Museum board chairman Prof David Hutchinson made this position clear when calling for a 7% increase in funding at the council’s annual plan hearings yesterday.
If the council did not give the additional funding, tough decisions would need to be made.
"We will be looking at staffing losses if we end up down this route.
"None of us want to see a reduction in the curatorial staff at the museum," Prof Hutchinson told councillors
The museum is seeking an additional 5% on top of the 2% levy increase included in the council’s draft annual plan, to keep its funding levels closer to the current rate of inflation.
Increased salary bills would cost two to three times the amount the current 2% levy would permit.
The museum also expressed hope of receiving national funding due to the national and international significance of the museum’s collection.
"We really feel that we hold a collection of national and international significance and it is, to a certain extent, an unfair burden for the Dunedin ratepayer to be tasked with the preservation of the museum," Prof Hutchinson said.
He said half of the museum’s income was self-generated through business units and it was hard to make further cuts to these areas.
Care of the collection was an area that did not generate income, but the option of making cuts in that area to preserve income generated roles was not one museum management wanted to take.
Museum director Dr Ian Griffin reminded the council to not underestimate the economic impact the cultural sector has on the city.
An independent economic and social impact assessment estimated the museum contributed $25.3 million to Otago’s GDP .
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich asked why the museum’s income had dropped so much.
Dr Griffin attributed this to the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant fewer people were visiting the museum.
"We do rely on the income we generate commercially. With fewer tourists that’s why the income went down in the last couple of years," he said.
When asked by Cr Sophie Barker to put a dollar amount to the 5% levy increase, Dr Griffin estimated this about $250,000.
