Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about a great opening in my electorate on Saturday. We opened the Margaret Olley Art Centre at the Tweed Regional Gallery at Murwillumbah—a remarkable event with more than 800 people and a wonderful tribute to a remarkable woman and a remarkable artist. Of course, Margaret Olley had many links with the Tweed. She spent some of her early years in Murwillumbah. It was also the last official function of the Governor-General so it was a truly remarkable occasion.

The centre has been constructed as an extension of the gallery and includes recreations of three of the rooms in Margaret's famous Sydney home, including the hat factory and the yellow room, where she spent many hours painting. It is an absolutely sensational centre.

In 2011, the Margaret Olley Art Trust announced that the artist had bequeathed $1 million to establish a recreation of her studio and elements of her home. She wanted it built in the Tweed, where she had so many links. I was very proud, as the local MP, to have also delivered $1 million in federal funding for this wonderful project. I acknowledge the great support of the former arts minister, Simon Crean, and the previous Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, both of whom supported this project and committed the $1 million to the funding for it.

It was a great occasion with so many people attending. I also acknowledge funding of more than $620,000 from the Tweed Gallery Foundation, $200,000 from the New South Wales government, $100,000 from the Friends of the Tweed Regional Gallery, and $1.2 million from the Tweed Shire Council.

I acknowledge the remarkable work, in particular, of the Tweed Shire Council in ensuring this project was constructed and completed, and I also acknowledge the gallery director, Susi Muddiman. (Time expired)