'Honourable Speaker, I rise to speak on a matter of significant importance to thousands of Tasmanians: the future of TMAG and the threat to its capacity to do its job as custodian of the State Collection. I thank Mr George for bringing it on. 

Over 7000 people have signed the Friends of TMAG petition, sponsored by myself on behalf of Friends committee member Ian Terry, himself a past longtime senior curator of history. That is a groundswell of concern that also packed out a public meeting. The Friends of TMAG have, for 44 years, backed TMAG with advocacy, fundraising and volunteering. Their commitment to the museum is exemplary and, to be frank, it is tragic that this commitment is not mirrored by this government. To all in the parliament here today, I acknowledge and thank you for your dedication to TMAG and to Tasmania.

To be clear, TMAG is not alone when it comes to cuts via this Budget. As we've discussed in this place, so‑called efficiencies are hitting the public service, and the services we Tasmanians need and deserve, hard. Weekly cuts are confirmed: the Inclusive Practice Team, Parks staff, Tas Fire and Emergency Service, disaster readiness and recovery, Screen Tasmania, and TMAG, amongst many others. This year's Budget carries more than $1.4 billion in so‑called efficiencies over the next four years; cuts by any other name. In an already stretched system, all job losses are untenable, but the share filtering down to TMAG is what concerns us in this debate. We await the new structure, the decision on which positions are lost, who's left to pick up the pieces and, sadly, what's going to fall through the cracks. The cracks have long been appearing. In the words of Ian:

TMAG's shoestring budget has been shortening and soon the place is going to be held together by some yellowing, old sticky tape.

TMAG holds more than a million objects across art, history, cultural heritage and natural sciences. Under law, it has statutory obligations to keep, grow, care for, exhibit and share the state collection, but it will not meet its obligations without the people on the ground with the skills to do so. This is the hidden cost of these cuts. The loss extends beyond the roles on the organisational chart and the real-world work that needs to be done by fewer people.

The impacts are worse because of the loss of expertise, knowledge and relationships. Recently, I visited the Herbarium and had the pleasure of a briefing from director Dr Gintaras Kantvilas. He's a case in point, putting aside the unworkability of combining the head of the Herb and zoology roles, dispensing with Dr Kantvilas denies TMAG, the Herbarium and Tasmania the 40 years of experience that he holds and both the expertise and international relationships that he has developed. As the state institution, this is a loss to us all and it will have ramifications, including international outrage.

The work of the Herb and the knowledge of its people underpins the application of numerous acts and the integrity and effect of our systems. An example is biosecurity and the role the Herb plays in identifying invasive weeds. In an island state with the protection water affords, cuts compromise our natural advantage.

This looks even more ludicrous, given the announcement today of the state's basketball coach as a 13‑month, $95 000 so‑called biosecurity ambassador. What even is that? According to the government, it's a campaign role, including showcasing the people who work behind the scenes to protect the state. That sounds like Dr Kantvilas and his team.

Headquartered in a heritage listed building in central Hobart, TMAG also has infrastructure challenges and in an artist panel I attended last year, buckets on the foyer floor were catching drips from a leaking roof. Similar challenges have plagued the Rosny facility. While some money has been committed and the minister tells us the foyer is fixed, we all know that TMAG's buildings are also patched together and the stains remain. They need additional investment.

A budget is a strong signal of a government's priorities, its choices and its preferences, what it cares about and what it doesn't. The irony of this government's obsession with a third AFL stadium, itself deemed by the experts to impact on the heritage values of Sullivan Cove and diminish the economic welfare of Tasmania, is an additional insult to the injury of all those who love TMAG and its place in our city.

TMAG is a treasure, holding the trove of our collective legacy and inspiring generations. It cannot afford more cuts. To inflict them is an attack on us all.'

Vica Bayley MP

Tasmanian Greens Member for Clark