Te Papa seeking mollusc specialist after axing world-leading expert
Monday, 25 March 2019
Te Papa is recruiting for a mollusc specialist, just weeks after axing its world-leading expert in the field.
Mollusc scientist Bruce Marshall was one of two internationally renowned experts made redundant in Te Papa's controversial restructure.
The most prolific namer of species in Te Papa's history, he is so renowned in his field he has 23 species and six genera named after him. It's understood Marshall applied for several replacement positions as part of the restructure, but was told he was not suitable.
However, just weeks after axing the celebrated scientist, Te Papa is now advertising for a curator of molluscs. Under employment law, a redundancy can be deemed not genuine if a new position is not significantly different to the job being disestablished.
The position description says the job's 'key focus' is 'to develop Te Papa's scholarship in relation to its Mollusc collections'. 'The position holder will use their expertise in the mollusc taxonomy, evolution and biology, to enhance Te Papa's reputation for scholarship and publishing, and collection development.'
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Giant squid researcher Steve O'Shea said for Te Papa to axe Marshall then advertise for a mollusc expert was 'outrageous'.
'For the most part, the position description sounds like Bruce. There will never be another Bruce. He is nothing short of remarkable.'
O'Shea was so appalled by plans to remove Marshall, who had been a mentor and 'constant inspiration', that he wrote to Te Papa asking it to remove any reference to him in the museum's colossal squid display.
Employment lawyer Peter Cullen said it was common for people to challenge redundancies on the basis a new job was not significantly different to their disestablished position.
'There's nothing worse than someone being made redundant seeing a job being advertised, if they think it is their job with a new coat on it.'
If a new job was 20 to 30 per cent different that was usually considered enough to justify redundancy, Cullen said. However, even if the new job was significantly different, employers should consider if the person being made redundant could do the job with extra training.
Te Papa head of science Susan Waugh said the advertised job was different to Marshall's position. 'The position we are advertising is for a curator, who will be a scientific researcher at PhD level. The collection manager role we disestablished is more about hands-on care of the collections rather than scientific research.
'We respect the expertise of the person whose role as a collection manager was disestablished. We are grateful he can stay with Te Papa over the coming months to work with the new curator once they come on board.'
Waugh said the curator role reflected Te Papa's investment in taxonomic research. However, Marshall was the most prolific taxonomic researcher in the history of the museum, having named more than 480 species and published more than 120 scientific papers. A 2015 Royal Society review found taxonomists were an endangered species, and expertise took 10 to 15 years to build up.
Former marine mammals collection manager Anton van Helden, who was made redundant in 2013, said Te Papa's treatment of Marshall was 'offensive'.
'If they wanted him to retire, they could have done that in a way that was truly honourable to somebody who has given so much of their life to looking after and developing a national treasure - the mollusc collection.'
If the museum wanted a mollusc researcher, 'there is nobody better on the planet than Bruce Marshall'.
O'Shea said Marshall - who has been given a six-month job extension to finish a book - should be kept on for several years to train a replacement.
'Even with a PhD, you cannot allow any fluffy-tailed bright-eyed young candidate into those collections.'
More than 2000 people have now signed O'Shea's petition calling for a moratorium on staff restructuring at the national museum. He sent the document to Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Grant Robertson, but had received no response.
The fate of fish expert Andrew Stewart - who was also made redundant in the restructure but has appealed - remains uncertain.