National Archives of Australia Members Patron Event, Parkes ACT [Her Excellency, Mrs Linda Hurley]

[E&OE]

Good morning, everyone – particularly Archives Members!

As Patron of the National Archives of Australia Members Program, it is lovely to be with you all and back in this beautiful building.

East Block is steeped in history as you know and today, as National Office of the National Archives of Australia, offers visitors a memorable and sometimes surprising customer experience.

I wonder what awaits us all today!

I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal People, and pay my respects to their elders, past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders gathered here today.

The National Archives of Australia Members Program is a wonderful initiative, providing new opportunities for members to experience their National Archives and join a unique community of like-minded lovers of history, heritage and culture.

To the National Archives Members here today and those unable to be with us – thank you for supporting one of Australia’s premier cultural institutions.

Since the establishment of the Members Program in November 2020, memberships have increased steadily and now total more than 1,000 from all over Australia and even overseas.

This growth is testament to the commitment of National Archives’ staff to deliver engaging and high-quality programs for Members to appreciate and enjoy. It is also due to the passion and generosity of Members to support the vital work of the National Archives. Your support ensures the national archival collection continues to be preserved and made available now and for future generations. 

With a collection of more than 40 million records, preserving and providing access to precious memories and keeping them safe is vitally important.

The National Archives does much more than this. It shares our nation’s stories and connects us with our history. That is important.

I am very much looking forward to viewing some of the records from the collection shortly. The records relate to Governors-General and the work of the Office that supports the Governor-General, Women’s service in both World Wars, and musical works from the copyright collection.

I understand there’ll also be records relating to the Royal Military College Duntroon, Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme, Indigenous Australians and Antarctic exploration.

These records are just a sample. You’ll be amazed at the records the Archives has in its collection. There is something for everyone.

I hope you enjoy viewing the original records display and I encourage you to make use of the Archives Reference staff on hand today. There’s nothing they don’t know about the collection!

In closing, I again want to thank National Archives Members for championing the important work of the Archives. I hope you enjoy today’s event.

And to the staff at the Archives – thank you for your dedication and passion and for the terrific work you do in keeping the nation’s memory alive for future generations.

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