MINUTES OF
 PUBLIC FORUM
PROPOSED STATE MUSEUM
____________

2 pm, Sunday 26 May 1996
Great Hall, Royal Exhibition Buildings
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CHAIR : Ms Lecki Ord

1.      Welcome
        Councillor Peter McMullin, Deputy Lord Mayor, welcomed members of the public
and speakers to the Forum.


2.      Introductions
        Cr Rosemary Stott of the City of Melbourne addressed the forum and introduced
the speakers listed under agenda item 4.

3.      Objective of Forum
The Chair addressed the objective of the Forum.
4.      Presentations

Graham Morris, Director, State Museum
Dick Roennfeldt, Director, Office of Major Projects.
Rob Adams, Director City Projects, City of Melbourne
Dr Miles Lewis, Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne
Trevor Huggard, former Exhibition Trustee and Lord Mayor

        Copies of the presentations made by the speakers are attached.

5.      Panel Questions
        The Panel received and responded to questions from the public.

6       Motions

        The following motions were put and carried by those attending the Forum :

"That this Forum move that the Melbourne City Council oppose the further
alienation of parkland in the Carlton Gardens by the location of a Museum.
Further, that it use every endeavour to relocate the Museum to another site to
the strategic advantage of both the Museum and the City."

"That the meeting strongly oppose the proposed use of the Museum in the
Carlton Gardens as it is a wrongful use of the Gardens and will severely
compromise both the historic Exhibition Buildings, now and in the future. The
site is also inadequate in terms of access by car and public transport.



This meeting also strongly believes that the Queen Victoria Hospital or the
Federation Square sites will better serve both the interests of the Museum and
the interests of the central city as a cultural heart of Melbourne and urges
that the Carlton Gardens site be abandoned and serious consideration be given
to the central city sites for the Museum"

"That the meeting :

call on the State Government and the Melbourne City Council to consider the
incorporation of the State Museum as part of the proposed development of
Federation Square; and

request that a commitment to the current site at the Exhibition Buildings be
deferred until the options for the Federation Square project are finalised."


"That this meeting endorse the need for the Museum of Victoria to develop a
new building (or complex of buildings) of world class standards in the
fulfillment the Museum's mission to preserve and present evidence of our
histories."

"That no blades be included in any proposed development of a Museum."

"That copies of the six addresses given at this Forum be sent to all members
of :

the Museum Executive; and
the State Parliament of Victoria."

On the question of the formation of a group to continue to lobbying for  the
relocation of the Museum,  the Chair recommended that interested people
approach Mr Anthony van der Craats and the 'Defend Our Heritage' group at the
conclusion of the meeting, to discuss the ways in which the collective view of
members of the community can be conveyed to the authorities involved in the
determination of the site of the proposed Museum.



The meeting concluded at 4.24 pm