As Senate Votes in Support
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Bartlett government to lobby its federal counterparts to reverse the decision to close the Tasmanian office of the National Archives of Australia, following the Senate voting in support of a Greens motion calling for a halt to the planned closure.
Greens Heritage spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said that the Rudd government’s decision to shut the National Archive office in Hobart will seriously disadvantage researchers, organisations and the general public, all of whom should be encouraged to access this rich vein of historical information.
Ms O’Connor said that the Senate voted in support of the Australian Greens’ motion last week calling for the decision to shut the National Archives office in Tasmania, along with that in South Australia and the Northern Territory to be reversed.
“The Greens are calling on Premier David Bartlett to lobby Kevin Rudd to honour the Senate’s vote, and put a halt to plans to shut the National Archives Offices, in order to guarantee the future of the Melville and Macquarie street offices, and the six employees who face losing their jobs,” Ms O’Connor said.
“The Tasmanian archive facility currently provides an excellent service for local researchers, with its store of a rich vein of invaluable historical information and documentation ranging from the Antarctic Division and CSIRO, to old railway and lighthouse collections.”
“Premier Bartlett must intervene to ensure that these Tasmanian research facilities remain open, and that the collection is retained in Tasmania for the benefit of current and future generations of researchers who contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the heritage of this State.”
Cassy O’Connor MP Greens Heritage spokesperson
