A series from The Sydney Morning Herald charts the ups and downs of Powerhouse Parramatta’s creation, with the museum set to open on November 7 amid reports of a formal misconduct investigation, budget pressure and a campaign to reinstate former chief executive Lisa Havilah.
The series has already reported that two Powerhouse executives are subject to a formal misconduct investigation, a matter Arts Minister John Graham disclosed as he defended his oversight of the billion-dollar project after Havilah's sudden departure.
The 12-part series, Powerhouse Parramatta: The mission to create an icon in the west, tracks what the Herald describes as the ups and downs of building Sydney's newest cultural institution.
An analysis in the series says that with or without Havilah, the challenges facing the museum are numerous, and that her departure last August was sudden and shocked even her critics. A petition demands she be reinstated without delay so she can be present when the museum opens, arguing she deserves a “fair and timely” process.
Other reporting in the series covers a secret plan to sell off the Powerhouse museum building as a budget crisis looms, with Treasury scrutinising the Ultimo redevelopment a week after Havilah stepped aside. It also reveals ticket prices, with a family of four to pay $60 for the largest show and an additional $40 for a James Turrell installation, and reports delays to the opening of museum apartments.
The museum has been slammed over a new $440,000 executive-salary ambassador role for celebrity chef Kylie Kwong, awarded after a controversial $2.6 million artistic consultants program was axed and she was supposed to have no further role at the institution. A planned 1000-page cookery book from the Australian Culinary Archive will not be completed by the time the museum opens next month, and the series reports the Powerhouse has commissioned a documentary about its move at a cost of more than $1.7 million, saying it would “document the project for future generations”.
Five exhibitions will open the museum, including three shows that had been kept under wraps.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The November 7 opening will be a milestone for a project intended to bring a major cultural institution to western Sydney.
- The reporting raises questions about governance, spending and leadership at a billion-dollar public institution just before it opens.
- The misconduct investigation and the campaign over Havilah's departure will shape who leads the museum and how the public receives it.
Background
Powerhouse Parramatta is the Powerhouse Museum's new site in Sydney's west, part of a broader expansion beyond its historic Ultimo home. The Herald's series describes it as the creation of Sydney's newest cultural institution, tracking the project from its ambitions to its opening date.
Key Perspectives
- Arts Minister John Graham: disclosed a formal misconduct investigation involving two Powerhouse executives while defending his oversight of the billion-dollar project after the chief executive's sudden departure.
- Petition supporters: say Lisa Havilah deserves a “fair and timely” process and want her reinstated without delay so she is there when the museum opens.
- Powerhouse Parramatta: said the documentary it commissioned about its move would “document the project for future generations”.
What to Watch
- The museum's opening on November 7 and the public response to its first exhibitions.
- The outcome of the formal misconduct investigation into two executives.
- What happens to the Ultimo redevelopment as Treasury scrutinises it.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe petition says Lisa Havilah deserves a “fair and timely” process.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Lisa Havilah deserves a “fair and timely” process, says a petition demanding she be reinstated without delay to be there when Powerhouse Parramatta opens.”
- SupportedThe Powerhouse Parramatta said the documentary would “document the project for future generations”.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The Powerhouse Parramatta said the feature would “document the project for future generations”.”
- SupportedThe series charts the ups and downs of creating Sydney’s newest cultural institution.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The Herald charts the ups and downs of the creation of Sydney’s newest cultural institution.”
- SupportedPowerhouse Parramatta is set to open on November 7.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The Powerhouse Museum has lifted the curtain on three shows it has kept under wraps, and details about admissions as it looks to its November 7 opening.”
- SupportedArts Minister John Graham disclosed a formal misconduct investigation involving two Powerhouse executives while defending his oversight of the project.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Arts Minister John Graham disclosed the formal misconduct investigation as he defended his oversight of the billion-dollar project following the sudden departure of the museum’s chief executive.”
- Partly supportedHavilah’s departure was last August, and it was sudden and shocked even her critics.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The departure of chief executive Lisa Havilah was sudden, and it shocked even her critics.”
- SupportedA petition demands Havilah be reinstated without delay so she can be present when the museum opens.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “a petition demanding she be reinstated without delay to be there when Powerhouse Parramatta opens.”
- SupportedA secret plan to sell off the Powerhouse museum building emerged as a budget crisis loomed.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Secret plan to sell off Powerhouse museum building as budget crisis looms”
- SupportedA family of four will pay $60 for the largest show and another $40 for the James Turrell add-on installation.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The museum confirmed a family of four will pay $60 to experience its largest show, and another $40 to experience the add-on James Turrell art installation.”
- SupportedThe museum awarded Kylie Kwong a $440,000 executive-salary ambassador role after axing a $2.6 million artistic consultants program, despite her being supposed to have no further role.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “After a controversial $2.6 million artistic consultants program was axed, the celebrity chef was supposed to have no further role at the Powerhouse. Now the museum has awarded her a new executive salary ambassador role.”
- SupportedThe 1000-page Australian Culinary Archive cookery book will not be completed by the museum’s opening next month.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “It’s been in the works for years but the Australian Culinary Archive will not have its 1000-page book completed when the Powerhouse opens next month.”
- SupportedThe Powerhouse commissioned a documentary about its move that will cost more than $1.7 million.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Powerhouse commissioned a documentary about its move. It will cost more than $1.7 million”