Powerhouse Parramatta was meant to reshape Sydney’s cultural map. Now its leadership is under scrutiny

Powerhouse Parramatta, a cultural infrastructure project aiming to reshape Sydney’s cultural landscape, is now under scrutiny as its CEO, Lisa Havilah, steps down just ten weeks before its opening. Havilah, appointed in 2019, became deeply involved in the museum's transformation, defending its direction through parliamentary inquiries and advocating for a new model of museums.

However, her departure comes amid investigations by the NSW government into "governance and procurement" issues at the museum, stemming from a protected whistleblower disclosure reported in October. Havilah denied any budget overruns during her tenure, but the museum faced sustained scrutiny over procurement practices. Former government architect Abbie Galvin will take over as interim CEO, while Louise Herron joins as a strategic adviser.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Havilah's departure, the museum's November 7 opening remains unaffected. Havilah's departure raises questions about the nature of cultural leadership, with her closely tied to the project's vision making her particularly vulnerable in the weeks leading up to the public's judgment. The decade-long controversy over the museum's location and authority culminated with Havilah's departure, leaving the institution to establish its own legitimacy in her absence.