The National Archives of Australia will receive an extra $67.7 million to preserve, digitally store and make publicly accessible the country’s historic documents.

NAA Director-General David Fricker told Deborah Knight he’s “pleased” by the federal funding announcement, the first to follow an independent review.

“This funding really does address those urgent priorities that we have, to rescue records that are at risk of loss.

“They’re on magnetic tape, and tape fades and deteriorates over time; photographic records, et cetera.

“On one hand it’s keeping governments to account … [but] we keep records of people’s history.

“This is how people can reach back into time, find the evidence they need.”

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Image: A6122, 1756, National Archives of Australia