Update 27 June 2020: Nine Newspapers story on contrast between largesse at War Memorial and cuts elsewhere.
Update 25 June 2020: ‘With the exception of the Australian War Memorial, which will receive a controversial $500 million expansion, Australia’s national cultural organisations have been hit exceptionally hard by a succession of conservative governments.’ (Joanna Mendelssohn in The Conversation.)
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The ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, yesterday criticised federal spending on the Australian War Memorial. ‘When the Commonwealth can fund $500 million for the redevelopment of the War Memorial’, Mr Barr said, ‘there should not be job losses in other institutions’.
Mr Barr was commenting on news that the National Gallery of Australia would suffer job losses due to Commonwealth efficiency dividends. Compared with other institutions, the War Memorial has been less affected by the efficiency dividend over the years. The current $498m largesse further advantages the Memorial.
24 June 2020 updated