Nuclear Matters at the Powerhouse Museum. Source: Powerhouse Museum.

Museums Australia NSW, NSW Upper House Inquiry into NSW museums, Museum Matters, July 2016

As many of you will already know, extensive public lobbying prompted by the NSW Government’s proposal to relocate the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta and sell its site at Ultimo for development, has resulted in the announcement that there will be an Upper House Inquiry into support for museums and galleries in NSW.

Its broad purpose is to ‘… inquire into and report on the performance or effectiveness of the NSW Government agencies responsible for the organisation, structure and funding of museums and galleries in New South Wales.’

Terms of Reference

These are available at:

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/DBAssets/Inquiry/TOR/2403/Terms%20of%20Reference%20-%20Museums%20and%20galleries.pdf and are copied below.

1. NSW government policy, funding and support for museums and galleries, museum and gallery buildings and heritage collections, including volunteer managed museums and museums managed by councils
2. potential funding impacts on museums and galleries affected by council amalgamations
3. opportunities to revitalise the structure, reach, and impact of museums and galleries, and their research and collecting priorities
4. access to the collections of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, the Australian Museum and any other state collections held in trust for the people of New South Wales, and programs that promote physical and online access
5. the sale of the Powerhouse Museum site in Ultimo and its proposed move to Parramatta, and whether there are alternative strategies to support museum development
6. the development and transparency of advice to the government on priorities for NSW museums and galleries
7. the impact of the efficiency dividend on the budgets of museums and galleries over the last 10 years, and funding levels compared to other states
8. the economic impact of museums and galleries on cultural tourism, and their role in supporting the visitor economy in Sydney and regional New South Wales
9. any other related matter.

Museums Australia will be preparing a submission, your state branch welcomes any correspondence on this matter, the email address to use for this is [email protected]. Please email this by 1st August to allow time to add your comments to the branch’s submission.

Individuals are also encouraged to make submissions. You are also welcome to lodge a copy of individual submissions with the state branch.

Due date 14 August 2016

Send the submission by email or post to:

Address mail to the relevant committee at: (ie. Standing Committee 4: Inquiry into Museums and Galleries)

Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000

[email protected] or online at https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/lodge-a-submission.aspx?pk=2403
General Purpose Standing Committees

www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees; Telephone: (02) 9230 3544 Fax: (02) 9230 3416