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Output 1.2

Preservation of and access to Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery and their respective collections

Collections appropriately developed and managed

The Old Parliament House collection is primarily items from the building's original furniture and fittings. The collection's value at 30 June 2006 was estimated at $4.1 million.

Old Parliament House continued to develop its political and parliament-related collection with some notable acquisitions in 2005–06.

• Many items were donated for display in the refurbished Press Gallery spaces, including telephones, television cameras and associated equipment, newspaper hoardings, personal memorabilia and general ephemera.
• Figures of former press gallery journalists Gay Davidson and Alan Reid were commissioned for use in the interpretation of the press gallery spaces.
• A figure of former Prime Minister, John Curtin, was commissioned for use in the My Melancholy Duty exhibition and for later display elsewhere in Old Parliament House.
• A copy of a Charles Nuttall photoengraving The Opening of the First Commonwealth Parliament by the Duke of York, printed in 1902, was acquired.

Significant additions to the National Portrait Gallery collection in 2005–06 included:

• a commissioned portrait of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark by artist Jiawei Shen, with funds provided by Mrs Mary Isabel Murphy;
• the gift of a bronze bust of Sir Edward Holden by Leslie Bowles through the estate of John James Holden;
• a portrait of architect Romaldo (Aldo) Giurgola gifted by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects;
• a gelatin silver print of artist Thea Proctor gifted by Thea Bryant (Proctor);
• a Sidney Nolan self-portrait gifted by the Hon. R L Hunter QC;
• a Julia Margaret Cameron print of Edward John Eyre gifted by Sir Roy Strong and the late Dr Julia Trevelyan Oman; and
• the gift of a group of works from Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE including portraits by Wes Walters, Brian Dunlop and Bryan Westwood.

The National Portrait Gallery loaned 51 works of art from the Gallery's collection during 2005–06.

• A self-portrait by Grace Cossington Smith was on loan to the National Gallery of Australia for its retrospective of the artist's work (Art Gallery of South Australia 28 July–9 October 2005, Art Gallery of New South Wales 29 October 2005–15 January 2006 and Queensland Art Gallery 11 February–30 April 2006).
• Garry Shead's Portrait of Martin Sharp was loaned to Artspace Mackay for inclusion in its exhibition Fireworks (Percy Tucker Regional Gallery 24 June–21 August 2005, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum 2 September–29 October 2005, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery 5 December 2005–5 February 2006 and Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery 11 May–25 June 2006).
• A sculpture of Peter Brock by Julie Edgar was loaned to the National Capital Authority for its display at Regatta Point in the Australian Capital Territory.
• A photograph of David Gulpilil by Tracey Moffatt was on loan to the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales for inclusion in its exhibition Bondi: a biography (Museum of Sydney 17 December 2005–19 March 2006).
• The components of the first bionic ear belonging to the University of Melbourne (an item associated with the Gallery's portrait of Professor Graeme Clark AC) were loaned to the National Library of Australia for inclusion in its exhibition National Treasures from Australia's Great
• Libraries (National Library of Australia 3 December 2005–12 February 2006, State Library of Victoria 10 March–7 May 2006 and Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery 26 May–23 July 2006).
• Rosemary Valadon's Portrait of Ruth Cracknell as the Sibyl was on loan to the Macquarie University Art Gallery for inclusion in its exhibition The Divine Burlesque: the Work of Rosemary Valadon (6 March–21 April 2006).
• Forty-four works from the collection along with eight inward loans have been lent to the National History Museum at Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark for inclusion in its exhibition Australian Visit (7 April–31 July 2006).
• The portrait of Captain James Cook by John Webber was loaned to the National Museum of Australia for inclusion in its exhibition Cook's Pacific Encounters (23 June–24 September 2006).

As outlined in figure 2.15, the cumulative number of items in the National Portrait Gallery collection at 30 June 2006 was 1097 artworks, with an assessed value of $14.74 million.

Figure 2.15 National Portrait Gallery—collection number of items and value at 30 June

As at 30 June 2006, the Department's asset register listed gifts of 84 artworks valued at $708 935 from 40 donors in 2005–06, compared with 211 gifts valued at $461 366 from 34 donors in 2004–05. Assets are managed in accordance with the Department's Chief Executive's Instructions, including registration of assets on purchase or gift and an annual stocktake.

The continuing flow of donations to the Gallery, together with requests by other institutions for loans of items from the Gallery's collection, is evidence of the continued development of the National Portrait Gallery's growing reputation as a significant cultural institution.

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Heritage buildings appropriately preserved and maintained

Refurbishment projects to extend the life of the building and conservation works to preserve its original fabric continued at Old Parliament House. All these activities were carried out in accordance with the relevant legislation, works codes, standards and policies.

In addition to minor works related to the day-to-day maintenance and improvement of the building, the current five-year capital works plan of major refurbishment and restoration projects continued. Major refurbishments that were commenced or completed included:

• completion of the second stage of the roof replacement including new mechanical, electrical and emergency services;
• completion of the press gallery's refurbishment including new air conditioning, electrical services and joinery;
• completion of the cooling towers replacement including extensions to the cooling towers enclosure;

• completion of roof safety provisions including safety lines, walkways and ladders;
• minor works projects including automatic sliding doors to courtyards, exterior painting, communications cabling and new staff amenity provisions; and
• completion of the mechanical services condition audit and upgrade strategy, asbestos management plan and fire safety strategy review.

Conservation works ensure the ongoing preservation and integrity of the Old Parliament House building, while facilitating public display and access. Major conservation initiatives undertaken during the year included:

• the conservation of the House of Representatives press offices;
• a scoping study of the condition and conservation requirements for collection items in the House of Representatives and Senate chambers;
• implementation of the human impact management program in the orientation space and both chambers; and
• the conservation of the parquetry floor at the main entrance.

On 20 June 2006, the Prime Minister announced the inclusion of Old Parliament House on the National Heritage List. National Heritage listing recognises that Old Parliament House is one of the most significant heritage buildings in Australia. As a result of this listing, approval from the Minister for Environment and Heritage is required before any action can take place that will have, or is likely to have, a significant impact on the environment or heritage values of the building.

A new Heritage Management Plan for Old Parliament House is being developed, consistent with the requirements of this listing and the provisions of the

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . As shown at figure 2.16, $2.746 million was spent on capital works and almost $130 000 on conservation works.

Figure 2.16 Old Parliament House conservation and refurbishment—expenditure

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High visitor and audience satisfaction and engagement

Visitor numbers for the main Old Parliament House site have again reached record levels. The increase can be attributed to a strong exhibitions and events program including the successful Mrs Prime Minister and My Melancholy Duty exhibitions and more effective marketing. School student numbers also increased on last year's record numbers.

The National Portrait Gallery's Commonwealth Place annex experienced a decline compared to its 2004–05 figures, which had seen it host the highly successful Kylie exhibition that had attracted a record number of visitors.

At various times during the year, construction work to complete and reconfigure the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore at Commonwealth Place had a negative impact on visitor numbers and visitor experience at the National Portrait Gallery's Commonwealth Place premises.

Total combined visitors for the main Old Parliament House site and Commonwealth Place (excluding cafe, function and restaurant visitors) were 220 293, compared with 222 495 in 2004–05 (see figure 2.17). Visitor growth for the period 2005–06 was slightly higher than the average for other Canberra attractions and consistent with overall Canberra tourism growth in general for this period.

Visitor surveys and feedback showed that the overwhelming majority of visitors rated their overall experience as good or very good.

Development of the new dedicated building for the National Portrait Gallery continued in 2005–06. On 7 December 2005 the winner of the architectural design competition for Australia's new National Portrait Gallery was announced by the Prime Minister. The architect firm Johnson Pilton Walker was selected to design the $75.3 million building.

Figure 2.17 Visitors to Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery

The purpose-built building will be built in the Parliamentary Zone in Canberra, next to the High Court of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia. The design embodies the purpose of the National Portrait Gallery including its commemorative, celebratory, community and education roles.

The new gallery building will meet the growing needs of Australia's national portrait collection and help ensure that the collection is appropriately managed and developed. While delivery of the building project is the responsibility of the Department of Finance and Administration, the Department is closely involved in developing the building design and is responsible for planning the gallery's move to the new building, particularly the development of high-quality displays.

At the same time, the gallery must continue to develop and provide access to its collection, including maintaining exhibitions at Old Parliament House and Commonwealth Place.

Functions and hospitality activities have become a key growth area for Old Parliament House. The number of people visiting the site for these purposes increased significantly, demonstrating the solid contribution that these operations have made in attracting visitors to Old Parliament House (see figure 2.18).

Figure 2.18 Functions, café and restaurant patrons

Overall, combined visits to Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery, including functions, cafe and restaurant patrons, totalled 402 048 in 2005–06, compared with 396 661 in 2004–05.

Old Parliament House's volunteers, who provide invaluable services to visitors, increased in numbers from 136 to 163.

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Growing visitor/audience reach, in Canberra and nationally

Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery continued to develop quality exhibitions, family-friendly activities, interpretive projects and service enhancements to increase and broaden audience reach and enrich the visitor experience.

Visitor numbers to Old Parliament House from all over Australia and from overseas continued to grow during 2005–06. Old Parliament House continues its strong performance in attracting people aged 25 and over.

Exhibitions

Temporary exhibitions play a major role in generating new audiences and encouraging return visits to Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery. They help engage the community with aspects of Australia's political and parliamentary history.

Old Parliament House presented four in-house exhibitions in 2005–06, the same number as in 2004–05:

• Eureka Revisited , produced by the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery (22 April–17 July 2005);
• Mrs Prime Minister—public image, private lives , an exhibition focusing on the women who have been Prime Ministers' wives since 1901. The exhibition opened on 24 February 2006;
• My Melancholy Duty: Menzies and Curtin in the Second World War (2 August 2005–29 January 2006); and
• Through Australian Eyes (27 May 2005–18 June 2006).

Old Parliament House's first touring exhibition A Brush with Politics—the life and work of John Frith also completed its tour to six venues around Australia in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, between March 2005 and April 2006, attracting total audiences of 34 726. The exhibition was undertaken with financial support from the Australian Government's Visions of Australia program.

Exhibitions were complemented by a range of public programs, including tours and lectures. Old Parliament House continued to assess and evaluate all exhibitions and programs to improve their development and focus on the needs of existing and potential audiences.

Old Parliament House hosted a range of public events during 2005–06. Together with a strong exhibition program, such events provided a range of opportunities to promote Australian political history and the important heritage of the site, and to attract new and return visitors.

Highlight events for the year included major exhibition launches for Mrs Prime Minister, My Melancholy Duty and the House of Representatives press galleries, a luncheon talk by Mrs Tamie Fraser (wife of former prime minister Malcolm Fraser) as part of the program of events associated with the Mrs Prime Minister exhibition, two concerts as a part of the Canberra International Chamber Music Festival and public talks by a number of prominent ABC foreign correspondents.

The National Portrait Gallery presented 11 exhibitions in 2005–06, the same number as in 2004–05.

• Australian Visit (7 April–31 July 2006). This was the first international touring exhibition of the National Portrait Gallery's collection. The National Portrait Gallery sent 52 works of art to Frederiksborgmuseet (National History Museum at Frederiksborg Castle) for the exhibition, which was officially opened by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. Visits to the exhibition totalled 32 000 (see case study, page 68).
• Cecil Beaton Portraits (16 September–27 November 2005, National Portrait Gallery at Old Parliament House).
• Clifton Pugh's Australians (9 December 2005–26 March 2006, National Portrait Gallery at Old Parliament House).
• Face the Music (15 August–13 November 2005, National Portrait Gallery at Old Parliament House).
• Flash: Australian athletes in focus (4 March–12 April 2006, Silvershot Gallery, Melbourne in conjunction with the 2006 Commonwealth Games). This exhibition was part of the official cultural program for the Commonwealth Games. The National Portrait Gallery mounted a photographic exhibition of Australian sportspeople. Approximately 1400 people visited the exhibition.
• Glossy II—Faces magazines now (25 November 2005–9 April 2006, National Portrait Gallery at Commonwealth Place).
• Headspace VI—Who Am I? (3 September–6 November 2005, National Portrait Gallery at Commonwealth Place).
• Kylie (13 May–14 August 2005, National Portrait Gallery at Commonwealth Place).
• Portraits for Posterity (7 April–9 July 2006, National Portrait Gallery at Old Parliament House).
• Rennie Ellis: Aussies all. (21 April–27 August 2006, Commonwealth Place).
• The World of Thea Proctor (8 April–31 July 2005, National Portrait Gallery at Old Parliament House).

Gallery exhibitions were enhanced by catalogues, public programs, student workshops and Circle of Friends (gallery supporters) events. Membership of the Circle of Friends reached 915, up from 832 in the previous year.

The National Portrait Gallery continued to develop and consolidate its audience through its ongoing program of activities. In 2005–06, it presented two annual lectures (Mr Hugo Vickers on the life and work of Cecil Beaton and Mr Sandy Nairne, director of the National Portrait Gallery, London on 'Why do painted portraits still matter?') and four other lectures (three by prominent Australian portrait artists in association with masterclasses).

The National Portrait Gallery also mounted a small exhibition of portraits reflecting Swedish/Australian connections to commemorate the November 2005 visit to the National Portrait Gallery of Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Sweden.

Interpretation

Old Parliament House's major interpretative work during the year was the restoration, interpretation and reopening to the visiting public of the House of Representatives press galleries. The galleries were officially opened by the Prime Minister on 20 June 2006 (see case study, page 70).

Case study

The National Portrait Gallery goes to Denmark

The wedding of the Danish Crown Prince to the Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson in May 2004 strengthened the links between Denmark and Australia. As a result, 2006 saw the first international tour of works from the National Portrait Gallery's collection to Denmark.

The Danish Museum of National History—the Danish equivalent of the National Portrait Gallery—mounted Australian Visit, an exhibition looking at the relationship between Denmark and Australia from the nineteenth century to the present day.

The National Portrait Gallery loaned 52 works of art to Frederiksborgmuseet (National History Museum at Frederiksborg Castle) for an exhibition opened on 7 April 2006 by HRH Crown Princess Mary, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Frederik.

Mostly drawn from the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection, the works highlighted the achievements of notable Australians in many fields. The portraits were of a variety of media: painting, sculpture and photography.

A central feature of the exhibition was the set of two recently commissioned portraits of the Crown Princess by Australian artists Jiawei Shen and Ralph Heimans.

The National Portrait Gallery Director, Mr Andrew Sayers, negotiated with the Frederiksborgmuseet and the Danish Royal Court to secure the first official Australian
portrait of the Crown Princess.

The National Portrait Gallery's founding patron, Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG, and the current Chair of
the National Portrait Gallery Board, Mrs Marilyn Darling, were accompanied by Mr Sayers to the exhibition opening.

The exhibition closed on 31 July having attracted some 32 000 visitors.

The National Portrait Gallery's portrait of HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark by Jiawei Shen being installed in Frederiksborg Castle as part of the exhibition Australian Visit. The exhibition, organised by the Danish Museum of National History, Frederiksborg, featured 52 portraits from the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, along with items of costume and artefacts relating to Australia. Photo courtesy of the Danish Museum of National History.

Education

The education sector continued to be a key growth area for Old Parliament House. The number of students accessing Old Parliament House services and programs continued to grow, both in actual numbers and as a proportion of overall visitors.

Old Parliament House student visitors increased slightly from 45 038 in 2004–05 to 45 051 in 2005–06. There were 12 038 students who experienced National Portrait Gallery education programs, an increase on the 2004–05 figure of 11 386. Both Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery education programs were widely promoted to the formal education sector.

Feedback continued to indicate that teachers are very satisfied with their students' experience of Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery. Highlights of staff-directed programs included the refinement of the heritage education component of the education program and the delivery of presentations, workshops and demonstrations to teacher associations and education groups to promote Old Parliament House and its programs.

Old Parliament House student groups are provided with professionally delivered programs strongly linking with the Government's Civics and Citizenship curriculum statement and its Australian history initiative. Professional staff also provided presentations and workshops for teachers on site, and presented papers at national and state education conferences.

Other highlights for the year included the opening of the new student orientation space, which enhances the important introductory experience at Old Parliament House, and the production of a major supplement in the Canberra Times to complement the My Melancholy Duty exhibition.

Old Parliament House was designated as one of three institutions (along with the Australian War Memorial and Parliament House) that school groups visiting Canberra must visit in order to be eligible for the new Parliament and Civics Education Rebate allowance administered by the Department of Education, Science and Training and announced in the 2006–07 Budget. This initiative, introduced on 1 July 2006, has the potential to substantially increase student visits to Old Parliament House.

Websites

Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery have continued to develop a substantial presence through their website activities in 2005–06. The websites provide a major portal to Old Parliament House and National Portrait Gallery exhibitions and holdings, allowing access to people who are unable to visit Old Parliament House or the gallery in person.

The growing importance of the websites to the operations of Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery is demonstrated by the huge growth in visits to the websites in recent years (set out in figures 2.19 and 2.20), including a 96 per cent increase in Old Parliament House website traffic in 2005–06 and a 192 per cent increase in National Portrait Gallery website traffic in the same period.

Case study

The press gallery returns to Old Parliament House

Old Parliament House recognised the media's intrinsic role in the Australian political process with the reopening of the House of Representatives press gallery—this time as a permanent exhibition for the general public.

Prime Minister John Howard launched the gallery exhibition on 10 June 2006. It tells the story of those who worked in the press gallery from 1927 to 1988, when it all ended with the opening of the new Parliament House on the hill.

Visitors can sit in the original press gallery and experience the atmosphere which The Australian 's Kate Legge described as 'an institution fruity with characters who were sardined together for intense periods in the shadow-land of political power'.

The restoration was a whole-of-organisation project, with managers and staff from capital works, heritage conservation, exhibition and interpretation services all involved.

Key stakeholders like former press gallery members and media organisations provided extensive assistance, sharing their memories and donating objects.

The scale and crowding of the original Parliament House building meant that journalists and politicians worked closely, developing intimate relationships that shaped the way Parliament and Australian Government politics were reported to the nation.

The displays use quotations, texts, images and objects to show what life was like as a gallery journalist. Big events, leaks, sources, competitiveness, gossip and censorship are all covered.

There are lively bipartisan tales of politicians and press secretaries, and how some of the political story was brought to the public.

The exhibition designers made much use of sound, which conveys the Gallery's hustle and bustle and complements the recreations and oral histories. Some of the important stories are told through the journalists' own recorded voices.

There are interactive displays with banks of TVs and radios inviting visitors to 'Choose your news', and an ABC radio studio has been set up to allow visitors to 'interview a pollie'.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Doug Anthony and Prime Minister John Howard at Old Parliament House. Photography by Howard Moffat / AUSPIC.

Figure 2.19 Old Parliament House—website statistics

Figure 2.20 National Portrait Gallery—website statistics

Key content additions to the Old Parliament House website included major sub-sites relating to the Mrs Prime Minister exhibition, Robert Menzies' 1941 wartime diary and Dismissed, the story of the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in 1975. The Menzies' diary website in particular has been well received and has attracted a significant number of visitors.

Content additions to the National Portrait Gallery website included ensuring that all National Portrait Gallery exhibitions were represented online, highlighting recent acquisitions, an expanded and updated feature on student programs and workshops and animations of some notable portraits, including that of HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. Substantial content on the new building, including a virtual tour of the proposed design, is also on the website and regularly updated with progress on the building project.

Media coverage

Old Parliament House and National Portrait Gallery exhibitions and activities continued to attract substantial media coverage. Old Parliament House generated 182 newspaper stories, 37 radio stories and 20 television stories in local and national media. The National Portrait Gallery generated 173 editorial articles, 22 television stories and wide coverage through radio in local and national media. The gallery also published four editions of its award-winning Portrait magazine covering aspects of the gallery's exhibitions, recent acquisitions and education programs.

Awards

Old Parliament House's place in Australia's heritage was recognised recently by the announcement of its inclusion on the National Heritage List which currently includes only 31 sites. The National Portrait Gallery received eight print/ publication awards at the Museums Australia Publication and Design Awards announced at the Museums Australia national conference on 15 May 2006.

Figure 2.21 Old Parliament House and National Portrait Gallery revenue from other sources

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Revenue budgets are met

In 2005–06, Old Parliament House and National Portrait Gallery revenue from other sources exceeded targets and increased from 2004–05 levels (figure 2.21). This is primarily due to an increase in cash donations to the National Portrait Gallery and is attributable to normal fluctuations in donations.

Effective budget management

The overall price of Output 1.2 was on track in 2005–06, with an increase in revenue from other sources.

Regular evaluation of the budget outcome is conducted by managers and commentary on variations between budget and expenditure is provided to, and discussed by, the Executive Management Group on a monthly basis. The commentary also includes forecasting of budget trends where possible.

Development of a stronger and internationally competitive Australian sports sector and encouragement of greater participation in sport by all Australians.