Murdochs Donate $1 Million To Sydney’s New Queer Museum Qtopia

The Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch Foundation has announced they will donate $1 million to fund Sydney’s Queer museum Qtopia.

The announcement was made in Green Park at the opening of Qtopia Sydney’s inaugural exhibitions at The Bandstand and The Red Room.

Murdoch: I Am Here As A Supporter And Advocate For Qtopia

During her speech commemorating the opening, Sarah Murdoch said, “Today, I’m announcing that Lachlan and I, through the Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch Foundation, will donate a million dollars to Qtopia Sydney.”

She continued, “I am here as a supporter and advocate for Qtopia to be realised.

“I hope our donation will encourage many more corporates, foundations, and families to invest in what will be an amazing institution. An institution that not only protects, respects, and extends the quality of future Queer lives, but saves the lives of many young Australians.”

Moore: A Significant Day For Sydney’s Queer Community

Lord Mayor Clover Moore spoke about the importance of the day.

“There’s a lot to celebrate today, as many of us think about the sadness of the 90s, and it’s a significant day for Sydney’s community as the LGBTQIA+ realises, a long-held aspiration.”

She went on to thank the Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch Foundation, 

“I want to thank Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch for their contribution,” she said. “Not always did I actually get support from the Murdoch press back there in the 90s, but that’s history. 

“Now I believe more happier than I am, to know that you’re supporting this cause, and of course where you go governments will follow, as we all know,” she added to applause and cheers from the crowd.

The Bandstand And The Red Room Are A Temporary Home

Opening to the public on February 17, the exhibitions showcase Queer, trans, and gender-diverse contemporary culture, highlighting the vision of the future permanent queer museum.

According to Qtopia Sydney, the exhibitions “will invite identification, reflection, and participation, celebrating those who fought for the rights of people in the LGBTQIA+ community, the history and activism of Mardi Gras since 1978, the old glamour and excitement of Oxford Street and Kings Cross, the evolution of the communities, and the voices and exuberance of a new generation.”

While its temporary home will be located at The Bandstand and The Red Room at National Art School, Qtopia is currently lobbying the NSW Government and Health Minister Brad Hazzard to allow Qtopia to permanently reside in the old Darlinghurst police station at Taylor Square.

Currently, the NSW Government is using the old Darlinghurst police station as offices for NSW Health. The site was once the place where gay men were locked up back in the 1970s and 80s.

The Former Darlinghurst Police Station Must Be Liberated

During his speech standing in front of The Bandstand, Qtopia Sydney CEO Greg Fisher made a direct appeal to the NSW Government.

“I speak directly to the New South Wales parliament,” he said.

“The former Darlinghurst Police Station must be liberated from the horror history of its past bashing and humiliation of queer people at the hands of authority, to become Qtopia Sydney’s permanent home – to forever tell our stories – rich in survival and celebration – to welcome all and to foster a more cohesive community. 

“New South Wales Health you have thousands of vacant square meters to relocate the administration services from that building and put them elsewhere. So do it, please, for this community…Do it to liberate the property and respect those who are punished and humiliated simply for being queer. Do it to allow future generations to learn what inclusion really means, and how identity is not the privilege of some, but the right of all.  Do it to save lives. 

“There is an election coming up. We spoke to you a year ago. Please, make the call and please answer this community. We are listening and we are watching. Let the legacy of this fabulous Sydney WorldPride investment be more than a sugar hit.”

Qtopia’s initiative has the backing and support of former High Court judge Michael Kirby, publisher Ita Buttrose, LGBTQI rights advocate Ian Roberts, queer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group BlaQ, Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, St Vincent’s Hospital and ACON.