Release <strong>of</strong> Cabinet recordsOn 1 January each year, the <strong>Archives</strong> releases tothe public <strong>Australia</strong>n Government Cabinet recordsas they reach the open period. To assist journalistsunderstand the context <strong>of</strong> the records, the <strong>Archives</strong>holds a media briefing each December and therecords are made available to journalists underembargo four weeks prior to their public release.As a result <strong>of</strong> changes to the access provisions <strong>of</strong>the <strong>Archives</strong> Act, Cabinet records created in 1980and 1981 reached the open period on 1 January2011. On 7 December 2010, the <strong>Archives</strong> hosteda media briefing to provide information about the1980 and 1981 Cabinet records. The briefingfeatured two speakers: the <strong>Archives</strong>’ historicalconsultant Dr Jim Stokes and editor-at-large <strong>of</strong>The <strong>Australia</strong>n, Paul Kelly.At the briefing, 1980 Cabinet records were madeavailable to the media. The titles <strong>of</strong> 1981 recordswere also made available to allow the media toselect records <strong>of</strong> interest. Throughout the first half<strong>of</strong> 2011, the <strong>Archives</strong> released key 1981 Cabinetrecords. A further release <strong>of</strong> 1981 Cabinet recordsis planned for the second half <strong>of</strong> 2011.During the reporting period, planning continuedfor the 2012 release <strong>of</strong> selected 1982 and 1983Cabinet records, which will include the final Cabinetrecords <strong>of</strong> the Fraser government and the first<strong>of</strong> the Hawke government. The <strong>Archives</strong> workedwith stakeholders to ensure that 1982 and 1983Cabinet records <strong>of</strong> most interest will be madeavailable for public access.Publications and websitesThe <strong>Archives</strong>’ publications program promotes itsrecords and services to the general public and thearchival pr<strong>of</strong>ession. A list <strong>of</strong> publications producedduring 2010–11 is provided at Appendix F.The <strong>Archives</strong>’ corporate website continued to bethe primary means by which most people obtainedaccess to records and services. In 2010–11, therewere 5,174,156 unique visits to the <strong>Archives</strong>’websites – substantially more than the set target<strong>of</strong> 1.6 million visits (Table 19).Table 19: Visitation to the <strong>Archives</strong>’ websites, 2008–09 to 2010–112008–09 2009–10 2010–11<strong>National</strong> <strong>Archives</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong> – naa.gov.au 2 407 044 3 634 966 3 272 371<strong>National</strong> <strong>Archives</strong> Shop – shop.naa.gov.au 79 307 27 531 25 823Our History – ourhistory.naa.gov.au 11 953 31 074 29 700<strong>Australia</strong>’s Prime Ministers – primeministers.naa.gov.au 284 476 424 206 447 329Documenting a Democracy* – foundingdocs.gov.au 215 705 424 348 288 787Mapping Our Anzacs – mappingouranzacs.naa.gov.au 130 565 616 285 398 499Uncommon Lives – uncommonlives.naa.gov.au 128 442 168 694 55 403Vrroom – vrroom.naa.gov.au 68 156 363 427 277 685Whitlam Research Portal** – whitlam.naa.gov.au 3 149 3 814 2 969Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative – adri.gov.au 7 071 43 925 35 321Archivenet – archivists.org.au 41 978 126 144 70 826<strong>Australia</strong>n Government Locator Service – agls.gov.au n/a 179 718 269 443Total 3 377 846 6 044 132 5 174 156n/a = not available.* The Documenting a Democracy website was transferred to the Museum <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>n Democracy at Old Parliament Housein June 2011.** The Whitlam Research Portal was redirected to the <strong>Australia</strong>’s Prime Ministers website in April 2011.Report on performance 33
The majority <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Archives</strong>’ business is conductedonline. The <strong>Archives</strong>’ websites are therefore subjectto ongoing development and improvement toensure that existing audience expectations are metand new audiences are engaged. During 2010–11,the <strong>Archives</strong> continued to explore ways in which itcan use Web 2.0 technologies to build audiencesand engage them with its records and services.Grant programsThe <strong>Archives</strong> operates three research grantprograms to promote archival research in <strong>Australia</strong>and encourage scholarly use <strong>of</strong> the records itholds. Awards and fellowships are designed tohelp scholars complete an innovative and qualityresearch project that:• is significant for <strong>Australia</strong>n audiences• makes substantial use <strong>of</strong> the records held bythe <strong>Archives</strong>• produces as its outcome a public lecture,article, book, website, exhibition, film or eventto promote the <strong>Archives</strong>.Further information about the grant programs isavailable on the <strong>Archives</strong>’ website.Ian Maclean AwardIn 2010 the Ian Maclean Award was jointlyawarded to Dr Shannon Faulkhead, ResearchFellow, Centre for <strong>Australia</strong>n Indigenous Studies atMonash University and Kirsten Thorpe, Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Project Officer at theUniversity <strong>of</strong> Technology Sydney. Their project willestablish a network and web portal to connectpeople working with Indigenous knowledgeresources in archives, libraries, museums, galleries,keeping places and communities.Margaret George AwardDr Daniel Leach, Honorary Fellow, Department <strong>of</strong>History at the University <strong>of</strong> Melbourne was awardedthe Margaret George Award in 2010. His project,‘The other allies’, will examine domestic securityattitudes towards nationals <strong>of</strong> occupied countriesresident in <strong>Australia</strong> during World War II.Under the Margaret George Award, Dr LyndonMegarrity received assistance towards copyingdocuments. Dr Megarrity’s project will look at<strong>Australia</strong>n overseas student policy at the end <strong>of</strong>the Colombo student era (1972–80).Frederick Watson FellowshipDr Peter Copeman, Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, AcademicSkills Program at the University <strong>of</strong> Canberra andDr Susan Lever, Honorary Associate, Department <strong>of</strong>English at the University <strong>of</strong> Sydney were awardedFrederick Watson Fellowships in 2010. Dr Copemanwill write a biographical play about Walter Burleyand Marion Mahony Griffin, intended for productionin 2013 during Canberra’s centenary celebrations.Dr Lever will work on the creative role <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>nwriters in early ABC television drama to 1981.Community Heritage GrantsIn 2010–11, the <strong>Archives</strong> again joined with the<strong>National</strong> Library <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>, the <strong>National</strong> Museum<strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>, the <strong>National</strong> Film and Sound Archive,and the Department <strong>of</strong> the Prime Minister andCabinet Office for the Arts to fund the eighteenthround <strong>of</strong> the Community Heritage Grants program.This program provides small organisations withfunds to help identify and preserve communityowned,but nationally significant, heritagecollections. Applicants include museums, libraries,archives, historical societies, art galleries, andmigrant, Indigenous and religious organisations.In 2010–11, the <strong>Archives</strong> contributed $20,000towards the grant pool and participated in thegrants steering committee, assessment paneland workshops for first-time grant recipients.Grants were awarded to 70 different communityorganisations, at a value <strong>of</strong> $418,000.<strong>Australia</strong>n Research Council grantsThe <strong>Archives</strong> also participates in collaborativeresearch with universities and other culturalinstitutions through the <strong>Australia</strong>n Research Councilgrants scheme. During 2010–11, the <strong>Archives</strong>supported <strong>Australia</strong>n Research Council grantsprojects on ‘Anzac Day at home and abroad:a centenary history <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>’s national day’,‘Women and leadership in a century <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>ndemocracy’, ‘Gough Whitlam: a living democracy’and ‘An approach to preserving accounting andbusiness archival materials: enhancing accessibilityto inform research and practice’.34 <strong>Annual</strong> Reports 2010–11
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