BY PETER ELLETT & ANDREW HALL
CANBERRA — In a move that has shocked historians, academics and researchers across Australia, the Australian National University (ANU) has slashed funding to the country's largest archive of business and labour records.
The Noel Butlin Archives have been part of the ANU from the early 1950s when it was set up to provide researchers with primary source material for the study of the Australian pastoral industry. Over the years, it has expanded to become the largest collection of its type in Australia, comprising some 13 shelf kilometres of historical documents, some dating back to the early 19th century. The archives are a unique and irreplaceable collection of the records of business and trade unions that is essential for any serious study of Australian history and society.
The ANU plans to cut the archives' operating budget in half, reduce the staff allocation to just two (in 1993 there were eight), restrict public access to the collection and convert half the storage space into a car park.
The moves have been condemned by ANU staff, academics, historical associations, the ACTU, politicians and unions across the country. The Australian Society for the Study of Labour History is particularly concerned about the fate of the collection, fearing the latest round of cuts will lead to an erosion of service to students and researchers, a gradual run-down of the collection and eventual closure.
Yet despite these protests, the ANU executive seems intent on a narrow and short sighted path. It seems to believe that the study of Australian history is not a core function of the ANU. It is prepared to spend on the archives only what will keep it from being sued for breach of contract by the unions and companies that have made their historical records available to the university in exchange for the ANU providing research and archival facilities and services.
Unfortunately, it seems the pursuit of money (and somewhere to park the BMW) now ranks as more important than the pursuit of knowledge. Given these values (or lack of them), it is perhaps not surprising that the ANU sees little value in preserving the archival history of the organised labour movement.