PREMIER Denis Napthine has said ongoing costs for the day-to-day running of the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka are not matters for the state government.
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M.A.D.E has been allocated $1 million in Ballarat City Council’s draft 2014-15 budget, a $250,000 increase on the previous budget of $750,000.
However, that is still a shortfall of the $1.4 million expected to be needed to run the facility during the first few years of operation.
“The ongoing operations are the responsibility for the M.A.D.E board and the Ballarat City Council,” Dr Napthine said.
“We will provide funding from time to time for key events, such as the 160th commemoration of Eureka and other events on a time-to-time basis based on the submissions made by M.A.D.E and the City of Ballarat.”
Despite being pressed on the issue, Dr Napthine said ongoing or day-to-day costs were not matters for the state government.
City of Ballarat mayor Josh Morris said he believed the announcement of Eureka anniversary celebrations would help to bring more people through the facility.
“Building the profile of M.A.D.E will obviously attract more visitation and more visitation will increase the revenue coming through the centre, so we are always very welcoming of those events that are going to lift the profile of M.A.D.E,” he said.
