On Wednesday, 10 December 2025, Troy Wright, Assistant General secretary and Julie-Ann Bond, Industrial Manager delivered the many unprecedented issues our cultural sector members are facing under the current state government.

The pair appeared at the opening day of Portfolio Committee No. 6 – Transport and the Arts inquiry into and report on the structure and funding of the arts, music, night-time economy, and transport portfolios.

The Inquiry, the third parliamentary inquiry involving the poor old Powerhouse, has been established by the NSW Greens and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party to look into the processes, rationale and governance structures underpinning budget, resource allocation and organisational restructure decisions within Labor minister John Graham’s portfolio. Of particular interest were the Powerhouse Museum, the Art Gallery of NSW, Create NSW, Sound NSW, Screen NSW, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, and Transport for NSW.

The Terms of Reference for this inquiry are many and varied. The PSA, being currently deeply engaged in several concurrent industrial issues with these agencies, had to break this feast of issues into bite-sized morsels to articulate the union’s submission in the half-hour session.

Chair of the Committee, Greens’ Cate Faehrmann MLC asked Mr Wright to make the opening statement, and to tell the committee what the primary thrust of the union’s submission is. Keeping it succinct and on point, Mr Wright started with the big portions: the job cuts at the Art Gallery of NSW.

“It was clear from the outset of our talks with the executive, who are quite new to the job, that these cuts have come straight from Treasury, rather than something that the Art Gallery leadership have developed themselves,” he said.  

Ms Bond clarified; “It’s clear from the very well-attended rallies we’ve had in support of our members at the Art Gallery that the Gallery is as popular as ever. Our members are being penalised for doing their jobs too well. Visitation is up, but by cutting the staff, the government is going to reduce visitation, not build on the success of our members’ hard work.”

On the Powerhouse Museum, Mr Wright reiterated the concerns that members and the community have held for a decade.

“The Government broke its promise to keep the Powerhouse at Ultimo open almost as soon as the minister took office,” he said. “And although the membership has accepted that Parramatta will be a massive departure from what the museum’s Act has guided it to be, the big issue now is what will happen with Ultimo?

“Because with the forging ahead with the demolition and reduction in exhibition space, it unfortunately looks like the current CEO will just continue with more contemporary art, food demos, fashion shows and parties rather than deliver education and engagement with the museum’s impressive collection.”

On the cuts to Create NSW, Mr Wright reported that morale in what was once a driven and engaged workplace has crashed through the floor.

 “Unfortunately, in the discussions we’ve had with the executive at Create NSW, the new structure and policy are designed purely to placate the sector, and there has never an appropriate, informed discussion about to how to deliver it within a reduced staffing footprint,” he said. 

Ms Bond continued; “These staff cuts were purely and case of cut first, ask questions later.”

The inquiry will continue, with discussions concerning Transport for NSW next on the agenda for December 2025, and then more in the New Year.