachers are reeling from a decision to cancel the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge", reports today's edition of the "Maroondah Leader" newspaper.
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Springwood High School students are still going ahead with their preparations despite the cancellation of the 2010 Rock Eisteddfod Tour in Australia. School Principal Peter McSeveny is quoted in the "Blue Mountain Gazette" as saying "We would love for Rock Eisteddfod to continue and are hoping funds will become available. If so, we will be there with bells on."
Feb 16th 2010
"STUDENTS and teachers across Whittlesea have been shattered by the cancellation of the 2010 Rock Eisteddfod Challenge." Read what St Luke’s Primary School principal Franca Fedele has to say in today's edition of the "Whittlesea Leader" newspaper.
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Monaro High School students were shocked by news of the cancellation of the 2010 Global Rock Eisteddfod Tour. Read more in today's edition of the "Cooma-Monaro" Express newspaper.
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St Anne’s Primary School team members are hoping that Rock Eisteddfod will be back next year according to today's report in the "Sunbury Leader" newspaper.
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Feb 15th 2010
"Woolgoolga High School students were crushed" by the cancellation of the 2010 Australian Global Rock Eisteddfod Tour, says a report in today's edition of "The Coffs Coast Advocate" newspaper.
John (editing)
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Feb 14th 2010
Smith's Hill High School's Rock Eisteddfod students in Wollongong have started widespread campaigning to raise the funds necessary to save their New South Wales event, according to a report in the "Illawarra Mercury" newspaper.
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Feb 13th 2010
Jai Waetford, a year 6 St Peter's Anglican School student in the Macarthur region of Australia, spoke to the "Macarthur Chronicle" about the cancellation of the 2010 Global Rock Eisteddfod and J-Rock tours: "I was shocked and devastated when I heard the news. I’d do anything: get sponsors from wherever, just to get it running again." Read the rest of the newspaper article here.
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Feb 12th 2010
Press coverage continues today: the online edition of "The Daily Telegraph" reports how students across New South Wales are fighting back to save Global Rock Eisteddfod while Cootamundra High School's disappointment over the cancellation is covered in the online edition of the "Cootamundra Herald". Elsewhere, Cheralee Horne and Taleisha Bennier from Bundaberg North State High School express their feelings in the online "NewsMail". Meanwhile, Cairns pensioner Trevor Hardinge posted $1,000 to "The Cairns Post" newspaper, hoping to kickstart efforts to get the Cairns event back up and running.
John (editing)
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PLEASE HELP SAVE ROCK EISTEDDFOD CHALLENGE IN AUSTRALIA ! SIGN THE PETITION AT SAVETHEROCKA
Thanks - Giovanni Siciliano (Australia)
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PLEASE HELP SAVE ROCKA IN AUSTRALIA: GO TO THE IPETITIONS WEBSITE, READ SOME OF THE COMMENTS, AND ADD YOUR NAME
Please help in any way you can. The rocka tradition can not die. After 30 years of competition surely there is a way which we can all help !!
Anthea (Australia)
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Feb 11th 2010
I'm so disappointed about the news that rocka in australia has been cancelled. This was gonna be my third year participating and without warning i find out it isn't running any more. I was shattered.
Rocka means so much to me and so many other schools and students.
Bogart (Fairhills High School, Australia)
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News of the cancellation of the 2010 Global Rock Eisteddfod Tour in Australia continues to gain column inches in the nation's press: student reactions from Bendigo South East Secondary College are covered in the online edition of the "Bendigo Advertiser" newspaper, Dayboro State School's reaction hits the "Northern Times" newspaper, while there are comments from team members at Centaur Public School in the "Tweed Daily News"
John (editing)
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Feb 9th 2010
The online edition of "Adelaide Now" has now picked up on the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge cancellation for 2010: you can read it here.
John (editing)
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I think I speak on behalf of everyone who knows what Rock Challenge is and what it stands for when I say I cannot believe the madness that is the cancellation of Australia's Rock Eisteddfod Challenge! That is 30 years of tradition wiped out, just like that!!!
It is actually really upsetting that the place that introduced us to this wonderful event doesn't get to do it in 2010 and possibly ever again.
Sad day for the Rocka World!
Gemma (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
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ABC News in Australia carries a promise by Liberal education spokesman David Pisoni to "double the funding" if they get elected: you can read that story here.
John (editing)
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It's official!!! Kids are in tears - Australian 2010 Tour cancelled!
Jodie in Australia
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Terrible news from Australia. A very sad day indeed.
Vanessa Geib (Firpark School, Motherwell, Scotland)
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Hello all,
As you MAY know, Rock Eisteddfod Challenge has been cancelled this year (possibly forever) due to lack of funding. Some of you have a lot of involvement, others very little, probably hearing about it from friends.
I for one was involved for 5 years and after I left high school have been to finals every year. I personally love it. Don't ask me why - I just do.
I can't just sit back and do nothing. Whether this works or not is irrelevant. I am writing to our premier (John Brumby in VIC). I am going to explain that this event is something that tens of thousands of primary and secondary students get involved with every year, not including the countless numbers of people who offer support to their school's entry. Also to explain that funding is the issue and we need support from government.
I have nothing to do with the rock eisteddfod office, I am doing this on my own because it would mean a lot. You might think you will have no effect but big decisions have been made by lots of people making an effort to change things.
Perhaps if everyone emails their state Premier and puts in the subject title 'PLEASE HELP SAVE ROCK EISTEDDFOD CHALLENGE', when they get all our emails they will notice.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE write something to your state Premier ASAP!! It only has to be a paragraph. We could make a difference. If not for this year, then for the years after.
PLEASE pass this on to everyone you know who might want to help!!
Thanks - Gio in Australia
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Hi Gio.
The Sydney teacher team are doing what we can up here also. Will keep you posted.
Thanks for doing something to help the cause.
David (Australia)
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Join my group on facebook to convince the australian government to fund the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge so that it can still go ahead in future years. ATM it isn't.
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=295931493954
Saskia (Overnewton Anglican Community College)
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I just got the news that the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge here in Australia will not be going ahead this year due to funding issues. Very sad day.
To all my UK rocka friends, good luck for the tour and see you soon.
Benny oxox (Ex Bathurst PCYC Rock Eisteddfod Team)
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