PM Transcripts

. M7,
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 25 JUNE 1985
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE MINISTER FOR
ARTS, HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT
The Prime Minister, Mr Hawke and the Minister for Arts, Heritage
and Environment, Mr Barry Cohen, today announced Commonwealth
Government plans for the development of the National Maritime
Museum in Sydney at Darling Harbour.
The Commonwealth has accepted the offer of the New South Wales
Government of a 4.75 hectare site for the Museum in the Darling
Harbour Redevelopment Area.
" The Government is committed to fostering the development
of the national collections and the establishment of the National
Maritime Museum will be an important link in the preservation
and display of our maritime heritage"," Mr Hawke said.
" It is expected that the first stage of the Museum will be
constructed by 1988 at a cost of the order of $ 25m. The
Museum will be a major project for the Bicentennial Year and
one for which there have already been expressions of interest
in sponsorship from governments overseas", the Prime minister
said. In joining with the Prime Minister, Mr Cohen announced that
the Council of the Museum of Australia had agreed to appoint
an Advisory Committee to prepare for Government a detailed
plan for construction, including costs and administrative
matters within six months.
" The National Maritime Museum will not be a dry repository
of relics but a living institution, of interest both to
Australians and overseas visitors, which would provide a
major educational and research facility for Australia",
Mr Cohen said. I