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Question and Answer Tracking Details

30 - Special Minister of State - ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Jackson, Rose to the Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts

I ask a supplementary question. Will the Minister elucidate the part of his answer where he referred to the philanthropic and fundraising strategy of the Art Gallery of New South Wales? How much money has the New South Wales Government spent on the philanthropic and fundraising strategy in 2020‑21?
Original Answer -

The Hon. DON HARWIN (Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts) (12:29:09): Let me make it quite clear that the record in the past week is that the philanthropic arts strategy has brought in $48 million in donations. In the time that I have been the arts Minister, basically we have brought in $66.6 million to support acquisitions—

The Hon. Walt Secord: Point of order—

The Hon. DON HARWIN: —and $103.5 million to support the building of a new gallery.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister!

The Hon. DON HARWIN: That is pretty good—$200 million in four years.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Walt Secord has the call.

The Hon. Walt Secord: My point of order relates to relevance. The question asked specifically how much was spent on fundraising. It was very specific. My point of order goes to relevance.

The PRESIDENT: I believe the Minister is being relevant. I ask the Minister to continue. The Minister has the call.

The Hon. DON HARWIN: I think what this line of questioning is displaying is the fundamental lack of understanding among Opposition members of how cultural institutions operate.

The Hon. Anthony D'Adam: Point of order: The Minister is evading the supplementary question.

The PRESIDENT: The Minister will return to the leave of the supplementary question asked by the Hon. Rose Jackson. The Minister has the call.

The Hon. DON HARWIN: Moreover, the lack of understanding applies not just to how the cultural institutions work but also how independent arts organisations work. Every cultural institution within government and every independent arts organisation has to invest funds to be able to attract corporate sponsorship and to be able to attract philanthropic support.

The Hon. Daniel Mookhey: How much?

The Hon. DON HARWIN: "How much", I keep hearing. A tiny fraction of the $200 million that one cultural institution has raised in four years—a tiny fraction of it. If the Hon. Rose Jackson wants a specific number, I will take the question on notice and obtain the figure for her.
Additional Answer -

In the Financial Year 2020/21 as at May 2021, a total of $2.2 million has been spent on philanthropic and fundraising activities by the Art Gallery of NSW.

In the Financial Year 2020/21 as at May 2021, $25.3 million has been raised by the Art Gallery of NSW.

Question asked on 9 June 2021 (session 57-1)
Answer received on 30 June 2021

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.