Background Papers Etc.

THE INVITATION TO SUBMIT
This is an invitation from the Powerhouse Museum Alliance working group to make a submission to the Upper House Inquiry into support for museums and galleries in NSW.
We value the wide experience you bring from so many different points of view and hope you will be able to contribute a submission based on that knowledge.
(Note: we will be sending this to our own mailing lists, so there may be some overlap: our apologies in advance.)

NSW Upper House Inquiry:  guidelines for making a submission
As you know, extensive public lobbying prompted by the NSW Government’s proposal to relocate the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta and sell its site for development, has resulted in the welcome announcement that there will be an Upper House Inquiry into support for museums and galleries.  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.’ (See Terms of Reference, below.)

Within the Terms of Reference, the Inquiry also gives us the specific opportunity to question the relocation decision and argue to leave the Powerhouse in Ultimo, while considering other more appropriate gallery and museum options for Parramatta, in the broader context of a need for an equitable museums and galleries policy for NSW.
It also gives the opportunity to question the lack of transparency and depth in the consultation and decision-making processes, and to point out the clear lack of understanding of the costs involved in moving the museum, ignorance of audience interests and expectations in different population centres and continuing lack of respect for cultural history.
You can read papers giving background on some of these issues and other options on the Powerhouse Museum Alliance website  https://powerhousemuseumalliance.com/; and also on the Save the Powerhouse community campaign site: https://www.facebook.com/savethepowerhouse/ .

The process:
This Inquiry will be carried out by members across parties in the Legislative Council, in General Standing Committee 4:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/pages/inquiries.aspx

Within the link above is a tag for the Terms of Reference, which also lists members of the committee:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/DBAssets/Inquiry/TOR/2403/Terms%20of%20Reference%20-%20Museums%20and%20galleries.pdf

Elsewhere, is a  Brochure: Guidelines for making a submission:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/about/education/Documents/legislative-council-committees-making-a-submissi/Submissions%20Brochure.pdf

Specific advice on presentation: due date 14 August 2016
We have been advised that within the Guidelines above, the committee recommends:
-          A submission should include a single front page summary written in clear, non-technical prose. Where appropriate, supporting documentation may follow the summary, preferably with headings and an index. It may contain pictures, graphs and tables. Three or four pages are optimal.

-          The submission must address one or some of the Terms of Reference, but not necessarily all.

-          A submission could present facts, observations and statements based on your experience, and ask relevant questions to be addressed.

-          It is acceptable to make more than one submission.

-          If the author wishes to be a witness at a later hearing they must state this on the document.


Send the submission (information from Brochure above) 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
gpscsecretariat@parliament.nsw.gov.au

General Purpose Standing Committees
www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees <http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees>  ; Telephone: (02) 9230 3544 Fax: (02) 9230 3416

Copy Submissions to Powerhouse Museum Alliance working group?
The working group would appreciate it if you could let them know if you have made a submission, and especially if you could send us a copy to make sure we are fully informed of arguments being made. These will be archived carefully and will not be circulated or published beyond our small group. You can send your copy to info@powerhousemuseumalliance.com.