National Archives of Australia will receive $36.5 million in the next Federal Budget as part of the Government's $535.5 million budget boost for 9 National Collecting Institutions.

With over 45 million items under his care, Director-General of National Archives of Australia Simon Froude welcomes the additional funding.

'An additional $36.5 million for National Archives means we can continue to digitise records and make accessible our vast and growing collection. We hold records and items of significant importance to our nation including military service, immigration, First Nations Australians and much more.'

'Over 50% of our collection is yet to be made available to the public – some of which is highly fragile and at risk of being lost. The funding will assist in addressing this issue and will go some way in supporting the complex operational needs of the organisation,' said Mr Froude.

'Today's announcement has provided a welcome relief to the organisation as we face the increasing operational costs associated with managing a growing collection that so many Australians rely upon,' said Mr Froude.

The funding will assist in providing financial sustainability for National Archives. It will also support priority work such as the ongoing preservation and digitisation of archival records, and advancing data and cataloguing systems to optimise accessibility and the user experience.

National Archives of Australia holds the memory of our nation and keeps vital Australian Government records safe and accessible for future generations. Last year alone more than 6.5 million people accessed the collection via National Archives’ websites, with the digital collection predicted to grow by 25 petabytes by 2025.

Interviews available upon request.