Greens MP supports heritage listing for iconic theatre
“It’s great news that DES has recommended the Schonell Theatre be added to the Heritage Register as a State Heritage Place, and I hope the Heritage Council acts on this recommendation.
“The Schonell is such a loved and well-used part of the St Lucia campus, which is why we saw the outcry from past and present students when it was proposed to be demolished.
“It’s not clear what heritage listing of the Schonell might mean for the student union complex, but it’s imperative that the campus retains this kind of hub for students to meet and engage in political action.
“I’m heartened to see community activism achieve this wonderful result, and I applaud the efforts of the Save Schonell group and everyone who’s contributed to this outcome.
“The UQ Law Revue recently described the Schonell as the “beating heart of UQ’s creative community” and I hope this recommendation means it’ll continue beating for many years to come.
“I have been supporting local voices like the Save Schonell group in their efforts to protect this iconic building since last year, when plans to demolish it were announced. I spoke in Parliament about the Schonell’s rich history, and I wrote to the Vice Chancellor of UQ last October urging him at the very least not to demolish the Schonell without planning and funding a suitable replacement.