The Museums Victoria 2024-25 Annual Report has confirmed the Allan Labor Government provided a total of $13.723 million in solvency funding across April, May and June 2025 to ensure Museums Victoria could continue to operate as a going concern.
This funding was used to support "essential activity and service levels" and is in addition to $5.3 million of solvency funding provided in 2023-24.
This second bailout in as many years comes as reports indicate Museums Victoria will axe one-in-eight of its employees and increase entry fees in an attempt to rectify its unsustainable financial position.
The repeated bailout of Museums Victoria follows a $10.556 million grant funding reduction from the Victorian Government in 2023-24, and as Victoria's most recent financial report confirms net debt is growing by $2 million an hour.
Shadow Minister for Arts and Creative Industries David Davis said: "Victoria's treasured cultural icons are on life support.
"The Allan Labor Government oversaw $50 billion in cost blowouts on its major projects and drove the economy into a ditch and now our cultural institutions are paying the price."
Shadow Treasurer Jess Wilson said: "Labor's financial mismanagement is placing the future of beloved institutions such as Scienceworks and the Melbourne Museum at serious risk.
"These repeated bailouts are unsustainable and are the direct consequence of Labor's $10 million funding cut two years ago.
"Now, families, students and visitors face paying higher ticket prices for a poorer experience whilst taxpayers pick up the tab for a bailout bill approaching $20 million, all because Labor cannot manage money."
