A Ford Model T being assembled in the 1920s. Picture: Supplied
FIRST, they exported our jobs, now Ford Australia wants to export our history.
Ford has begun shredding “sensitive” documents ahead of its Broadmeadows factory closure this Friday, before it sends the remaining archives to Detroit.
However, the Federal Government may block Ford’s plan to export Australian archives that date back almost 100 years.
According to Australian law, Ford Australia must seek permission to export documents deemed to be of national heritage.
Under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, Ford Australia would be required to apply for an export permit if it intended to export objects classified as Australian Protected Objects, said a spokesman from the Department of Communications and Arts.
However, a department spokesman has told News Corp Australia, the government “has not received an application for an export permit from Ford Australia for its archives”.
One of first Model T cars to leave Ford's newly built Geelong plant, in 1926. Picture: Supplied.Source:News Limited
When asked about reports of a Ford archivist from Detroit “shredding” documents in Australia over the past three weeks, Ford Australia spokesman Wes Sherwood said: “As we go through the archives we apply company record-keeping retention protocols, which is standard practice. We are keeping any material we deem archival, as per industry guidelines.”
Ford wants to keep its Australian history in an air-conditioned library in Detroit — with the rest of Ford’s global archives — and make the material available on request.
But Ford Australia historians fear retrieving that information will be difficult and the details may be lost to history.
Former Ford employee Doug Wallace, who with fellow Ford Australia historian Michele Cook spent the last three years writing the book, Ford Australia, The Cars And The People Who Make Them, told News Corp Australia: “I find it extremely regrettable that Ford Australia are making the decision to move their archives to Detroit.”
A Ford Falcon brochure from 1960. Picture: Supplied.Source:Supplied
Senator Kim Carr, former federal industry minister, said: “Ford might have some trouble over the Archives Act. I find it incredible that Ford would move such important documents”.
Senator Carr said Ford has “a very important place in Australian history”, having made cars here since 1925 and importing cars since 1904.
“Ford carries with it as a corporate citizen considerable social responsibilities,” said Senator Carr.
“Just as we applaud their engagement with the AFL, they have an obligation also to ensure their historic record is not lost, given how important their contribution has been to the development of this country. They can send copies wherever they want, but the originals should stay in Australia.”
News Corp has been told Ford Australia has nowhere to store the archives locally “other than in boxes”, but local historians are lobbying to have them kept in a library.
Geelong Advertiser front page in 1925 announcing the start of Ford's Australian manufacturing operations. Picture: Supplied.Source:Supplied
Holden has kept its historic records in the State Library in Adelaide — and plans to keep them there.
“We keep an enormous amount of our archival material in the State Library in Adelaide and we have no intention of changing that,” said Holden spokesman Sean Poppitt.
“Holden also has a large historic file we keep internally, but we also have no plans to move that material.”
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