We asked a few questions of the City of Perth at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 25 March 2025. There are 24 questions in total. 

The City of Perth will respond with answers in the meeting minutes, which will be issued two weeks post meeting.

So far questions asked of the City, by community members and journalists about this matter, have been partially answered or not answered at all. 

We’re looking forward to some straight answers to our questions.  

ORE OBELISK 
1. Were the three options for the Ore Obelisk — conservation, relocation, or
decommissioning — presented to Council as promised in early 2022?
2. Were relevant stakeholders and the community consulted on the fate of the Ore Obelisk before its removal?
3. Was a significance assessment undertaken for the Ore Obelisk before its removal? If so, will Council make public the results?
4. Was a conservation plan developed for the Ore Obelisk? If so, can it be made publicly available?
5. What is the City's current plan and timeline for the Ore Obelisk, which has been in storage for four years?

BOONJI SPACEMAN 
6. Why was the Boonji Spaceman acquisition approved despite it being a mass-produced artwork, inconsistent with Public Art Policy CP4.8?
7. Why did the cost of acquiring and installing Boonji Spaceman increase from an initial quote of $50,000 to $171,000?
8. Why is the City funding the artist's travel, accommodation, and an opening event linked to a private exhibition?
9. Was the installation of Boonji Spaceman intended to coincide with Brendan Murphy’s exhibition at Gullotti Galleries?
10. What is the rationale for placing Boonji Spaceman at Stirling Gardens, how does it align with CP4.8’s requirement that public art respond to local site context? How does it align with the City’s Conservation Management Plan for Stirling Gardens?
11. Did the City consult the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) about placing Boonji Spaceman at Stirling Gardens? If so, what was their feedback?
12. Why is the City pursuing a temporary location for Boonji Spaceman, knowing that relocation will incur further costs?
13. What is the rationale for placing Boonji Spaceman at Elizabeth Quay, how does it align with CP4.8’s requirement that public art respond to local site context, where exactly at EQ is that site?

DECOMMISSIONING OF OTHER PUBLIC ARTWORKS
14. Was a structural report completed before the removal of Lorenna Grant’s Arch? If so, can the findings be made public?
15. Why was Arch removed instead of being repaired in situ, when a repair quote under $50,000 was provided?
16. What are the City’s plans for the 30 sculptures by Greg James and Drago Dadich formerly installed at Russell Square?
17. What is the plan for the mosaics created through the State Images Community Art Competition at Barrack Square?
18. What is the status and repair timeline for Water Labyrinth by Jeppe Hein?
19. What is the City’s current plan for Grow Your Own by James Angus in Forrest Place?

POLICY AND STRATEGY ALIGNMENT
20. Why is the City not operating in line with its own Public Art Strategy, particularly in terms of conservation, transparency, and commissioning of new works?
21. Has any money from the former Public Art Reserve been allocated to the Boonji
Spaceman project?
22. How many new public artworks has the City commissioned since adopting the Public Art Strategy in 2015?
23. Why has a Public Art Master Plan not been developed, as committed in the Strategy?
24. Why was the Public Art Advisory Panel disbanded, and why aren’t current advisory groups consulted on major decisions?

#savethekebab