Archives New Zealand

About

Archives New Zealand (Māori: Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga) is New Zealand's national archive. As the government's recordkeeping authority, it administers the Public Records Act 2005 and promotes good information management throughout government.

In 1954, the First National Government 's cabinet approved the establishment of a national archive and the office of a chief archivist, and the drafting of enabling legislation. The Archives Act 1957 established the National Archives within the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). It also gave the chief archivist the power to approve the disposal of official records and to require the transfer of records to the National Archives after 25 years. The Archives Act also affirmed public access to the National Archives. While the National Archives were established in 1957, they were preceded by the Dominion Archives and the former war archives at the Hope Gibbons building in Wellington.

In 1977, an amendment to the Local Government Act 1974 extended limited protection to local government archives. For the first twenty years, the National Archives had to contend with inadequate storage and staffing. Following Wilfred I. Smith's report, the Government took steps to address those issues, the headquarters moving into the 1966 4-storey building of the former Government Printing Office on Thorndon Quay in 1990. The National Archives' legal position was further entrenched by the passage of legislation such as the Ombudsmen Act 1975, the Official Information Act 1982, and the State Sector Act 1988.

In 2000, the National Archives was separated from the Department of Internal Affairs and renamed as Archives New Zealand.

In 2005, the Fifth Labour Government passed the Public Records Act 2005 to deal with digital archives and the creation of state-owned enterprises. The Act also greatly expanded the role of Archives New Zealand and the powers of the Chief Archivist, and established the Archives Council to advise the Minister responsible for Archives New Zealand. The organisation now has a leadership role for recordkeeping throughout central and local government.

Reintegration under Internal Affairs, 2011–present

In 2011, Archives New Zealand and the National Library of New Zealand were merged back into the Department of Internal Affairs. Until February 2011 Archives New Zealand had been a separate government department.

In 2018, the Christchurch office moved to a new location in Wigram near the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

The New Zealand Archivist Vol 3 No 1 pages 5–10 includes a comprehensive history of archives in New Zealand.

In December 2020, the DIA confirmed that Archives NZ along with the National Library and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision would move to a proposed purpose-built business park called the Horowhenua Business Park in Levin at an unspecified future date.

In February 2022 Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti, Archives NZ chief archivist Stephen Clarke and Māori iwi (tribe) Taranaki Whānui Te Āti Awa confirmed that the Government would build a new archives building on the site of the former Defence House on Wellington's Aitken Street between the present Archives NZ and National Library buildings. The new NZ$290 million building will have 19,300sqm of lettable area and is expected to open in 2026. It will host archives repository and specialist facilities for Archives NZ, the National Library and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.

On 9 May 2024, Archives NZ halted its digitisation programme which had commenced seven years ago, citing the programme's time-limited funding. The disestablishment of the digitisation programme is expected to cause the loss of three permanent jobs and some fixed time positions. Historian Vincent O'Malley described the termination of the digitisation programme as "a devastating blow."

In 1954, the First National Government 's cabinet approved the establishment of a national archive and the office of a chief archivist, and the drafting of enabling legislation. The Archives Act 1957 established the National Archives within the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). It also gave the chief archivist the power to approve the disposal of official records and to require the transfer of records to the National Archives after 25 years. The Archives Act also affirmed public access to the National Archives. While the National Archives were established in 1957, they were preceded by the Dominion Archives and the former war archives at the Hope Gibbons building in Wellington.

In 1977, an amendment to the Local Government Act 1974 extended limited protection to local government archives. For the first twenty years, the National Archives had to contend with inadequate storage and staffing. Following Wilfred I. Smith's report, the Government took steps to address those issues, the headquarters moving into the 1966 4-storey building of the former Government Printing Office on Thorndon Quay in 1990. The National Archives' legal position was further entrenched by the passage of legislation such as the Ombudsmen Act 1975, the Official Information Act 1982, and the State Sector Act 1988.

In 2000, the National Archives was separated from the Department of Internal Affairs and renamed as Archives New Zealand.

In 2005, the Fifth Labour Government passed the Public Records Act 2005 to deal with digital archives and the creation of state-owned enterprises. The Act also greatly expanded the role of Archives New Zealand and the powers of the Chief Archivist, and established the Archives Council to advise the Minister responsible for Archives New Zealand. The organisation now has a leadership role for recordkeeping throughout central and local government.

In 2011, Archives New Zealand and the National Library of New Zealand were merged back into the Department of Internal Affairs. Until February 2011 Archives New Zealand had been a separate government department.

In 2018, the Christchurch office moved to a new location in Wigram near the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

The New Zealand Archivist Vol 3 No 1 pages 5–10 includes a comprehensive history of archives in New Zealand.

In December 2020, the DIA confirmed that Archives NZ along with the National Library and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision would move to a proposed purpose-built business park called the Horowhenua Business Park in Levin at an unspecified future date.