Backlash over Sydney Opera House horse race advert

Opponents clash over projection as protected building is ‘sold out’ to world’s richest turf race

THE Sydney Opera House is a worldheritage building regarded as a wonder of modern architecture.

Perched on the harbour it has played host to concerts and talks by hundreds of stars including Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan and Nelson Mandela.

However, the building, opened by the Queen in 1973, has never been host to commercial advertising and plans to use it to promote a horse race have prompted a huge backlash in Australia.

Critics say the decision by the New South Wales state government was akin to placing a billboard on protected sites such as the Egyptian pyramids or the Taj Mahal in India.

But others, including Scott Morrison, the prime minister, have defended the promotion of The Everest, believed to be the world’s richest turf race, as positive for the economy and tourism.

“This is one of the biggest events of the year,” Mr Morrison said.

“Why not put it on the biggest billboard Sydney has?”

Bill Shorten, the opposition leader, said the heritage site should not be used as a canvas for advertising.

“I don’t think most Australians, when they think about the Opera House, think of it as a billboard,” he said. “Have you ever seen a film about Australia where you don’t see the plane coming in over Sydney, flying in over the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge? These are national icons.”

Willy Hall, the son of architect Peter Hall, who was brought in to finish the Opera House, said: “My father would have been sickened by it.

“He would not have condoned advertising on the building in any way. Lucky he’s not around to see the desecration of our beautiful iconic masterpiece,” he told Fairfax Media.

The debate has sparked a “defend our Opera House” petition which has been signed by more than 225,000 people.

Despite the objection of Opera House management, Gladys Berejiklian, the state premier, ruled the stunt could go ahead tonight.

Noting that her father worked as a welder on the construction of the Opera House, she said: “It’s the right thing to do. Have a look at the display before you judge it,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian was accused of buckling to pressure from Alan Jones, an influential radio broadcaster who insisted the advertisement should be allowed and said the building was not the private property of an artistic “elite”.

Heritage experts claim the proposal is illegal and have referred the plan to the world heritage body Unesco.

The Australian racing authority said its staff had received death threats.

Protesters intend to attend the Opera House tonight and use lights as a counter-projection to disrupt the advertisement.