15 October, 2024
Minister John Graham’s response to submissions
John Graham, Minister for the Arts and other services, wrote to all those who made submissions in October. He mentioned that he was writing to provide an update on the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo, acknowledging its significance, mentioning the commitment to retaining the Wran legacy, with the drivers for the revitalisation the cost of maintenance and safety for visitors, and functionality upgrades.
He provided information about publishing submissions and a response report, and noted continuing projects on other Museum sites.  READ HERE: 15 Oct The Hon. John Graham MLC – Powerhouse Museum Ultimo Heritage Revitalisation (19)

INTO OCTOBER 2024: CRITICAL RESEARCH DOCUMENTS, AND SOME EARLY SUBMISSIONS
As background information for the second opportunity  in 2024, to make submissions to the NSW government Planning Portal about the future of the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, Critical Research documents, and some early submissions, include:
8 October: Thomas Walder: Submission
     READ HERE:  T Walder Submission
7 October: Tom Lockley: Submission
     READ HERE:  T Lockley Submission
6 October: Lionel Glendenning: Submission
READ HERE:  Lionel Glendenning Submission
6 October: Jonathan Sanders: Submission
     READ HERE:  Jonathan Sanders Submission
5 October: Lindsay Sharp: Submission; and Summary and Bullet Points
    READ HERE: L Sharp Submission  and HERE:  LS Summary and Bullet Points
4 October: Save the Powerhouse: Key Points
    READ HERE:  Save the P Key Points
1 October: Save the Powerhouse: Submission
    READ HERE: Savethe P Submission
29 September: Grace Cochrane: Submission
    READ HERE: G Cochrane Submission
28 September: Kylie Winkworth: The Fake News of Labor’s Powerhouse Ultimo Heritage Hoax
    READ HERE:  Winkworth Fake News and Labor’s Heritage Hoax 29 Sept 2024
24 September: National Trust: Powerhouse Museum update
    READ HERE:  National Trust 24 September

13 October, 2024
Summary of Submissions to “Powerhouse Ultimo Revitalisation” SSD application.
Save the Powerhouse summarised the October round of submissions, following the first round in May: ‘The Planning Department received a further 138 submissions for the NSW Government’s destructive “Powerhouse Ultimo Revitalisation” SSD application (in October): 131 (95%) submissions objected to the project, 3 (2%) of them “commented” and only 4 (3%) of them supported it.
This is in addition to the 125 submissions received for the first EIS exhibition in May (109 opposing, 11 commenting and 5 only supporting) and the 37 “late submissions” (29 supporting, 8 commenting and none supporting) received after the 30^th of May…
In total, the wholly unpopular project received 300 submissions, 269 (90%) objecting, 22 commenting (7%) and only 9 (3%) supporting (refer to attached Table http://tiny.cc/vc6qzz)’
See list details HERE : Go to Submissions: pages 1-7 for May submissions; pages 8- on for October submissions.
‘Further, it is to be noted that most submissions classified as “commenting” are in fact “objecting” as shown on the attached http://tiny.cc/hc6qzz  table. Thank you to all those of you who spent their own time to lodge a second submission. There were more submissions this time than in May!’

Departmental Follow-up:
Following the closure date, the office of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has advised those who have made submissions, that they can all be read on their  Portal: HERE.
Go toSubmissions, where they are listed in several pages (numbered at the foot of the link).
HOWEVER, the first 6 pages are from the submissions made in the first round, in May 2024.
The October 2024 submissions start on Page 7,although not all are dated.
The Department writes: ‘The notification email you received on Friday afternoon was sent to all submitters and subscribers to this project, advising that the Applicant has now been asked to respond to the issues raised during the recent exhibition period. Once the Applicant provides a response to submissions, this will be published on the public webpage for the project.’

6 October, 2024
POWERHOUSE ULTIMO REVITALISATION: SSD-67588459
RESPONSES TO: EXHIBITION OF AMENDED STATE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (SSDA) and RESPONSE TO SUBMISSIONS REPORT
Leading up to the 7 October closing date for submissions commenting on the NSW Government’s Planning Portal, about the ‘Powerhouse Revitalisation’, much well-researched information was distributed to the vast support network that opposes current proposals, and the ‘amendments’ offered in the new on-line ‘exhibition’.
For example:
4 October: Save the Powerhouse wrote:
Following earlier messages on 15 and 18 September (see entries below), Save the Powerhouse also sent out to its wide email and Facebook listings a reminder, saying:
‘Submissions to the second round of public consultation to the destructive “Powerhouse (NOT MUSEUM!) Ultimo Heritage Revitalisation” Development Application closes in 3 days’ time, on Monday 7 October. We understand the general submission fatigue after a decade of fighting, but there is only ONE Powerhouse Museum and there will be none left when it is gone.
If the NSW Government has its ways –
– The PHM exhibition area will be divided by 4. This is no longer denied by INSW.
– The southern part of the Wran Building and Galleria will be demolished, the interiors gutted and what is left encased in brick walls and hidden from Harris Street by a row of undignified shops.
– All the interiors of the Powerhouse Museum will be demolished including the original Steam revolution floor and its live steam generation system.’
– All the permanent exhibitions (steam revolution, transport and space, etc.) will never come back and only 3 large objects (Boulton and Watt engine, Loco No1 and Catalina seaplane) will be left as decorative artefacts out of their context.
– The Harwood building will be “decoupled” from the Museum’…
READ MORE: Save the P 4 October
and. on…
29 September: Powerhouse Museum Alliance wrote:
Keep the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo as it should be: Make a Submission by Oct 7, 2024
‘On 16th September, 2024, the NSW Minister for the Arts, John Graham, announced that: ‘Powerhouse Museum Ultimo has had its heritage listing broadened, guaranteeing that the much-loved site will remain a museum of applied arts and sciences into the future.’ Read Here: and Here: 16 Sept 2024 Govt announcement PHM Ultimo
‘It sounded exciting and conclusive, but it is very clear to those who have worked for nearly 10 years to maintain the presence of the Museum as it was always intended, including in the new Powerhouse site from 1988, and have been opposed to the current ‘Revitalisation’ project as it has been presented (with future content program kept secret), that there remain many ignored questions and issues about the destructive changes associated with the amended Planning announcement, and potentially damaging ‘exceptions’ to the related Heritage Council’s listing in July, which also received many public responses.
What is the story behind the supposed ‘Revitalisation’? Following the former Government’s decision in 2014 to close the Museum and move it all to Parramatta (with the collection in Castle Hill), the incoming Labor Government in 2023 vowed to save it.
The consequence? While the Parramatta site continues, the Ultimo site also remains, but with all collection items and most staff removed (now with a vastly reduced number of collection-informed professionals); seriously forecast destruction of significant building aspects, including appalling changes to the award-winning 1988 Wran building; exhibition space vastly reduced by 75%; and NO clearly described plans for its future content and programs. Despite recent statements, fears are still raised that it will be an ‘arts and creative industry’ entertainment site.’
Read full message HERE:  PMA Mass Mailout 29 Sept 2024

 For earlier news items regarding this second EXHIBITION OF AMENDED STATE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (SSDA) and RESPONSE TO SUBMISSIONS REPORT, go to the Powerhouse Museum Alliance news page:
https://powerhousemuseumalliance.com/news-chronology-2023-on/