Attorney-General
Minister for Industrial Relations
(Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate)
Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General
Assistant Minister for Women
Assistant Minister for Industrial Relations
Senator the Hon Amanda Stoker
Joint media release
The Morrison Government has released its response to the Functional and Efficiency Review of the National Archives of Australia (Review), commissioned to strengthen the position of the agency as the custodian of Australia's historic records.
The Review, undertaken by Mr David Tune AO PSM, focused on enhancing the National Archives' capabilities into the future, and made 20 recommendations for consideration. In its response, the Government has agreed in full or in principle to all recommendations of the Review, and outlined a reform package to ensure the National Archives can undertake its vital work in the 21st Century.
In July, Attorney-General Senator Michaelia Cash and Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General Senator Amanda Stoker announced $67.7m in funding on a fast-tracked timeline to address the National Archives' immediate needs, in addition to the $75.6 million provided in the 2021-21 Budget.
The response notes where implementation of the Review's recommendations will involve an alternative approach or require a final business case to effect long-term, systemic changes as part of future budget processes.
Attorney-General Cash welcomed the response to the Tune Review.
This response is the next step in the Morrison Government's efforts to secure the future of this important institution and will ensure records vital to our history are preserved and made more readily available."
"It will allow future generations to learn from our history, so their contributions to our nation's story are informed by the challenges and triumphs of the past."
Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General Stoker said this forms the next step in the agency's journey to stay contemporary in the digital era.
"We recognise the importance of securely preserving our nation's memory, that's why the Morrison Government is focusing on strengthening the agency's cyber security capability as part of its work to digitise at-risk records."
"It's important the National Archives is equipped for the challenges of the digital age."
The $67.7 million in funding for the National Archives will go towards:
- Digitisation and preservation of the National Archives' at-risk collection over an accelerated four-year digitisation program.
- Additional staffing and capability to address backlogs for 'access applications' for Commonwealth records and provide improved Digitisation on Demand services.
- Investment in cybersecurity and further development of the National Archives' Next Generation Digital Archive to facilitate secure and timely transfer of records to the National Archives' custody, their preservation and digital access.
The Government commissioned the Review, a major body of work to identify the needs of the National Archives to continue performing its function into the future.
Preserving Australia's historic records is crucial to the identity of the nation and the collection includes irreplaceable information about our citizens, such as immigration records, military service records and Census data.
