Publications

Position Paper : Review of Archives New Zealand

Some months ago, rumours began circulating that a review of Archives New Zealand was under way and that this might threaten its independence. Archives New Zealand is, indeed, undergoing a "machinery of government review" which is considering merging or subsuming it within other agencies.

It is not clear why this review of Archives New Zealand is being undertaken, or why radical changes are being contemplated. As the review’s terms of reference state, "Archives New Zealand is a well functioning department". It is a small government department that has, in recent years, achieved a huge amount. Supported by the Public Records Act of 2005, it has done much to improve recordkeeping by government departments.

Our national archives, in their present form, were established in 1957 to ensure that records of permanent value of our government were retained and made accessible to future generations of New Zealanders. Such a mission helps ensure the accountability of our government and is therefore an important plank in our democracy. These records are also a key part of our heritage, containing information about people, places and events as well as the activities of government.

In carrying out this role, the independence of Archives New Zealand is critical. It works with government departments to ensure that records of government activities and decisions are created, that their integrity and accessibility are maintained, and that those which are of permanent value are kept. It also contributes to the efficiency of government by providing guidance on appropriate disposal of records which do not have long-term value. Now it is leading a major, cross-government strategy to co-ordinate these recordkeeping activities in the digital environment.

Terms of Reference for the review say that it is not intended to "review the role and functions of Archives New Zealand nor the Chief Archivist, including those statutorily independent functions". This is contradicted, however, by a statement later in the same document that any option involving a change from the status quo "will require changes to the Public Records Act 2005 regarding the role of the Chief Archivist".

A number of options for merging or bringing Archives New Zealand under other government departments are put forward. Even in this preliminary document, the writers declare that the departments Archives New Zealand would fit most closely with are the Department of Internal Affairs and the National Library. In fact, ARANZ believes that being part of either the Department of Internal Affairs or the National Library would seriously hinder the ability of Archives New Zealand to perform its mission effectively.

Archives New Zealand and the National Library have very different goals and objectives, responsibilities, and underpinning intellectual disciplines. For instance,

Archives New Zealand’s operational outcomes are:

• Full and accurate records are kept by public sector agencies
• Public archives are preserved and well managed
• Public archives are accessible and used
• The archiving community is co-ordinated and well led

These are very different outcomes from those required of the National Library:

• New Zealander’s access to information is facilitated
• New Zealand’s documentary heritage is nurtured (where the priorities are ‘accessing New Zealand’s digital memory’, ‘sharing the nation’s stories’, ‘enriching the user experience’.)
• New Zealanders are skilful and confident using information

Not only are these outcomes very different, they are underpinned by different knowledge bases and world views. Subsuming one of these entities into the other is likely to compromise the ability of both to fulfil their goals. As the Secretary-General of the International Council on Archives said recently at an Australasian/Pacific archives conference, "because we have a distinctive role, interacting with the creators of records, this co-operation should not, as a general role, lead to merger or fusion with libraries, because there is a grave risk that our distinctive role will be thereby diluted. We should not be afraid to say this clearly."

The second of the two ‘preferred’ options is that Archives New Zealand become part of the Department of Internal Affairs. We believe that this arrangement, like any which would see Archives New Zealand come under another government department, is inappropriate from a constitutional point of view. Section 3 of the Public Records Act 2005 states that the purposes of Archives New Zealand include "making independent determinations on the disposal of public records" and enabling "the Government to be held accountable by— (i) ensuring that full and accurate records of the affairs of central and local government are created and maintained". We do not believe that this can be assured if Archives New Zealand is beholden to and under the direction of any other government department with a potential interest in controlling access to its own records.

The Archives and Records Association of New Zealand (ARANZ) supports all national institutions in their efforts to work together to provide better services to New Zealand but strongly believes that the independence of our Archives New Zealand should not be removed and its ability to carry out its recordkeeping mission for government should not be compromised for short-term gain.

It urges all ARANZ members, and those interested in the future of Archives New Zealand, to speak to their local members of parliament or other influential individuals in support of this position.

Click below for a copy of the State Services Commission’s Terms of Reference:

Terms of Reference: Machinery of Government Review: Archives New Zealand (PDF 913 KB)

Released by the Council of the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand

P.O. Box 11553

Manners Street

Wellington

www.aranz.org.nz