Productivity Commission Research Report: Contribution of the not-for-profit sector.

When the discussion paper that lead to this report landed on my desk last October, I have to confess I was overwhelmed by the size of the report, and underwhelmed by the thought of reading, let alone responding to it.  But in light of Senator Joyce’s recent comments about the value of these reports I thought I’d give it another go.

Both the report and the discussion paper are weighty tomes – the report has 441 pages and lxii pages of summary and abstracts.  So almost a ream of paper or half to a third of an archive box in the report alone.  Is it worth the paper it’s written on?  The culture and recreation sector makes up the third largest segment, after environmental organisations and religious instititutions, with the third largest contribution to the economy, and by far the largest number of volunteers – 2,072,300 to social services 1,474,600.  These stats alone are something to conjure with.

More than that, the report recommends the establishment of a one stop shop for registration of charities, where information can be obtained once, but used many times.  Surely a goal of any good records manager or archivist.  How well the report identifies what will be required both by the Registrar and the organisations and individuals involved, is another matter. 

If you are concerned about how Australia handles charitable organisations, encourages donations, or just want a really good understanding of the economics of the charitable and not for profit sector, start reading.  Copies are available from the Productivity Commission, www.pc.gov.au.

“Memento’ – issue 38, 2010. National Archives of Australia

This issue provides looks at two of the NAA’s Exhibitions – one at the National Archives Canberra office on  ‘Australia’s forgotten Prime Minister’, Stanley Melbourne Bruce; and the other on its touring exhibition Shellshocked: Australia after armistice.  The front cover has a lovely photo of Bruce looking somewhat austere and slightly disapproving, perhaps as a reflection of his lack of notoriety or fame.  Dr David Lee, the author, says that some people compare Bruce to America’s Calvin Coolidge, as being of ‘no great distinction and little imagination’.  Lee disagrees, saying that Bruce ‘had as great an impact as any Australian prime minister… a complex and fascinating man; a sportsman, soldier , prime minister, anti-union politican, diplomat and visionary.’  The images provided in the article give little hint of this depth, although he is clearly a snappy dresser.  Worth looking at if you are in Canberra anytime until May.  Dr Marina Larsson examines the evidence of the impact of caring for physically and mentally wounded men on their families, especially the women, in the years after the First World War.  In addtion to the Exhibition, which is in Adelaide 5 March to 23 May, and in Perth, 4 June to 8 August, the article also references Dr Larsson’s book Shattered Anzacs: living with the scars of war.

As always, Memento ranges over a number of topics and subjects, from economic history to social tragedy and artistic and cultural endeavour.  Dr Andrea Benvenuti’s article on Australia’s response to British efforts to join the European Economic Union follows.  A recipient of the Margaret George Award in 2008, he has utilised the resources of the NAA well.  The article examines Australia’s sense of shock and betrayal, linked to fears that joining the Union would mean Britain would be less supportive of Commonwealth and particularly Australian trade concerns.

My favourite article was the one by Julia Church about the Australian Scottish Ladies Pipe Band world tour, in 1925.  It amply demonstrates the way in which Government archives document not just government transactions, but what we now think of as social transactions.  And it links back to the Stanley Bruce article in the first two paragraphs. Very nice.   Kate Bagnall goes beyond the archives to track down Jimmie Minahan, an Australian chinese man attempting to return to Australia, the land of his birth, in 1908.  As Kate says, ‘In the time between his departure as a five-year-old boy and his returnas a man of 31, the Australian colonies had federated the attitued towards non-white immigrants, particularly Chinese had hardened.’  Jimmie’s attempts to be recognized as Australian tested the new immigration laws and remains as a landmark case in Australian law.

Only one real criticism for this well produced and glossy magazine (and it’s one that applies to lots of archives promotional magazines) and that is, there are no references.  A series number, file reference or barcode would be very useful, especially for researchers wanting to do some follow up.  Archives are all about access, and this seems such an obvious lack.

Origins, No.12, September 2009

I realise that we are probably already due, or even overdue, for a new Origins, the magazine for the University of New South Wales Archives, but I feel that I must make up for the hiatus of the last few months.  And even though the University no longer trains archivists, it’s good to know that they are active in the field in other ways.

The magazine looks at staff and campus development, leading off with an article by Katie Bird on Robert J. Heffron “the founding father of the University”.  As NSW Minister for Education Heffron put forward the idea of an Institute of Technology, later a University of Technology, and throughout his career, as both Minister and as Premier of the State, he worked tirelessly to support it.  Heffron was recognised by an honorary degree, and also by a building named in his honour (which is now sadly and unromantically known as the Australian School of Business Building.)  There’s also a brief overview of the archives work in 2007/2008, including their Oral History program, which is further described in the article on the facing page.

Katie returns with an article on campus development, based on a 2007 exhibition, now online at http://www.recordkeeping.unsw.edu.au.  Lots of nicely chosen black and white photos give a sense of both place and time.  Her final article, on the Monomeeth Associaton, again provides an insight into one of the pivotal characters in the University’s development, Sir Harold “Jack” Dickinson.  This article is well balanced by the preceding article by Karin Brennan on the University’s staff association and, as befits a journal about archives, their early records, which were appraised by students of the now defunct Archives Administration course in the 1980s.

Finally, there is a list of recent accessions to the archives, including a donation from Peter Orlovich, a name that will resonate with UNSW archives students, of his Invitation and menu for the Golden Jubilee Luncheon for UNSW 1957 Engineering Graduates.

A fresh face for In the mailbox

For many years Shauna Hicks has been reviewing journals and magazines for the avid readers of the Aus-archivists listserv.  Last year she finally hung up her editing pencil and asked me to take over.

It’s been an interesting time.  More and more journals are available online, some to listserv members and the general public, others by free or paid subscription.  I’ve tended to stick with the journals that are in hardcopy or limited access, so that the review will encourage others to think about obtaining that one edition or volume.

I’ve been reading and reviewing articles and then saving comments to a draft email for later posting, but it occurred to me that now might be the time to take In the mailbox to a new format, and experiment with web 2.0.