Friends of TMAG has held a packed public meeting to call for adequate staffing and oppose the Liberal Government’s job cuts. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is an important public institution with legislated responsibilities and the community has made it very clear they don’t want more cuts to already-stretched staff.
Since 1848, TMAG has been central to the cultural, artistic, scientific and historic fabric of this state. Any job cuts are going to have a profound impact not only on staff, but the services TMAG delivers. We heard how it’s causing real concern both in the institution, and in the community.
Cuts are likely to affect seven jobs, and include the award-winning Head of the Tasmanian Herbarium, as the Liberals take an axe to the public service. We saw at this public meeting the outrage at the Liberals’ callous cuts and the impact on staff.
TMAG is legally responsible for growing, preserving and exhibiting the State Collection of over a million objects. It has educated and inspired generations of Tasmanians and plays an important part in the state’s tourism industry.
Australia’s second oldest museum, TMAG displays permanent exhibitions on Palawa history and culture, the thylacine, Antarctica and Tasmanian plants and animals. Departments like the Herbarium underpin important scientific research and services such as biosecurity and conservation. Staff are already stretched cuts are only going to make things worse.
TMAG’s collection is of inestimable value. Many are fragile, requiring constant vigilance and maintenance to prevent deterioration and job cuts will put the collection at risk.
The work TMAG does is too important to be threatened by callous job cuts driven by warped budget priorities. The Liberals need to listen to the immense community support for TMAG, get their budget priorities right, reverse their destructive job cuts and invest in both TMAG staff and infrastructure.
