National Archives of Australia facts for kids
 |
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 1961 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Australia |
| Employees | 437 (June 2007) |
| Annual budget | AU$86.98 million (2007-08) |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport |
| Website | www.NAA.gov.au |
The National Archives of Australia is an agency established by the Government of Australia. It is an archive, which collects and preserves government records. The national office is in Canberra. It has smaller offices in each state capital and Darwin.
The National Archives were established in 1961. Before this, the Federal Parliamentary Library (now the National Library of Australia) had been responsible for collecting government records since World War I. The Archives Act 1983 was a law passed to protect Commonwealth archives. Under this law, the National Archives are responsible for preserving government records.
The National Archives' collection is made up of records written about Federation, Governors-General, Prime Ministers, Cabinet and Ministries and most of the activities with which the government has been involved. The collection is not open to the public for browsing. Items can be requested for viewing in the reading rooms, and copies of records can be made. Most records over 30 years old are available to the public. Some are released with certain pieces of information deleted. This kind of information includes documents relating to defence and security, private information, and raw census data. Access to information that is culturally sensitivite to indigenous Australians may also be restricted.
Several collections have been made available online. These include all Australian military service records (records of those who served in the military) from the Second Boer War to the Vietnam War. Immigration and naturalisation documents more than 30 years old were made available in 2005.
Images for kids
-
The National Archives of Australia national office on Queen Victoria Terrace in Canberra.
-
Eastern facade of the current home of the NAA, 2009.
-
Peter Durack in 1948
-
William James (Jack) Mildenhall photographed in 1927
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Archivos Nacionales de Australia para niños
