Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand (Māori: Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga) is New Zealand's national archive and the official guardian of its public archives. As the government's recordkeeping authority, it administers the Public Records Act 2005 and promotes good information management throughout government.
Agency overview
New Zealand government recordkeeping and community archives
Mulgrave Street, Thorndon, Wellington
41°16′38″S 174°46′48″E / 41.277167°S 174.78°E
- Brooke Van Velden, Minister of Internal Affairs
- Anahera Morehu, Chief Archivist
Archives New Zealand National Office in Wellington
Archives New Zealand Christchurch Office
Archives New Zealand Dunedin Office
Archives New Zealand has four units:[35]
Archives Council Te Rua Wānanga[edit]
The Archives Council Te Rua Wānanga is an unincorporated body established under the Public Records Act 2005.[7] It provides independent advice to the Minister responsible for Archives New Zealand on recordkeeping and archives matters, including those for which tikanga Māori is relevant.
The Archives Council meets four times a year to discuss archival and record keeping matters. The Council reports directly to the Minister on its functions during the preceding year. The Minister, as soon as practicable, presents the report to the House of Representatives.[42]
The Archives Council's reports to the Minister are available on Archives New Zealand's website.[43][44]
Associated Organisations[edit]
Archives and Records Association of New Zealand (ARANZ) – Te Huinga Mahara[edit]
Prior to its establishment in 1976, ARANZ was a part of the New Zealand Library Association (NZLA).[68] At this point in time, the NZLA contained a mix of historians, genealogists, librarians and archivists, however, there was a need voiced by archivists to become more focused on their speciality.[69] This was the catalyst for the creation of this organisation. The original thought was that it should be open to public, serving as more of an interest group rather than limiting membership to archive professionals only. This is the form that remains to this day.
ARANZ are an incorporated society that are a key stakeholder in the archive sector.[70][71] Members include professional organisations, historians and of course: archivists. There are a variety of reasons why ARANZ are a significant partner for Archives New Zealand (as well as similar organisations). Namely, ARANZ serves as a leader regarding best industry practice for care, preservation, and administration of historical records; they hold an advocacy role for the sector which includes submissions to government regarding enhancements to existing legislation; a further role includes facilitating employee upskilling through shared knowledge as well advisory duties to appropriate educational facilities; and they produce regular publications and reports to facilitate these functions.[72]
Overall, due to ARANZ and their role as a key stakeholder in the sector, Archives New Zealand is supported in achieving their objectives outlined in the Public Records Act 2005. Amongst other roles, these are: maintaining stewardship of public records; ensuring records of government decision making are stored appropriately with the intention of long-term sustainability at the forefront of this function; ensuring records with long term value are transferred into its service; providing recordkeeping advice and information to government departments; making sure public archives are accessible to government, other organisations as well as the public; managing public archives in a protected and secure environment; and the provision of leadership and advocacy within the sector.[73][74]