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Museum Closure Shocks Mayor

Media Release

December 3, 2008

Museum Closure

shocks Mayor

Fremantle Mayor Peter Tagliaferri said he is surprised and saddened by the announcement of the closure of Western Power’s World of Energy museum in Fremantle and called on Western Power and the Energy Minster, Peter Collier, to reconsider.   

The Mayor says the first he heard of the closure, (scheduled for February 2009), was through newspaper reports this week and said the move was a further blow to Fremantle which had also recently lost its car museum, which folded earlier in the year.

“These types of attractions are not only good for visitors but for locals as well,” the Mayor said.

“The World of Energy in particular provided local kids with loads of fun – especially during its school holiday programs.

“Saying that Western Power can cover the same things in the same way with in-school programs is absurd and really goes against the idea of making learning fun.”

Newspaper reports quote a Western Power managing director Doug Aberle as saying the museum was closing as part of a more widespread program.

Mr Tagliaferri says a good corporate citizen would have consulted with local people and the local authority before making any decision on the fate of the museum, which has been a fixture in Fremantle nearly 20 years.

For further comment contact the Mayor on 9432 9999.