Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding the shocking news of the State government’s intention to inflict ill-considered and short-sighted cuts upon our iconic Tasmanian Museum and Arts Gallery (TMAG), and Herbarium.

I share your concerns, disbelief and outrage.

To say I was appalled when the news broke is an understatement.   I have called publicly for the Rockliff government to cease immediately and reverse these drastic and detrimental staffing cuts for both the TMAG and the Herbarium, and to instead recommit to supporting the ongoing work of these crucial facilities.

You can find the public statements I have made so far on this distressing matter on my website here:

Media Release: Government Must Stop Herbarium Job Cuts

ABC Digital News-‘Premier’s STEM Researcher of the Year’ among those set to lose jobs in Tasmanian cost cutting

ABC Drive Radio Interview – Acclaimed State Herbarium Hit by Short-Sighted Government Cuts

I honestly find the Rockliff government’s approach unfathomable and reckless.

We all know TMAG has been badly underfunded over recent years. It is a nonsense for these cuts to be rationalised by government as somehow being “operational efficiencies”, when the stark fact of the matter is – these cuts will prove detrimental to the fundamental operations, capacity and reputation of TMAG and the Herbarium full stop.

Not only is the government risking the important cataloguing and preservation of the range of our exceptional cultural and natural heritage collections, these cuts also endanger the viability of current and future research across a range of sectors including biodiversity, aquaculture, agriculture, tourism and biosecurity.

By slashing capacity to undertake these roles, the government is choosing to place TMAG and the Herbarium in the untenable situation of being unable to meet their statutory obligations.

Further, the government is risking Tasmania losing the essential skills and expertise which have contributed to the deserved local, national and international status held by TMAG and the Herbarium.

Axing roles such as the Head of the Herbarium, Dr Gintaras Kantvilas, recipient of the Premier’s STEM Researcher Award, along with the Senior Curator of Vertebrates and Paleontology, and the Senior Curator of Invertebrates, and a further four positions is a truly senseless, irresponsible and destructive decision by government.

And one which I refuse to accept: on behalf of TMAG and the Herbarium staff and volunteers, the broader scientific community, and for every local Tasmanian who has visited, enjoyed and takes pride in this vital public institution.

Stop Press! : You may be aware of the upcoming Public Meeting scheduled for 12:30-1:30pm on Thursday the 8th of October at Mawson Pavilion, Hobart – please spread the word!

If you are unable to make it, there is an online petition available (it closes on the 24th of November), calling for all TMAG positions to be retained, and which you can access on the Tasmanian Parliament website here.

I do appreciate the time taken to get in touch with me and detail your concerns regarding the serious and long-term ramifications of this ill-informed and irresponsible decision made by the state government.   If there is any other matter with which I can assist, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Otherwise, you can keep informed on my work, on this or any other matter, via my website and my monthly newsletter to which you can subscribe here.

To close, I can assure you I will do my utmost via the parliamentary tools available to me, to have these threatened cuts reversed, and the future of our invaluable TMAG and Herbarium secured.

Kind regards,

Meg

Hon Meg Webb MLC

Independent Member for Nelson