Mr Moa scientist cuts 30-year Te Papa connection over staff treatment

Thursday, 23 May 2019

A leading moa researcher has severed his 30-year connection with Te Papa, in protest at its treatment of staff.

Associate professor Trevor Worthy, who now works at Flinders University in Adelaide, has been a research associate with Te Papa since 1987 and has been one of the largest donors to its natural history collections.

On Thursday, he cut ties with the museum, saying he could no longer support Te Papa, in light of its 'unconscionable conduct' and a 'concerted and continuing non-recognition of research excellence'.

The move follows Stuff's revelation this week that Te Papa's mollusc expert of 50 years, Bruce Marshall, had been beaten in a job contest by Brazilian post-doctoral researcher Rodrigo Salvador, who completed his doctorate three years ago. The decision stunned some New Zealand scientists, with one calling it 'a f…ing joke'.

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Mollusc scientist Bruce Marshall was one of two internationally renowned experts made redundant in Te Papa's controversial restructure.

In a letter to Te Papa chief executive, Geraint Martin, Worthy resigned his research associate position, accusing Te Papa of personality politics.

While he had previously included Te Papa staff in publications, he now felt 'ashamed to have such a relationship where management can claim credit for something done in spite of them'.

Having donated more than 100,000 objects to Te Papa, Worthy - known as 'Mr Moa' - would no longer advocate depositing specimens at the museum.

Worthy told Stuff he was 'really disappointed' to sever such a long-standing connection, but 'I think it's worth the protest'.

Worthy is the second scientist to cut ties with Te Papa in protest, following giant squid guru Steve O'Shea's demand to have his name removed from the museum's colossal squid display.

The axing of mollusc expert Marshall has also shocked international scientists.

Mollusc expert Bruce Marshall has been collecting, naming and looking after snail specimens since 1967.

'Mr Moa' Trevor Worthy has cut his 30-year ties with Te Papa in protest at its treatment of staff. (File photo)

World authority on molluscs Philippe Bouchet, a senior professor at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, said Salvador was a promising scientist, who he had called 'the rising star of South American malacology'.

'However, I would say, you do not get rid of a Bruce Marshall to hire a Rodrigo Salvador.'

Bouchet wrote to the government and Te Papa to oppose Marshall's axing.

'Everyone is stunned at the way it has been handled … It's completely disheartening … Do they think about the message they are sending to the staff of Te Papa? It is: Well, be dedicated to your institute for decades, be respected abroad, then, one day, we decide that you don't fit.'

Te Papa chief executive Geraint Martin rejected Worthy's accusations of personality politics and expressed anger at his letter's 'emotive and personal tone'.

'We appoint our scientists based on facts, not on personal feelings. We have made those appointments based on a solid process including external panel members…We are confident in the appointments we have made and excited about the skills that these individuals bring to our team. These are the right people for the job.'