The government’s plan to scrap a board that scrutinises Public Record Office Victoria has sparked concern that critical records could disappear.
Politically sensitive material could be removed from archives without scrutiny if the Allan government proceeds with a plan to scrap a board that oversees Victoria’s official records, archivists have warned.
Victorian Government Services Minister Gabrielle Williams appearing before the Yoorrook Justice Commission.The archive holds a vast array of Victoria Police records, some relating to the use of police informers such as former barrister Nicola Gobbo. “There is a tension there between the public interest and police views,” a well-placed government source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told“It’s a real concern. If the Public Records Advisory Council doesn’t exist, the question is, can just go in and say, we won’t keep these records?
The council also said its abolition would put Public Record Office Victoria at odds with other cultural institutions, such as State Library Victoria, which have legislated boards or councils for advice and oversight. “We have seen through royal commissions and the recent Yoorrook commission the difficulty even commissions can have in accessing required records for truth telling,” Laurent said. “Without a legislated council, there is no guarantee that Public Record Office Victoria and the minister will have an ongoing model of consultation.”
An Allan government spokesperson said the importance of public records was precisely why the state needed a new and “fit-for-purpose system to meet the challenges of rapid technological advances”.
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