| Senator Joe Ludwig Cabinet Secretary Special Minister of State |
The Hon Warren Snowdon MP |
Damian Hale MP |
Senator Trish Crossin |
06/2010
23 February 2010
The Rudd Government today announced the National Archives of Australia will maintain face-to-face services in Darwin.
“Australia’s National Archives play a vital role in keeping the political, social and cultural history of Australia alive,” the Minister with responsibility for the National Archives, Senator Joe Ludwig, said.
“The Rudd Government has listened to community concerns, and the National Archives will maintain a local presence in each state and territory.”
Senator Ludwig praised his colleagues in the Parliament for actively lobbying him on the issue.
Local Member, Damian Hale, welcomed the news, saying today’s announcement coincides with Shake Your Family Tree Day, a National Archives initiative to encourage more Australians to explore their family history.
“Instead of closing the Darwin office, the Government will work to co-locate with similar institutions,” Mr Hale said.
“This will enable the National Archives to continue to provide high quality services in Darwin for all Territorians, in particular members of the Stolen Generation. On a personal note, I have had a long association with the National Archives office in Darwin and even had some of my own materials kept there,” Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery and Member for Lingiari, Mr Snowdon, said.
“This is a good outcome for the Territory. In particular, the Darwin office has an important role to play in assisting Australians in their search for information about themselves, their families and their country.”
“Co-location will help put the National Archives on a sustainable footing for the long term, while maintaining face-to-face services in the Territory,” Senator Trish Crossin said.
The National Archives has already begun looking at options for co-location with local institutions.
“The reality is that our society is changing and more people are using the internet to search for records,” Senator Ludwig said.
“Last financial year there were only 337 visits to the Darwin reading room compared to 22,290 visits nationally, while more than 1.9 million records were accessed online.”
Similar arrangements will be put in place in Adelaide and Hobart, and the Government will encourage other National Archives Offices to consider options for co-location.| Media Contacts: | Website: |
|---|---|
| Senator Ludwig's Office - Sarah Cosson - 0423 823 843 | www.cabinetsecretary.gov.au www.smos.gov.au |
| Minister Snowdon’s Office - Alice Plate - 0400 045 999 | |
| Damian Hale’s Office - Brett Walker - 0401 119 789 | |
| Trish Crossin’s Office - Mathew Bock - 0432 526 880 |