The Facts

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THE ISSUES

·  The City of Perth allocated $250,000 in public funds to install a mass-produced American sculpture, Boonji Spaceman, in Stirling Gardens.

·  It sits on the former base of the Ore Obelisk, a landmark civic artwork by Paul Ritter that celebrated WA’s mining heritage. 

·  Ore Obelisk was removed in 2021 and remains in storage with no plan or timeline for its return.

·  Boonji Spaceman is a mass-produced commercial artwork with no connection to Western Australia.

·  Its installation coincided with a private exhibition of the artist’s work at Gullotti Galleries, raising concerns about public funds supporting private commercial gain.

WHAT’S WRONG?

1. Poor Governance & Policy Breaches

·  No open public tender or expression of interest was conducted.

·  No consultation with the City’s Culture and Arts Advisory Group or Elders Advisory Group.

·  Breaches the City’s own Public Art Policy (CP 1.5), across multiple criteria including prohibiting mass-produced artworks and requiring expert assessment.

2. Misuse of Public Funds

·  $171,580 paid directly to Gullotti Galleries without a competitive process.

·  Up to $250,000 spent on a temporary installation, with relocation costs unbudgeted and undisclosed.

·  Public art reserves and acquisition funds were reabsorbed into surplus to bankroll this, leaving nothing for conservation or new commissions.

3. Cultural Disrespect

·  Displaced the Ore Obelisk, a significant WA public artwork celebrating our mining heritage and population growth.

·  Blocks reinstatement of the Obelisk by occupying its original base.

·  Ignores other important local artworks like The Arch (Lorenna Grant) and the Russell Square sculptures, which remain in storage.

• The Boonji Spaceman is a mass-produced commercial sculpture with no local relevance.

ABOUT THE ORE OBELISK

·  Designed in 1971 by Perth City Planner Paul Ritter.

·  15 metres tall, featuring ores from across WA.

·  Commemorated the state’s one-millionth resident, WA’s unique geology and the economic boom due to the mining sector.
•  It forged a visual and cultural link between Stirling Gardens and Council House for 50 years.

·  Removed on safety grounds in 2021, despite no Council report, no significance assessment, and no conservation plan. It could have been conserved. It remains in storage.

ARTS BUDGETS EMPTIED

·  In July 2024, the City reallocated the following reserves into general surplus:

o  $260,000 Public Art Reserve

o  $365,000 Art Acquisition Reserve

o  $700,000 Bonus Plot Ratio Reserve

·  These reserves were long-standing funding mechanisms to support the art program including acquisition or new work and conservation of existing works in the collection. They now stand at $0.

POLICY BREACHES (CP4.8)

• No site specificity or cultural relevance (3h, 13h)
• No artistic originality (13j)
• No defined lifespan or maintenance plan (12, 13f)
• No documented advisory or Elders consultation (5, 13e)
• No sustainability plan or future site strategy (13i)
• No commissioning process or artistic excellence review (13e, 13d)
• No alignment with place or community identity

THE SAVE THE KEBAB CAMPAIGN DEMANDS

1.  Reinstate the Ore Obelisk at its original site.

2.  Commission Lorenna Grant to remake The Arch in Northbridge.

3.  Full public disclosure of public art procurement, contracts, and costs.

4.  Develop and deliver the long-overdue Public Art Master Plan.

5.  Reinstate and properly resource Public Art and Cultural Advisory Panels.

SUPPORTED BY:

·  History Council of WA

·  National Trust of WA

·  Chamber of Arts and Culture WA

·  National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)

·  Australian Institute of Landscape Architects WA (ALIAWA)

·  Emeritus Professor Jenny Gregory, UWA

·  Geoff Warn, former WA Government Architect

·  Terri-ann White, Publisher

·  Hundreds of citizens, artists, historians and curators

THIS IS ABOUT:

·  Respecting the city’s cultural heritage

·  Delivering value through public art

·  Restoring accountability in public spending

·  Ensuring quality, integrity, and transparency in Perth’s civic future

GET INVOLVED

·  Visit www.savethekebab.com

·  Follow on Socials @savethekebab

·  Contact City of Perth Elected Members and the CEO - check out our letter tempate

·  Keep track of who is not supporting the conservation of Perth’s unique cultural collection

·  Vote out elected members who fail to defend public art at the upcoming local election in October 2025

Let’s protect our story. Let’s fix this together.

#SaveTheKebab