Latest news with #Baragwanath
The Age
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
No job ads, no interviews: Museum's Titanic hiring spree triggers overhaul
Baragwanath found concerns around the hiring spree were legitimate, and came to an agreement with the museum that its internal policies be changed as a result of the complaints. While no disciplinary action was taken against staff, the ombudsman was satisfied that similar conduct was unlikely to be repeated after the policies were brought into line with public sector guidelines. In correspondence seen by The Age, Baragwanath wrote that Museums Victoria had, as a result of reports to her office, 'revised its recruitment and employment policy, and recruitment and selection procedure, to include steps to address conflicts in recruitment, conflict-mitigation strategies and record conflicts in a central register'. The museum in its response to the ombudsman, also obtained by The Age, agreed that, in hiring casuals for urgent staffing needs, 'some candidates had close associations with existing Museums Victoria staff, and disclosed this to the chief operating officer before the appointments were finalised'. The museum also admitted that its 'rapid response' hiring 'had risks ... and should have been managed by offering fixed-term roles'. Future hiring, the museum told the ombudsman, would be done differently. In other correspondence seen by The Age, a senior investigator for the ombudsman noted the museum had agreed to review recruitment policies 'to ensure they align with the Victorian Public Sector Commission's employment principles and standards, especially with regard to conflicts of interest'. The investigator also said museum staff involved in hiring must now undergo mandatory recruitment training, and that the museum had engaged an external agency to conduct a cultural review. Some museum workers, though, say one change Museums Victoria has made since the ombudsman's investigation – a conflict-of-interest policy introduced this month – is more lenient on public servants within the institution than the policy that had preceded it. The new policy specifically notes that 'in some [conflict-of-interest] instances, no action will be taken'. Asked if the hiring practices during the Titanic exhibition met public sector standards, a Museums Victoria spokeswoman declined to comment on individual staff but said the institution 'is committed to the highest standards of integrity' and had 'full confidence in our people'. She did not directly respond to questions about whether the 'talent bank' remained in use, saying only that the system was consistent with public service policies, and that its wider processes were in line with Victorian Public Sector Employment principles and standards. An email from Royal, obtained by The Age, urged staff to refer friends, family and volunteers to the talent bank with an eye to future recruitment and suggested staff then refer their contacts 'directly' to a specific museum email address. But a subsequent email exchange provided to The Age shows an applicant inquiring, to the specific email address circulated by management, about a visitor engagement officer position during the Titanic exhibition. The museum's People and Culture division responds to the applicant that 'our job opportunities are listed on the Museums Victoria website', with no reference to a 'talent bank'. Ultimately, the ombudsman halted its scrutiny of Museums Victoria after deciding it had 'taken sufficient action' to prevent 'further investigative action by our office'. The Museums Victoria spokeswoman declined to comment on specific hiring decisions during the Titanic show, but confirmed that 'additional visitor engagement staff were employed after the exhibition had opened to ensure a positive visitor experience'. She said the institution could not comment on confidential or personal information, or ombudsman investigations. The claims have come to light as the museum shrinks its visitor engagement officer workforce – a move that has enraged these staff, prompting a public protest this month, in front of the museum on the VIP opening night of a Lego Star Wars exhibition. The museum's proposed restructure would see many visitor engagement officer roles made redundant and tasks such as overseeing gallery spaces and assisting visitors taken over by security guards. The changes would affect staff at Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks. Loading 'They're killing off their greatest asset in cutting visitor engagement services,' said Karen Batt, state secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, which represents museum staff. 'No great museum the world over would do this. There's another motive at play here.' Batt argued the plan would diminish the visitor experience by displacing museum-employed staff and pave the way for an expanded role for MSS Security, the private contractor already providing security across the museum's three sites. A Museums Victoria spokeswoman said consultation with staff about the changes was ongoing.
Sydney Morning Herald
01-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
No job ads, no interviews: Museum's Titanic hiring spree triggers overhaul
Baragwanath found concerns around the hiring spree were legitimate, and came to an agreement with the museum that its internal policies be changed as a result of the complaints. While no disciplinary action was taken against staff, the ombudsman was satisfied that similar conduct was unlikely to be repeated after the policies were brought into line with public sector guidelines. In correspondence seen by The Age, Baragwanath wrote that Museums Victoria had, as a result of reports to her office, 'revised its recruitment and employment policy, and recruitment and selection procedure, to include steps to address conflicts in recruitment, conflict-mitigation strategies and record conflicts in a central register'. The museum in its response to the ombudsman, also obtained by The Age, agreed that, in hiring casuals for urgent staffing needs, 'some candidates had close associations with existing Museums Victoria staff, and disclosed this to the chief operating officer before the appointments were finalised'. The museum also admitted that its 'rapid response' hiring 'had risks ... and should have been managed by offering fixed-term roles'. Future hiring, the museum told the ombudsman, would be done differently. In other correspondence seen by The Age, a senior investigator for the ombudsman noted the museum had agreed to review recruitment policies 'to ensure they align with the Victorian Public Sector Commission's employment principles and standards, especially with regard to conflicts of interest'. The investigator also said museum staff involved in hiring must now undergo mandatory recruitment training, and that the museum had engaged an external agency to conduct a cultural review. Some museum workers, though, say one change Museums Victoria has made since the ombudsman's investigation – a conflict-of-interest policy introduced this month – is more lenient on public servants within the institution than the policy that had preceded it. The new policy specifically notes that 'in some [conflict-of-interest] instances, no action will be taken'. Asked if the hiring practices during the Titanic exhibition met public sector standards, a Museums Victoria spokeswoman declined to comment on individual staff but said the institution 'is committed to the highest standards of integrity' and had 'full confidence in our people'. She did not directly respond to questions about whether the 'talent bank' remained in use, saying only that the system was consistent with public service policies, and that its wider processes were in line with Victorian Public Sector Employment principles and standards. An email from Royal, obtained by The Age, urged staff to refer friends, family and volunteers to the talent bank with an eye to future recruitment and suggested staff then refer their contacts 'directly' to a specific museum email address. But a subsequent email exchange provided to The Age shows an applicant inquiring, to the specific email address circulated by management, about a visitor engagement officer position during the Titanic exhibition. The museum's People and Culture division responds to the applicant that 'our job opportunities are listed on the Museums Victoria website', with no reference to a 'talent bank'. Ultimately, the ombudsman halted its scrutiny of Museums Victoria after deciding it had 'taken sufficient action' to prevent 'further investigative action by our office'. The Museums Victoria spokeswoman declined to comment on specific hiring decisions during the Titanic show, but confirmed that 'additional visitor engagement staff were employed after the exhibition had opened to ensure a positive visitor experience'. She said the institution could not comment on confidential or personal information, or ombudsman investigations. The claims have come to light as the museum shrinks its visitor engagement officer workforce – a move that has enraged these staff, prompting a public protest this month, in front of the museum on the VIP opening night of a Lego Star Wars exhibition. The museum's proposed restructure would see many visitor engagement officer roles made redundant and tasks such as overseeing gallery spaces and assisting visitors taken over by security guards. The changes would affect staff at Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks. Loading 'They're killing off their greatest asset in cutting visitor engagement services,' said Karen Batt, state secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, which represents museum staff. 'No great museum the world over would do this. There's another motive at play here.' Batt argued the plan would diminish the visitor experience by displacing museum-employed staff and pave the way for an expanded role for MSS Security, the private contractor already providing security across the museum's three sites. A Museums Victoria spokeswoman said consultation with staff about the changes was ongoing.
The Citizen
12-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY: The light must keep on burning
INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY: The light must keep on burning VANDERBIJLPARK – As the world pauses to honour the real heroes in scrubs, Ster took a trip to Johan Heyns to chat with two angels [nurses] who keep the light of healthcare burning. Every year on May 12, International Nurses Day commemorates the birth of Florence Nightingale, the pioneer who revolutionised healthcare. But in the heart of Vanderbijlpark, her legacy lives on in the hearts of local nurses like Malerato Mosikare and Rebecca Phasha. With more than 20 years in the profession, Mosikare is no stranger to the hustle of hospital life as she has experienced both public and private sectors. Sounding calm, passionate, and accomplished, the 54-year-old recalled the moment she fell head over heels for nursing. 'Nursing has always been a calling. Even growing up, I always showed signs of caring for others. I wanted to be a tutor in nursing, and that dream remains in the pipeline,' she said. Having worked at Care Cure, Mediclinic, Baragwanath, and Johan Heyns, serving in different departments, Mosikare now focuses more on mothers and their children. 'The love of assisting clueless mothers in their journey until they carry their products in their arms led me to this department,' she added. While Mosikare continues to enjoy her passion, she claims it's not all rosy in the health sector. Sharing challenges she faces in her career, she admits that the job comes with sacrifices and dispiriting flaws. 'This profession is no longer the same and leaves some nurses demotivated. Nurses are losing themselves. Nursing used to be a profession of high dignity, but now it's no longer like that. But we have to keep the light burning,' she said. In a different interview, Rebecca Phasha (30), a fresh face in the field with a fire for healing and a family tree rooted in nursing, also shared how she ended up as a nurse. 'I've always been drawn to compassion and helping people.' Armed with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and courage, Phasa painted a picture of modern nursing challenges. 'We're fighting on two fronts – patient care and personal survival. This industry is demanding. We have an immense staff shortage, and the population we are treating is growing. We are burnt-out, however, we strive to provide quality care,' she said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
