Funds stripped from Riverina Conservatorium of Music concert hall project will go to Wagga arts scene: Joe McGirr

Wagga MP Joe McGirr met with representatives from Wagga City Council, the NSW government and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music on Friday morning to consider a new destination for the unassigned funds.

Dr McGirr said it was decided at the meeting to form a group to consult with the local community and find out what new performance spaces would most benefit Wagga's arts scene.

In other news

He said it was his interpretation that the project deemed most necessary would receive the $20 million that was previously awarded to plans for a world-class recital hall complex at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.

That funding was retracted by the state government after a corruption probe into former Wagga MP Daryl Maguire found the decision to allocate the funds did not meet government benchmarks.

Dr McGirr said the group will be formed "in the next few weeks" and will include delegates from Wagga City Council, the Department of Regional NSW and the state government's arts agency Create NSW.

"They will be consulting with the community and working on an analysis of what needs Wagga and the region has in terms of performance spaces," he said.

Dr McGirr said it was vital the allocation of the funds be done in an open and transparent manner - especially considering the "tainted circumstances" surrounding the $20 million.

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music would take part in the consultation process but are not guaranteed to be given back the funding.

"Whatever is developed needs to meet the needs of the broader community and be sustainable in terms of its funding," Dr McGirr said.

The Wagga MP said it was also decided that the NSW government would review its funding of conservatoriums across the state in order to create a more standardised system.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: