❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses air conditioning issues at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre and potential risks to the herbarium collection during its relocation. The Minister acknowledges the issues and outlines steps to mitigate risks.
AnsweredQoN 312Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HERBARIUM — RELOCATION
I refer to the recent move by the Western Australian Herbarium to the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre. (1) Are there, or have there been, problems with the air conditioning at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (2) Is some or all of the state’s herbarium collection still being kept in the old facility? (3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON
I refer to the recent move by the Western Australian Herbarium to the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre. (1) Are there, or have there been, problems with the air conditioning at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (2) Is some or all of the state’s herbarium collection still being kept in the old facility? (3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(1) Are there, or have there been, problems with the air conditioning at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (2) Is some or all of the state’s herbarium collection still being kept in the old facility? (3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(2) Is some or all of the state’s herbarium collection still being kept in the old facility? (3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(1) Are there, or have there been, problems with the air conditioning at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (2) Is some or all of the state’s herbarium collection still being kept in the old facility? (3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(2) Is some or all of the state’s herbarium collection still being kept in the old facility? (3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(3) If yes to (2), is the collection at any risk of damage or deterioration because it is not being stored in a suitable facility? (4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(4) If yes to (1), when will the air conditioning be operational at the new Biodiversity Conservation Science Centre? (5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(5) Will the minister give an assurance that the state’s herbarium collection is not at risk? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided the following advice — (1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(1) Yes. (2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(2) Yes, the bulk of the state collection remains in the old herbarium building. (3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(3) The main factors that could put the collection at risk are high humidity and temperature, leading to insect and/or fungal damage, fire, water damage and theft. Conditions in the old herbarium are being maintained at equivalent conditions to those under which the collection has been stored for many years. (4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(4) It is expected that air conditioning work on half of the vault areas will be completed by the end of next week, with pre-storage testing of those areas to be undertaken in the following two weeks. The remaining vault areas will be completed in time for the progressive relocation of the collection. (5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
(5) The professional staff responsible for the collection have implemented all reasonable measures to ensure that the collection is not placed at increased risk.
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