. ▁ ▁Robert ▁Hugh es ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁the ▁Austral as ian ▁Perform ing ▁Right ▁Association ▁( AP RA ) ▁as ▁a ▁W riter / Direct or ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁he ▁ste ered ▁AP RA ▁towards ▁establish ing ▁the ▁Fellow ship ▁of ▁Australian ▁Compos ers , ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁Foundation ▁Member ▁and ▁vice - pres ident ▁for ▁a ▁de cade . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁AP RA ▁Music ▁Foundation ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁and ▁retained ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁the ▁Foundation ▁was ▁reconst it uted ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁AP RA ▁Music ▁Committee . ▁Hugh es ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁composer ▁to ▁be ▁appointed ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁AP RA ▁board , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁for ▁ 2 5 ▁years . ▁ ▁Hugh es ▁was ▁active ▁throughout ▁his ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁supp orter ▁and ▁prom oter ▁of ▁Australian ▁music . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁deleg ation ▁together ▁with ▁John ▁Ant ill ▁and ▁Harold ▁Evans , ▁he ▁persu aded ▁M enz ies ▁( by ▁now ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁M enz ies ) ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Ass istance ▁to ▁Australian ▁Compos ers . ▁ ▁" We ▁wanted ▁to ▁show ▁him ▁what ▁a ▁composer ▁had ▁to ▁go ▁through , ▁the ▁costs ▁involved ▁with ▁bu ying ▁paper ▁and ▁in k , ▁and ▁particularly ▁copying ▁scores ▁and ▁parts ," ▁Hugh es ▁once ▁re called . ▁" After