Lisa Havilah, CEO of Powerhouse Parramatta, has stepped aside pending investigations into governance and procurement by the NSW government, 10 weeks before the museum's grand opening on November 7. The investigation is ongoing, but President of the Powerhouse Trust David Borger confirms that the opening date will not be impacted. An interim team led by NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin will oversee the organisation until a permanent replacement for Havilah can be found. The investigation involves complex and multiple lines of inquiry into governance and procurement practices at the museum, which is set to become Western Sydney's major cultural institution.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Lisa Havilah, the CEO of Powerhouse Parramatta, has stepped aside pending investigations into governance and procurement by the NSW government. The move comes 10 weeks before the cultural institution's grand opening in Western Sydney on November 7. The investigation, which also involves Mark Wilsdon, the former COO of the Powerhouse Museum, is said to be complex and involve multiple lines of inquiry. Despite Havilah's departure, President of the Powerhouse Trust David Borger insists that the museum remains on track for its opening date. The investigation began as early as last year, with Arts Minister John Graham revealing at a budget estimates hearing that two senior executives are under investigation. The government has not detailed the allegations against the pair, and their salaries will continue to be paid while the investigation is ongoing.
Written for “Powerhouse Museum Investigation” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 2710 · logged 2026-08-27
In short:
Lisa Havilah has stepped aside as Powerhouse Parramatta CEO pending "investigations into governance and procurement" by the NSW government.
asserted
Havilah → step → government
Ms Havilah was appointed Powerhouse Parramatta CEO in 2018.
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Havilah → appoint → 2018
President of the Powerhouse Trust David Borger says the museum is still on track to open on November 7.
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museum → say → November
Powerhouse Parramatta CEO Lisa Havilah has stepped aside 10 weeks before the cultural institution opens in Western Sydney.
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institution → step → Sydney
The decision was announced in a statement from the office of Minister for Arts John Graham on Thursday, which said she had stood aside while "investigations into governance and procurement" were underway.
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investigations → announce → governance
In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for the Department of Creative Industries said the matters were "complex and involve multiple lines of inquiry".
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matters → say → inquiry
"The Department has a responsibility to address these matters with due diligence and procedural fairness," the spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → have → diligence
"As the investigation is continuing and no formal findings or conclusions have been made, it would not be appropriate to provide further comment at this stage.
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it → continue → stage
President of the Powerhouse Trust David Borger told 702 ABC Sydney the announcement came at a challenging time.
"I think obviously, it's challenging…these things are always somewhat surprising," he said.
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he → tell → time
He also confirmed the opening date would not be impacted.
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date → confirm → ?
"A 100 per cent the curtains are going to rise on the November 7….and there's no changing that," he said.
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he → go → that
Ms Havilah was tasked with overseeing the $915 million build of Powerhouse Parramatta following her appointment in 2018.
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Havilah → task → 2018
Interim team to lead opening
Ahead of the museum's November opening, an interim team to oversee the organisation has been established.
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team → lead → organisation
From September 1, NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin will step in as CEO and former Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron has been named strategic advisor.
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Herron → step → CEO
Mr Graham's office described Ms Galvin as "an experienced senior executive with significant experience across the public, infrastructure and cultural sectors".
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office → describe → sectors
Ms Havilah has been the chief executive of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) for more than seven years and previously oversaw the significant expansion of the Carriageworks multi-arts hub in Redfern.
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Havilah → oversee → Redfern
But in March this year, Ms Havilah was grilled over "budget blowouts" for the Powerhouse Parramatta by upper house MP Chris Rath.
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Havilah → grill → Rath
"I know there have been budget blowouts from years and years gone by, but are we expecting any further cost blowouts from the relocation, or has it all basically been accounted for now in the budget?
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it → know → budget
" he said.
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he → say → ?
Ms Havilah denied any such budget blowouts.
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Havilah → deny → blowouts
They're both being delivered within the allocated budget," she said.
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she → deliver → budget
The ABC has contacted Ms Havilah for comment.
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ABC → contact → comment
Speaking to the ABC earlier this month, Ms Havilah said she was eager to attend the opening.
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she → speak → opening
"I won't be holding the scissors, but I'm looking forward to watching that ribbon being cut," she said.
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she → hold → scissors
She also confirmed NSW Treasury executive Cassandra Wilkinson's sudden appointment to the Powerhouse as Chief Operating Officer in July.
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She → confirm → July
"She [Ms Wilkinson] is acting in the COO role, and she's continuing that work and has been a great member of the team," she said.
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she → act → team