Group of staff members blow the whistle on ‘toxic’ work culture within the South Australian Museum

A group of South Australian Museum staff members have blown the whistle on an alleged toxic culture within the organisation, claiming it has led to a staff exodus.

The South Australian Museum is dealing with a toxic culture of pervasive bullying and failing to pay its bills on time, a group of staff whistleblowers have alleged.

The museum has been under scrutiny over the past year after plans for a controversial restructure were made public then scrapped following a Premier’s Review.

In September, the same month the government announced the restructure would not proceed, a parliamentary committee probing the museum received a submission from “a collective of 474 years of service to the South Australian Museum”.

A representative of the collective, whose name was not released, told a committee hearing that bullying at the museum is “pervasive”, and 17 staff had left over the past three years due to their experiences.

Staff whistleblowers at the South Australia Museum claim the institution is dealing with a toxic culture of pervasive bullying and failing to pay its bills on time. Picture: Tom Huntley

The staff member said the level of turnover is “like three Mount Everests” when compared to the past decade.

“The entire team are scared. If they go against anything, their jobs will not be worth staying,” the staff member said.

“You now have people who are there for a few years and move on, that are either career steps or they are bullied and have to leave.”

The staff member also said the museum has over the past five years become “a magnet for narcissists”, and has a leadership “that just looks after themselves”.

They also alleged financial mismanagement at the organisation – including blocking invoices, paying invoices late and using the incorrect funds to pay.

“I don’t know whether it’s just incompetence or a deliberate act but many of the invoices that have been lodged at the museum last year and earlier this year remained unpaid,” they told the committee hearing.

The worker added that the museum “just don’t want science. They are entirely anti-science”, and said they had defied the government’s request to pause the restructure during the review.

Late last month, museum chief executive Dr David Gaimster stepped down following a board recommendation for new leadership. Former chair of the museum board Kim Cheater resigned from his position in September.

It is not suggested they were the subject of the staff complaints, nor is it suggested they engaged in any wrongdoing.

In a statement, a museum spokeswoman said allegations of bullying or financial mismanagement are taken seriously.

“As well as new investment of $4.1m, to deliver the recommendations from the Premier’s Review, a new leadership group has been established,” she said.

“There has been regular consultation with staff throughout the Premier’s Review and this consultation will continue.

“In response to the concerns raised in the anonymous submission, given the nature of these matters, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will not comment further at this stage. The wellbeing of all staff is of utmost importance to museum leadership.”