Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is it with the out-of-control New South Wales state government? Every time they decide we need something new in Parramatta, every time they decide for us without consulting us, they take away something valued and loved. We knew they planned to move the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta, but we hadn't seen the business case, the previously secret business case. Now we have and we find yet other absurdity. It turns out the state government is going to demolish eight heritage-listed properties in order to build a museum of heritage. To build a museum of heritage it is going to knock down eight heritage buildings! It makes no sense at all, and it makes even less sense when you realise that part of the site will be sold for a commercial megatower to make the museum more viable. Willow Grove, a gorgeous old house that we all know in Phillip Street, was built in the 1870s and it is there, including its front yard and heritage listed fence and gates. St George's Terrace, just up the road, was built in 1881. It was converted to a hospital when the influenza pandemic swept across in 1919. It is one of the last remaining heritage homes in the CBD, and we love it.

So I say to the state government: leave it alone. Stop destroying things that we love that tell our story. Give us our community and the Australian stories that unfolded in our region some respect. Hands off our heritage.