Corporate overview

Director-General’s review of 2000–01

Key organisational changes

The National Archives of Australia traces its beginnings to 1944. In that year, with the recruitment of the first Commonwealth archivist and with the collaboration of Commonwealth Departments, work began on the selection, transfer and preservation of Commonwealth archives. Forty years later, the significant role played by the National Archives was underscored by the passage of the Archives Act 1983 which gave legislative basis to the organisation’s functions and powers. Two developments in this reporting year – the establishment of the National Archives as a prescribed agency in July 2000 and recognition of it as an Executive Agency in February 2001 – have consolidated the agency’s dual role as the Government’s adviser on recordkeeping policy and as a cultural organisation.

Outreach

In January 2001, two major Centenary of Federation projects came to fruition. The Prime Minister launched the Archives’ Federation Gallery and the Charters of Our Nation exhibition. The Gallery features the ‘birth certificates’ of our nation and is the result of a partnership between the Archives and the National Council for the Centenary of Federation with sponsorship from Jack Morton Worldwide. The loan of two key documents to the exhibition by the Australian Parliament and the National Library of Australia is gratefully acknowledged. The exhibition not only promotes access to such important historical documents, but also underscores the centrality that these documents play in national life.

At the beginning of January, the then Governor-General, Sir William Deane, launched the exhibition Belonging at the State Library of New South Wales. This exhibition is a collaboration between the Archives, the National Library and the State Libraries of New South Wales and Victoria. Sponsorship from the National Council for the Centenary of Federation and AAMI will allow Belonging to travel to Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart and Brisbane.

Improving recordkeeping

Last year the Archives reported the launch of a suite of new products to help Commonwealth agencies to manage their records, both paper and electronic, in accordance with modern requirements. We have been encouraged by the rate at which Commonwealth agencies have adopted these products. To strengthen our understanding of current recordkeeping in the Commonwealth, the Archives surveyed over ninety agencies about a range of recordkeeping issues. The Archives uses the results of such surveys, and other contact with agencies, to review and improve its recordkeeping advice and tools.

The new functional approach to the difficult and often contentious process of assessing for how long Commonwealth records need to be retained is being implemented in many agencies. Of course, any decision about retention and destruction has the potential for disappointing some current and future researchers. The functional approach involves a greater degree of stakeholder and user consultation. Initial work with the Australian Historical Association, one of many peak bodies representing users, is helping us to develop workable approaches to consultation.

Improving facilities

Implementation of the Archives’ property strategy, to relocate from ageing premises to improved and more efficient facilities, commenced in the reporting year. The first in the sequence of phased moves was in Adelaide where the Archives readied for a move of its public facilities, collection and staff to Angas Street in the central business district. This relocation entailed the movement to repositories interstate of some records previously stored in Adelaide. These records are either not yet publicly available as they are in the closed period or are unlikely to be used by researchers. The relocation of records interstate did cause some concern in Adelaide, and the forecast of the Archives relocating its Brisbane office generated criticism in Queensland. As a result the Archives has worked to increase its contact with researchers, and the peak bodies representing them, to improve communication. The relocation or upgrading of our offices in Darwin and Hobart is scheduled for 2001–02. Preparation for a move in Brisbane is scheduled for completion in 2001–02, although the actual move will not occur until the following year.

Developing the collection

Storing, documenting and preserving records and making them accessible is specialised work. It is important that such effort is devoted to items that are confirmed as national archives. Consequently, the Archives continued its important work of reassessing the collection to confirm the status of material to remain in the collection and remove other material. To ensure that national archives not in custody are protected, the Archives worked with key agencies, such as the Departments of Defence and Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, to identify and prepare such material for transfer later to the Archives. Preservation work on the collection was given a most welcome and significant boost with the allocation in the 2001 Budget of ongoing funding to preserve the archival records of the Commonwealth so that they can be readily available for use.

Financial outcome

The National Archives incurred an actual operating loss of $14 097 000 for the financial year 2000–01. The actual loss occurred because of the accounting treatment adopted in bringing the Archives’ heritage collection to account, and the depreciation charge incurred in doing so.

In 2000–01, the Archives collection was valued. The audited valuation of $698 197 000 was brought to account in 2000–01, and is recorded in the Archives Balance Sheet. In accordance with accounting standards and with the Archives’ accounting policies, the Archives charged depreciation on the collection in the amount of $15 273 000. The value of the collection is recorded as an increase in the Archives’ assets charged against equity. Because of this accounting treatment, the depreciation charge stands alone in the Operating Statement, and accounts for the whole of the Archives’ operating loss for the 2000–01 year. In fact if depreciation on the collection had not been charged, the Archives would have recorded a surplus of $1 176 000.

All appropriate steps were taken to avoid the loss.

Innovating for access

In April 2001 the Archives extended the choices available to researchers seeking access to the collection. Researchers can now elect to have a digital version of items created and made available on the Archives website. This initiative has the potential to revolutionise research for individuals who live some distance from the Archives repository holding material of interest.

Staff

In October 2000 George Nichols retired as the Director-General of the National Archives, a position he had held since 1990. In the decade of his leadership the Archives made enormous strides in its relationship with the public, Commonwealth agencies and the archival profession in Australia and overseas. The Honourable Peter McGauran, the Minister for the Arts and the Centenary of Federation, hosted the farewell function for George Nichols that celebrated the number and breadth of his achievements.

The organisation’s progress and success reflects the commitment and professionalism of the staff of the organisation. The results reported for this operating year are a tribute to their work.

Role of the Archives

The National Archives of Australia was established as an Executive Agency by order of the Governor-General, Sir William Deane, under section 65 of the Public Service Act 1999 with effect from 28 February 2001. The order specified the functions of the Archives to be primarily as prescribed by the Archives Act 1983. It has the following responsibilities:

• to play the leading role in the management of Commonwealth records;
• to make available to the public non-exempt Commonwealth records over thirty years old;
• to encourage and facilitate the use of the archival resources of the Commonwealth; and
• to provide leadership in developing and coordinating the preservation and use of the archival resources of Australia.

The National Archives of Australia contributes to the maintenance and understanding of political, social and cultural values in Australia by:

• promoting the role of records as evidence in supporting the rule of law;
• supporting the effectiveness and accountability of government administration; and
• preserving and providing access to documentation of the interaction between the Australian people and their government.

The Archives meets its responsibilities under the Archives Act by providing public access to official records and by developing policy and providing advice to government and its agencies on the management, preservation and disposal of Commonwealth records. It maintains information systems about the structure of government and those records which agencies create that are part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth records

The majority of records with which the National Archives is concerned have been created or accumulated by the Commonwealth Government, encompassing public service departments and agencies, statutory authorities, government business enterprises, military units, committees of inquiry and royal commissions. The Archives has responsibilities in relation to the records of Parliament and the courts. Private records of Governors-General, Ministers and senior Commonwealth officials have also been deposited with the Archives to complement the official record.

The Archives’ charter covers both non-current and current records. It is concerned not only to preserve those records, forming part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth, but also to promote the efficient and economical management of all Commonwealth records for government and public purposes.

The records covered by the Archives Act occur in all the different formats that government agencies have used over time to record information and transact business. These include traditional formats such as files and index cards, models, photographs and films. Today, however, the Archives is also concerned with records created electronically that can be stored or migrated to different formats, such as magnetic tape and computer disk.

While most Commonwealth records date from 1901, significant quantities of nineteenth-century records are also in the custody of the National Archives. They relate to functions transferred to the Commonwealth on or after Federation from the Australian colonies or States, such as customs and defence.

Responsible Minister

The Minister responsible for the National Archives is the Hon. Peter McGauran, MP, Minister for the Arts and the Centenary of Federation.

Under the Archives Act 1983, the Minister may give directions, not inconsistent with the Act, to the Director-General in relation to the exercise of his powers and the performance of his duties under the Act.

Service charter

The National Archives Service Charter sets out the standards of service people can expect from the Archives and what they can do if these standards are not met. The Service Charter is available from all National Archives offices and on the Archives website at: www.naa.gov.au/About_Us/Service_Charter/service_charter.html

Contact details for National Archives offices are at Appendix A.