‘Budget move – Museum staffing freeze’ The Saturday Age, Melbourne 14 Jun 2014

Museums Victoria has imposed a staff freeze and will increase entry fees in a bid to keep its budget in the black into the next financial year.

In an email to staff seen by Fairfax Media, Museums Victoria chief executive Patrick Greene announced a four-month freeze on filling vacant positions and extending temporary or fixed-term jobs. ‘‘I understand that a measure like this one can have implications that may impact staff workloads,’’ Dr Greene said in the email. Asked on Friday how the freeze would affect remaining staff, Dr Greene said: ‘‘We would adjust [their] workload so that we most certainly won’t impose upon staff extra duties because of this.’’

On Friday Dr Greene also confirmed ‘‘a very modest rise in admission prices on July 1. An adult ticket for Melbourne Museum in Carlton, the Immigration Museum in the city centre, and Scienceworks in Spotswood would rise from $10 to $12. Museum entry is free to children and concession card holders, who comprise two-thirds of visitors. Dr Greene said funding to the museum had not been cut and visitor numbers for the year were tracking above projections.