Speech by Anthony Shorten

MEMBER FOR ALGESTER

Hansard Wednesday, 12 September 2012

QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY AMENDMENT BILL

Mr SHORTEN (Algester—LNP) (9.51 pm): The member for Bundamba is a hard act to follow but I will have a go. I will be a bit more factual than she has been. This bill will amend the Act 1987 to allow the Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees to establish a foundation committee, including board members and non-board members, to carry on the activities of the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation. The function of the foundation committee would be to raise funds to assist in the fulfilment of the board’s functions by, for example, encouraging gifts, donations, bequests and legacies of property for the benefit of the board; and managing and investing in property made available to the foundation committee by the board. I think it is worthwhile at this point to cover a bit of history in relation to the Queensland Art Gallery, which forms part of our world renowned Cultural Centre at South Bank, which was first opened in 1985. The Queensland Cultural Centre comprises not just the Queensland Art Gallery but also the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland and its newest addition, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art—or GoMA, as it is called—which was added in 2006. These institutions collectively make up the cultural epicentre of and Queensland as a whole. Members may or may not know that the Queensland Art Gallery is situated on the site of the old Cremorne Theatre, originally an open-air structure with seating for about 1,800 people. The current QPAC building houses the Cremorne Theatre, named in its honour. The Queensland Art Gallery, which was formerly named the Queensland National Art Gallery, was established in 1895. The inaugural collection comprised 38 pictures—many lent to the gallery—one marble bust and 70 engravings. Today the collection comprises more than 13,000 contemporary and historical Australian, Indigenous Australian and international paintings, sculptures, decorative art objects and works on paper. The Queensland Art Gallery Foundation was established in 1979 and its first work acquired was the 15th century painting, Virgin and Child with Saint James the Pilgrim, Saint Catherine and the Donor with Saint Peter by the Master of Frankfurt. To this date, more than 5,400 works of art have been acquired and more than $75 million has been raised by the foundation. The foundation has been highly successful in achieving its objectives, with over 1,400 members of which I was one for many years. As an example, in 2010-11 over $2 million was received through donations, bequests or gifts of artworks from both private and corporate donors. The foundation provides funds to the board for acquisition of artworks and development of exhibitions and programs. These are, of course, dependent upon donations, returns on investments received by the foundation, the need of the gallery and artworks on the current market for purchase. All members would be aware of the current blockbuster exhibition, Portrait of Spain: Masterpieces from the Prado, which is expected to draw well over 100,000 people to the gallery. But this is just the latest in world-class exhibitions that the gallery has hosted. From Monet to Renoir and to Arthur McCubbin, Queenslanders have been able to view masterworks from some of the greatest painters from around the world right here in Brisbane. I welcome this bill and the opportunities that it enables the board of the Queensland Art Gallery to explore. I commend the minister for her stewardship of the bill through the House. I commend the bill to the House.

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