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Museum Development Officer NetworkThis paper was delivered by Dr Dan Robinson, Director, Cultural Heritage, Queensland Museum
at the MAQ State Conference,
15-16 September 2001, Cairns
Where to now
Recognising the problem of the major gaps in service, and the
benefits to regions currently served, the Queensland Museum submitted a proposal
seeking additional funds for the Program, for possible consideration by the
Cabinet Budget Review Committee (CBRC). The Museum received over a hundred
letters of support for its submission from current and prospective clients of an
expanded state wide network.
Unfortunately, Government decided that the only proposals to go
to CBRC for funding this financial year were those that were election promises
and, as valued as the MDO program is in terms of regional services, it was not
among the election promises of the current government.
The Queensland Museum believes strongly in the program and will
continue to seek funds to maintain and expand it.
One internal option to strengthen the program is being
considered as part of the Organisational Review under way in the Museum. It is
proposed to link all of the Museum's Regional Services, including the MDO
network, under one Program, and base the directing of that Program in
Toowoomba, a regional centre already hosting an MDO. Possible gains from this
are a regionally sensitive perspective, and potential Government recognition of
this as a truly regionally based regional service.
Acknowledgment:
The MDO program has been partnered by Museums Australia
(Queensland) in a number of areas: in providing workshopping opportunities; in
development of formal training resources for volunteers in community museums; in
securing funds to pilot appointment and operation of an indigenous MDO; and
finally in giving me the opportunity to speak about the program today.
DJ Robinson
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