State Archives
The eminent historian, Dr Shirley Fitzgerald takes the view that the State government’s proposal to merge State Archives and Records Authority (SARA) with Sydney Living Museums (SLM) is nothing short of ‘nuts’. (SMH 27/07/20)
I agree completely. It is no accident that since its inception in1960 State Archives has been respected for its incorruptible authority and political neutrality. It is essential State Archives remains autonomous or at least free from all commercial and political considerations serving the interests only of historical research and the endless quest among professional archivists and other disinterested parties for the truth. The core purpose of archives is to accumulate and assemble and preserve and safeguard records of the past. These are largely print or graphic records and should not be skewed into ‘stories’ for the purposes of entertainment or, for that matter, a rescue mission for any other state based organisation. We must protect materials of this kind in their pristine form not see them squandered or marauded for the specious reason that ‘mega’ institutions create economies.
As Chairman of the Historic Houses Trust in the first decade of this century when other similar mergers were proposed I was made patently aware by careful analysis that they do not engender the savings promised. As someone whose own family papers reside in state archives I deplore any attempt to interfere with its singular status and research based orientation.
It is rather surprising that the Hon Don Harwin whose idea this merger is has previously served on the Board of the State Archives yet is seemingly insensitive to its core functions and great purpose. Further, it is an anomaly that the Minster for the Arts is currently responsible for state Archives because such historical and administrative records are NOT the Arts; State Archives, fundamentally, is not an arts or cultural entity. No doubt material within State Archives has the capacity to entertain and titillate the general public but surely any move in this direction is to divert the organisation away from its primary function. More property State Archives would fall within the purview of the Premier’s department, at the sharp end of policy.
There seems to be some idea afoot that this proposed merger is ‘modern and exciting’ but in fact it is rather old fashioned, limiting access to our historical archives through mediated and costly physical exhibitions in SLM’s properties rather than enhancing access through a more digital future where more archives are made available to all in a truly democratic fashion. Of course this requires proper financial support and it is disappointing to note from the last annual report of SARA that it’s funding by Tresaury has diminished to a paltry 11 percent! I understand that at the present time there are massive quantities of archives that have been on SARA’s Risk Register for the last 20 years. Clearly SARA has reached the end of the line as far as their budget cuts and efficiency dividends go. And it is wishful thinking to suggest that philanthropy can resource this regulatory function. Before 1960 and the enactment of archives legislation in NSW I gather a lot of records were left in government offices, ‘inadvertently’ or otherwise, or stolen. It is unthinkable but this can happen again.
I seem to recall that for some time State Archives was closely associated with the State Library of New South Wales and if, for example, one wanted to obtain a death certificate, one went to the Reference Desk in the Reading Room of the Mitchell Library. If adequate funding of our archives resource requires some kind of marriage, surely the State Library provides a much better match including the capacity to offer a ‘shop front’, reading rooms, security and other complementary services.
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