![Barrie Cassidy will chair Old Parliament House. Pictures AAP, Elesa Kurtz Barrie Cassidy will chair Old Parliament House. Pictures AAP, Elesa Kurtz](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/bwXFZWxdusWHsaYjdHyRzz/8d8080ba-4783-4d92-adb2-8f3080e83c17.jpg/r0_0_3840_2159_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Former Insiders host Barrie Cassidy said he was "annoyed" about the 2013 controversy of his appointment to head the Board of Old Parliament House, including being asked by George Brandis to resign, but he believes he'll be more effective this time around anyway.
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It is a second go at the appointment for Arts Minister Tony Burke, who chose the veteran journalist and former senior adviser to prime minister Bob Hawke for the job in 2013 just before the Rudd government went into caretaker mode. The then-Insiders host resigned to avoid further controversy after the Abbott government deemed the appointment political.
Mr Cassidy has told The Canberra Times he is "encouraged" by messaging from the Albanese government about new funding for financially struggling national institutions in the May Budget.
He is keen to get his feet under the desk.
"Look, it means a lot to me," he said. "I love the place. I love it for its history and for the fact that it's a constant reminder of Australia's commitment to democracy, but it is also a hell of a neoclassical piece of architecture. It is a very impressive building on its own."
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And the heritage-listed building and home to the Museum of Australian Democracy is still standing after its historic entrance was set on fire by protesters and the building underwent intensive restoration after soot and ash spread throughout the building.
"They've had a really tough time. COVID and then on top of that the arson attack really set them back, but boy, they've got it up and running again," he said. "They're getting something like 350,000 visitors a year and that's a really good effort.
"Clearly from now on I'm going to take a much closer look at the goings on but, as I understand it, a lot of really interesting things are happening in that building."
The minister has also reappointed the former Labor member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann, to the Old Parliament House board for a second three-year term, describing her as a "champion of the collecting institutions".
The Opposition's Arts spokesman Paul Fletcher has questioned the appointments.
"Old Parliament House plays an important role in informing Australians about our nation's political system and history," he said.
"Gai Brodtmann and Barrie Cassidy are both respected figures from the Labor side of politics who bring relevant experience; perhaps the Minister will show more political balance the next time he makes appointments."
Mr Cassidy's appointment to replace the outgoing chair and former Coalition minister Nick Minchin has brought back all the controversy of the original pre-election appointment in 2013.
He received a call from the then-Liberal Attorney-General asking him to step down, which he said he did to avoid controversy.
"George Brandis phoned me and made it clear that he wasn't happy with the appointment and virtually invited me to resign, which I did just so that I could avoid the controversy," he said. "It was annoying at the time, and especially because of the rationale.
"The explanation behind it was a bit disingenuous in that they didn't want anybody currently involved in the political process to do that job. I would have thought that was one of the criteria, but nevertheless.
"I think the important thing is that I'll probably be more effective this time around anyway, because I won't have a full-time job. I'll be able to devote a bit more time to it. And another nine years' experience. Can't beat experience!"
The Minister has praised his significant experience and knowledge.
"There are very few people who worked in both Old Parliament House and New Parliament House, who served in the press galleries of both buildings and the ministerial wings of both buildings," Mr Burke said in a statement.
"Mr Cassidy played an historic role in Old Parliament House. I'm pleased that he'll now be chairing the board that manages that building, to tell its stories for generations to come."
The minister has also reappointed the former Labor member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann, to the Old Parliament House board for a second three-year term, describing her as a "champion of the collecting institutions".
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