Hon Don Harwin
Museum Council Member
Term: 20 February 2025 - 19 February 2028
Don Harwin has over 25 years of experience in public service. He served in the NSW Legislative Council for 23 years, with 6 years as President and 5 years as Leader of the Government. As a minister, he had portfolio responsibility for energy, resources, water utilities, industrial relations, the Public Service, arts, heritage, aboriginal affairs and as Special Minister of State (electoral matters, integrity agencies) at various times. He was also Vice President of the Executive Council.
As Arts Minister he secured over $2.5 billion in funding enabling over 150 cultural infrastructure projects around NSW, secured the future of the National Arts School and re-opened the Theatre Royal.
He has had wide experience on boards, committees and councils, serving as NSW Representative on the COAG Energy Council, Co-Chair of the NSW Council on Closing the Gap and Chair of the Australasian Cultural Ministers Council. He has also served as Board Member of the Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia), the NSW State Records Authority and currently serves as Chairman of Music in the Regions Ltd. He is a Sydney Dance Company Ambassador, a former Patron of the La Perouse Museum and has authored chapters in several books on NSW history.