Outrage at 'hatchet-job' on Te Papa

By STAFF REPORTERS and NZPA

Members of the Wellington arts community are outraged that Aucklanders are among those appointed to review Te Papa, saying it is an unfair choice and will lead to "an Auckland hatchet-job."

Auckland Museum director Dr Rodney Wilson, who in the past has criticised the amount of funding Te Papa receives, joins Auckland Art Gallery director Chris Saines and former Australian Museum head Des Griffin in a team appointed to look at the operating practices of the national museum.

Prime Minister Helen Clark had ordered the Culture and Heritage Ministry to review the museum.

Ministry acting chief executive Martin Matthews said she had asked it to investigate whether the national art collection was presented in the most effective way and to find out if the museum was doing its job upholding scholarship and research.

The two Aucklanders were from institutions that were not competing with Te Papa for funding.

However, former National Art Gallery director Luit Bieringa said he was outraged by the appointments, which would be perceived in the arts community as an Auckland versus Wellington thing.

"I think it's incredible. It's narrow-minded and geo-political. It's like turning the poacher into the gamekeeper.

"It's a very, very unfair choice and a bit obvious. It sounds like an Auckland hatchet-job."

Mr Bieringa said there were plenty of other people who had the experience to be on the review team and he could not understand why it included Dr Wilson.

Wellington city councillor Alick Shaw, who chairs the city's arts and culture committee, was also critical.

"It begins to look awfully like an Auckland jack-up. I don't know how Dr Wilson can separate his personal and professional interests."

Opposition leader Jenny Shipley joined the attack, saying the Prime Minister should listen to the public rather than a "hand-picked group of her art friends who will give her the answers she wants."

But Helen Clark dismissed the criticism, saying the museum would receive extra funding in the Budget.

"I'm not about to tell you how much because we're in the middle of a Budget round, but obviously we're not prepared to see the national museum and gallery go under."

The Prime Minister, who is also Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, said it was "irrelevant" where the people on the review team came from.

Neither Dr Wilson nor Mr Saines would discuss the appointments.