Directors Report
Bundanon Trust ABN 72 058 829 217
For the year ended 30 June 2019
The Directors submit the Bundanon Trust (The Trust)'s financial report for the financial year ended 30 June 2019.
Directors
The names of the Directors in office at the date of this report are Ms Jennifer Bott (Chairman), Ms Holly Byrne, Mr Sam Edwards, Mr Tony Emery, Ms Anne Flanagan, Mr Mark Tucker and Professor Paul Wellings.
Principal Activities
The principal activities of the Trust during the financial year were the promotion of the arts and the preservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Bundanon properties located in Illaroo, NSW.
Results
The net operating result for the year ended 30 June 2019 was a surplus of $468,963 compared with a surplus of $400,226 for the 2018 financial year.
Review of Operations
In 2018-2019 Bundanon Trust provided access to the creative and educational opportunities of the Bundanon properties and collection and continued work to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Bundanon.
The Trust has undertaken the following activities:
- A program of on-site activities, including concerts, talks and events, open days and educational and recreational tours which engage the public in the arts and encourage access to the Bundanon properties.
- An artists in residence program that presents opportunities for serious creative endeavour by artists in all art forms whilst resident within the Bundanon properties. Over 300 artists and scholars were in residence, from across Australia and overseas. Partnerships with national and international arts companies were maintained and new links consolidated across the arts and sciences.
- An education program that provides the opportunity to extend the creative and educational potential of young people, and to compliment formal curricula. An expanded regional program; partnerships with nationally acclaimed artists and arts companies and special programs for Indigenous communities and the aging population were a feature of this year.
- The Trust continued a partnered environmental project “Landcare Living Landscape” that spans five years of operation.
- The management and maintenance of the collections, in accordance with the Trust's collection policy, and access to the collections through exhibitions and research. Bundanon’s major new travelling exhibition Arthur Boyd: Landscape of the Soul opened in Sydney and toured to Ipswich Art Gallery in Queensland.
- Significant progress was made in the planning of the Trust’s Riversdale Masterplan with the anticipated commencement of construction in early 2020.
- The Trust continued to attract the support of Local Government and funding from Federal and State Government, universities, community organisations and foundations and individual benefactors.
Governance and management
There were a number of changes to the membership of the Board in 2018-19.
Mr Sam Edwards was appointed as a Board member for three years from 18 September 2018.
Ms Jenny Bott’s term as Chairman, and Mr Tony Emery and Mr Mark Tucker’s terms as Board members, were extended for a further three years from 1 April 2019.
The Audit and Risk Committee met four times during the reporting period. The Committee was chaired by Mr. David Willcocks, KPMG Australia Partner, as a pro bono service.
The Directors of the Board serve part-time and receive no remuneration for their services. They give generously of their time and expertise to assist in the development of the Trust.
Minister responsible
Senator the Hon Minister Mitch Fifield, Minister for Communications and the Arts, was the Minister responsible from 1 July 2018 to 11 April 2019. The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, was the Minister responsible from 29 May 2019.
Ministerial directions
Under section 93 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act), the Finance Minister may make government policy order, after consultation with the Minister responsible for the order – that applies to wholly-owned Commonwealth companies.
There has been no application of section 93 of the PGPA Act in this year.
Indemnities and insurance premiums
Indemnity is provided to directors of the Board under the coverage of the Bundanon Trust’s insurer, Comcover, which is an Australian Government self-managed fund for insurable risk. Premiums are levied as part of the overall insurance coverage and are based on the agreed insurance value and previous claims history.
Commonwealth disability strategy
The Bundanon Trust has a continuing commitment to implementing the Australian Government’s disability strategy.
Significant changes in the state of affairs
There were no significant changes in the state of affairs of the Trust during the year.
Matters subsequent to the end of the financial period
The 2019-20 Federal budget confirmed the public announcement of a capital grant of $22 million towards the balance of the construction costs of the Riversdale Masterplan. project. The Bill is currently before Parliament and at the date of this report, the funding is pending carriage of the Appropriation Bills through Parliament, anticipated in September 2019.
At the date of this report no other matter or circumstance has arisen since 30 June 2019 that has significantly affected or may significantly affect the operations of the Trust, the results of the operations or the state of affairs of the Trust.
Likely developments
As at 30 June 2018, NSW Regional and Cultural Funding of $8.592 million had been granted towards the construction of the Riversdale Masterplan project. This funding is to construct a subterranean art gallery, lecture and collection store. The development has commenced, with significant work undertaken to process the development approval and undertake preliminary works with construction anticipated to start in February 2020. The major construction will continue through the following twelve months.
As noted previously, capital funding of $22 million for the completion of the Riversdale Masterplan project is pending the passage of the Appropriation Bills through Parliament
No other likely developments were identified.
Details of Directors during the reporting period 2018-2019
|
Directors |
Period as the Director |
||||
|
Name |
Qualifications of the Director |
Experience of the Director |
Position Title / Position Held, Executive /Non- Executive |
Date of Commen- cement |
Number of meetings |
|
Ms Jennifer Bott AO |
BA, DipEd |
Jenny Bott is a professional mentor, arts manager, board director and consultant. She is CEO of NIDA. She also serves as a Trustee of the Australian Museum, a Director the Australian National Academy of Music, the NIDA Foundation Trust, the Southern Highlands Regional Gallery and the Sydney Orthopaedic Research Institute. She is a member of Chief Executive Women and the former CEO of the Australia Council for the Arts, the UNSW Foundation as well as senior roles at Opera Australia, Musica Viva Australia and the National Portrait Gallery. |
Chairman, Non- Executive |
01.04.2016 |
5 |
|
Ms Holly Byrne |
MCom, BA, GradDipPsych, GradCertMigrat ionLaw & Practice |
Holly Byrne is the founder of HB Migration Pty Ltd and has over 10 years’ experience in Australian immigration law and practice. Holly previously worked with the Australian Government as a Ministerial Adviser to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and the Minister for the Arts. Her role included developing public policy relating to immigration and industrial relations and the Arts. Holly is a current national committee member of the Migration Alliance and a former national vice-president. |
Director, Non- Executive |
18.06.2018 |
4 |
|
Mr Sam Edwards |
BSc (Hons), MEng, MIEAust, CPEng NPER (civil), BM |
Sam Edwards grew up on the south coast of NSW and has raised a family there. Sam is the Managing Director of Edwards Constructions, a commercial construction firm, and has an education in engineering, building, and law. He brings skills in governance, contracts and construction, as well as practical experience in community and public facility stewardship to the Bundanon Trust Board. He is a past chair of the Crown Lands Killalea State Park Trust Board and continues to sit on various advisory committees for Government and the private sector. |
Director, Non- Executive |
18.09.2018 |
4 |
|
Mr Tony Emery |
Tony Emery is a long-standing Board member from the local Shoalhaven community. He has had a long involvement in Shoalhaven and Illawarra Industry and Business organisations and is a Managing Director of Soilco. He received the 2015 Award for Leadership on recycled organics from his industry peers. Tony is currently an executive member of the Shoalhaven Business Chamber and was formerly a Director of the Australian Organic Recycling Association and Chair of the NSW Branch. |
Director, Non- Executive |
30.04.2013 |
4 |
|
|
Ms Anne Flanagan |
DipVisArts, DipEd, DipIntDes, |
Anne Flanagan was Deputy Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales responsible for exhibitions and major capital project delivery including the Asian gallery expansion, a 'state of the art' collection store and the masterplan for the Gallery expansion. She was a member of the International Exhibitions Managers Group. Anne is currently a director of the Biennale of Sydney and member of the Project Control Group and Steering Committee for Sydney Modern, Art Gallery of NSW. For more than three decades she has worked in key arts organisations, including the Crafts Council, Powerhouse Museum, Biennale of Sydney, Australian Bicentennial Authority, Historic Houses Trust NSW and the Art Gallery of NSW. Her academic background includes visual arts, interior design and art education. |
Director, Non- Executive |
18.03.2015 |
5 |
|
Mr Mark Tucker |
BSc (Hons) |
Mark Tucker is a former Deputy Secretary in the Australian Public Service, with more than 25 years’ experience working in the Departments of Agriculture, Environment and Heritage, Arts and Sport and Prime Minister and Cabinet. His early career was as a research scientist including appointment to the 1982 Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition. Mark has been a member of the Board of the National Portrait Gallery, the Advisory Council to Old Parliament House and the Board for the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. |
Director, Non- Executive |
01.04.2016 |
4 |
|
Professor Paul Wellings CBE |
BSc (JntHons), MSc, PhD, Hon DSc, Hon DUniv |
Professor Paul Wellings has been Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wollongong since January 2012. He was Vice-Chancellor, Lancaster University from 2002 -2011. Educated in the UK, his experience includes a NERC research fellowship and senior positions at the CSIRO and Department of Industry, Science and Resources. He has extensive board experience, including with the Australian Research Council (ARC) Advisory Committee, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and some of the UK’s peak education and research bodies. He is a board member of the University of Wollongong in Dubai and a director of the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI). He also serves on the Advisory Committee for New Colombo Plan, NSW Innovation and Productivity Council, and the Global Foundation Advisory Council. |
Director, Non- Executive |
18.03.2015 |
5 |
Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Board of Directors
Ms Jennifer Bott AO - Chairman
Dated: 5 September 2019
Visit
https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/bundanon-trust/reporting-year/2018-2019-28