QUESTION TO LAUNCESTON'S MAYOR AND ALL COUNCILLORS

 CONTEXT NOTE: Albeit that previously the City of Launceston CEO  has asserted that:

1. CONTEXT NOTE: Albeit that previously the City of Launceston CEO has asserted that:

   1.  The QVMAG is not governed by the elected representatives; and that
   2. The elected representatives are not the QVMAG's default Trustees; and given that
   3. As a result, it falls to the CEO to determine policy and program priorities albeit that she/he may not have domain knowledge of museology; or curatorial practices; or hold the relevant research credentials; and by extension
   4. The CEO ultimately has responsibility for the QVMAG’s budget; and therefore
   5. The QVMAG is a City of Launceston cost centre the operation falls to the CEO; and consequently  
   6. The CEO depends upon the QVMAG’s Advisory Committee for guidance in regard to cultural issues when and if the need arises; and given that
   7. The CEO rarely reports to the 'elected representatives 'in Open Council and who would otherwise appoint a Board of Trustees to appoint qualified staff, to manage projects and the operation's recurrent budget; and given that
   8. It has been determined by the elected representatives that the circumstances set out here are unsustainable given the operation's call on Council's budget and by extension ratepayers' ability to pay rates that deliver social and cultural dividends that arguably are not being delivered to the extent they otherwise might; and given that
   9. The end of the financial year is but weeks away, and Council's budget is currently under review, consequently a number of financial questions arise that seemingly falls to the CEO to answer in respect to the QVMAG operation; and given
   10. The QVMAG'S director Shane Fitzgerald resigned [Reference] in December 2025 causing serious community concern; and given that the
   11. The QVMAG operation depends upon a State Govt grant of approx. $!.4Million to support research; and 
   12. Seemingly the CEO has stalled the process whereby Council had determined to transform the QVMAG into a Company Limited by Guarantee;
   it is very concerning to say the least that as Councillors and the institution's default governance body the situation set out above has been allowed by you to reach this point of unsustainability in the clear light of day.
   
   
   In addition to this, it seems that the QVMAG's Advisory Committee meets irregularly and according to press reports it may no longer exist along with other Council advisory committees that have been disbanded.
   
   
   This backgrounding raises serious questions about the viability, credibility and sustainability of the QVMAG as a cultural entity that has been operating as a Council Cost Centre for decades. Given the extraordinary investment the city’s ratepayers, the State Govt. and the institution’s donors and sponsors throughout its existence. For over 150 years plus the QVMAG has built an extensive Community of Ownership and Interest without whom it would have no reason to exist.

    

   This circumstance backgrounds the Councils need to explain to its constituency just what is the QVMAG’s financial status is and its viability​ as the 12025/26 financial year draws to a close.

 

MORAL RIGHTS STATEMENT: For the question I am submitting to Council here, I assert my moral rights as an author under Australian copyright law. Consequently, should Council decide to either edit, paraphrase, or otherwise alter my question it will cease to be my question and therefore it must not be attributed to me under any circumstance. Likewise, the question is directed to the city’s governance and not to the city’s management team given that they do not have the delegated authority to answer on Councillors’ behalf.

 

QUESTION:

Will the City of Launceston’s CEO please provide ratepayers, donors and sponsors with a financial summary of the QVMAG operation that includes:

• The estimated total operating cost for the QVMAG for 2025/26; and

• The estimated total operating budget for the QVMAG for 2026/27; and 

• The equivalent full-time staff employed by the QVMAG; and
• The number of grants the QVMAG received, and the total amounts of grant monies received 2025/26; and
• The cost to ratepayers et al of providing the QVMAG as a  cultural destination and research entity … the metrics … the total cost divided by attendees; and
• The total amount of earned income, donations and cash sponsorships received in the 2024/25 financial year; and
• When will Council move strategically to ether appoint QVMAG  Trustees or a aQVMAG Commissioner to oversee the transformation of the QVMAG into a standalone Company Limited by Guarantee?