Museum boss misses out on top job

PAULA HULBURT

Marlborough’s museum boss has missed out the top job after almost two decades in the role.

Steve Austin has been Executive Director at Marlborough Museum since 2006. But a council restructure has seen him released from the role, with the newly created job of Museum Manager going to someone else. It is a gutting blow for the Blenheim-based historian who says he needs time to “gather his thoughts.”

Marlborough District Council economic, community and support services manager Dean Heiford says four people, including Steve, were interviewed for the job.

Liz Ward, whose husband is from Marlborough originally, will relocate to Blenheim from Palmerston North to take up the job.

“Hard decisions had to be made,” Dean says.

“I was pleased with the response {to the job advert) and we did interviews about a month ago.

“Liz has held a number of herit- age roles, including at Auckland War Memorial Museum.”

A council review of the Marlborough Heritage Trust in 2021, saw the trust wound up with Marlborough District Council officially taking over the reins on 1 July. Staff at both the museum and at the Edwin Fox Museum in Picton were told they had to reapply for their jobs due to a new heritage funding structure.

Dean says budget was a key factor in the move, a claim Steve dismisses as the advertised salary of between $95,000 to $100,000 was more than he was paid. Steve joined the museum in 2006 after lecturing at Christchurch College of Education for 10 years. He also worked at the City Gallery in Wellington and later the Nelson Provincial Museum.

With a first-class honours degree in History and a National Certificate in Museum Practice, Steve says he hoped to continue what he had begun at the popular Marlborough attraction.

Dean says it is not council policy to discuss why a candidate was unsuccessful in their application.