More than two million dollars has been spent on a failed proposal to establish Australia's first national museum dedicated to state and federal police, with the project scrapped after projected costs exploded.
Project Axed After Costs Quadruple
The Australian Federal Police terminated plans to construct the new national police museum on the shores of Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin in November 2024. This decision came more than two years after the initiative was first announced by the former Morrison government.
The project, initially funded with $4.4 million drawn from the proceeds of crime, was originally approved by the Albanese government following the 2022 federal election. It was slated for a site near the National Museum of Australia in Acton.
However, the vision collapsed after an independent review revealed the museum would ultimately cost a staggering $50 million to deliver—more than quadrupling initial estimates.
Millions Spent Before Collapse
According to sources with internal knowledge of the matter, the AFP submitted a bid for an additional $3.52 million in funding from the Attorney-General's Department in July 2024 but was unsuccessful. Following the project's cancellation, the AFP returned $2.3 million to the department, after more than $2 million had already been expended.
An AFP spokesperson confirmed the spent funds covered "essential maintenance and preparation for fit-out, building and construction design, and exhibition design development."
Specific costs included:
- Fire safety enhancements
- Asbestos management plans
- Pest removal
- Repairs for hail damage
The spokesperson stressed that "no Proceeds of Crime Act funding provided for the museum was spent outside of the project."
A 'Missed Opportunity' and Rising Criticism
The scrapped museum has been labelled a "missed opportunity" by police representatives and has become entangled in broader political debates over AFP resourcing.
ACT independent senator David Pocock said the intention to fund the museum through criminal proceeds was sensible but criticised the project's planning. "Disappointingly, it appears the project wasn't appropriately scoped or budgeted for," he said, noting millions were wasted on consultants.
Scott Weber from the Police Federation of Australia, representing over 65,000 officers, said such a museum would have been valuable for recruitment and recognising police sacrifice.
Opposition Home Affairs spokesperson Senator Jonno Duniam linked the project's failure to wider "police under-resourcing and cost cutting by the Albanese government," citing pressures on AFP counter-terrorism units.
The issue of AFP resources has gained intensity following the Bondi terrorist attack, with the police union warning critical staff shortages are affecting counter-terrorism capabilities and the guarding of religious sites.
David Marshall, Chair of the Canberra Region Tourism Leaders Forum, argued the proposal deserved a second look, stating "it would be good for ACT tourism."
Concerns were also previously raised about the proposed museum's proximity to a $7.9 million national memorial for survivors of institutional child sex abuse, which is scheduled for construction this year.
