Planned South Australian cultural centre unlikely to receive funding in Federal budget

The Tarrkarri Centre for First Nations Cultures planned for Adelaide's CBD is unlikely to receive additional funding in the Federal budget.

Tarrkarri was anticipated and promoted to be a significant international tourism drawcard for South Australia – displaying pieces sourced from the SA Museum, Art Gallery and State Library collections – most of which are currently kept in storage – alongside new digital and performing arts displays that would tell the story of Australia’s First Nations peoples.

In June 2018, New York-based architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, partnered with local firm Woods Bagot, and were announced as the winners of the design competition for the centre noting “The Tarrkarri – Centre for First Nations Cultures is a new paradigm that showcases the past, present and future of Aboriginal cultures while supporting contemporary art practices and events across disciplines.”

The project is, however, still a hole in the ground on part of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site.

A deal signed in 2019, saw the Federal Government commit $85 million towards Tarrkarri, with the remaining $115 million budgeted by the SA Government.

ABC today reports that the Federal Government is understood to have rejected a recent SA Government request for more funding thereby casting doubt on the future of the proposed cultural centre.

In September 2023, SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said state cabinet would likely decide the future of the Tarrkarri Centre for First Nations Cultures by the end of the  year.

The project, initially costed at $200 million and to be built on part of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site, was put on hold in October 2022 after the managing contractor advised of a $50 million cost blow-out and warned the building would be substandard.

The SA Government appointed a panel led by former Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt, former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr and Reserve Bank board member Carolyn Hewson to review the project.

The panel recommended the government spend “multitudes of $200 million” – potentially between $400 million to $600 million – to make Tarrkarri an internationally significant centre.

In September 2023, Premier Malinauskas said that while there were still a number of issues to work through related to Tarrkarri’s cost, government was hopeful to make a decision by the end of 2023.

That was soon changed to a decision being pushed into 2024.

Premier Malinauskas has asked the Federal Government to boost its $85 million funding contribution, and sought additional cash from private companies and philanthropists.

However ABC understands no extra money has been allocated for Tarrkarri in today’s Federal budget.

In response to ABC's request for comment, a spokesperson for Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke said budget details would be released on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, South Australian Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said he would "wait and see" whether the Federal Government had allocated additional funding for Tarrkarri.

ABC reports Treasurer Mullighan as advising "the Premier's obviously been speaking with the Federal Government about a range of different State Government initiatives that we would like the Commonwealth to partner with us on.”

Image. Concept design Tarrkarri Centre for First Nations Cultures. Credit: Woods Bagot