Having
been told that, paraphrased, “the QVMAG has no plans to rationalise
material in its collections” the news about the historic ‘Miss
Flinders’ is perplexing to say the least.
If
an “industry
safety requirement” looks anything like “the trees are diseased” in
a bureaucratic world view it might not be coincidental.
Earlier
in 2019 the institution had a ‘quiet clean out’ that one would
think contravened the trust invested in the QVMAG but no feathers were ruffled
in that process – not a one concerningly!
Australia’s
Infrastructure Department has entrusted the city’s Councillors, the QVMAG’s
Trustees, with the custody of this ‘cultural artefact’ and it
looks very much like ‘the hired help’ is acting alone to
rid themselves of the obligations that come with trust. It’s not a good look!
That
this might be linked to ‘The Audit’ its especially worrying.
If we consider what might be discovered that has never been catalogued, the
QVMAG’s increasing lack of accountability and the wall of secrecy thrown up
around its operations is a worry.
What
else is there to come? The hired help is apparently on the hunt for
opportunities to rationalise QVMAG while the Councillors/Trustees are looking
the other way, or are at the beach, wherever? It hardly bears thinking about.
Ray
Norman
Launceston
“A body of men
holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by
anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard
you walk past is the standard you accept” David Morrison
IN THE EXAMINER: Miss
Flinders plane to be removed from QVMAG display
- Tarlia Jordan
An aircraft that pioneered some of the
nation's aeronautical history is set to be removed from display.
The historical Dessoutter Miss Flinders
has been on hanging display at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery at
Inveresk for the past decade.
However, the City of Launceston council
said it is an industry safety requirement that the plane be removed from
hanging display after ten years. Owned by the federal Infrastructure
Department, the plane is now looking for a new home.
The newly-formed Tasmanian Aviation
Historical Society, based at the Launceston Airport is looking at ways to
ensure the plane stays on display in Launceston.
Chairman Andrew Johnson said the plane
had quite an interesting history, being the first commercial aircraft for Iona
Airways in Ireland. It was then purchased by two men who flew the plane from
the UK to Australia.
"That's where My grandfather,
Lawrence Johnson, purchased the aircraft," he said.
"He then started up an aerial
service between Launceston and Flinders Island. He saw there was a need for
both mail and passenger transport and that an airline would be beneficial. He
started that up in 1932.
At the same time, the Holyman brothers
had started flying and were in competition, before both agreed to amalgamate to
form Tasmania Aerial Services.
"That continued on in the early
1930s servicing the islands. The Holymans had all the shipping and had some
money behind them ... then it became Holyman Airways and then they formed ANA
airlines which became one of the major airlines in Australia and Anset
Airlines," Mr Johnson said.
"Miss Flinders is from humble
beginnings and was a major part of aviation in Australia."
Mr Johnson said the historical society
would look to find a solution to keep the plane in the state. A business case
is being put together by the group to firstly store the aircraft, and then to look
at developing some sort of space to put it on display.
"It would be a shame to see it go
to the mainland or anywhere else. This is where it should be," he said.
The council's chief executive Michael
Stretton said The Miss Flinders had played an important role in helping tell
the story of Tasmanian aeronautic history.
"We are sad to see it go, however
we must adhere to best museum practice in taking it off display," he said.
"We hope to invite the community
along to watch what we expect to be a fascinating de-installation and will
provide updates leading up to the event."
A federal government spokesman said it
was aware the museum no longer wished to display the aircraft and will consider
the aircraft's future.
