TOWARDS FEDERATION 2001: Linking Australians with Their Heritage Review Meeting 1993

Progress Reports 1994-1996

Section C - Working Group on High Priority Cross Sectoral Projects
Report on Activities and Projects Supported 1993-1996



Background

The Working Group on High Priority Cross Sectoral Projects was established in February 1993 to administer funds collected to achieve the objectives of Resolution TD1 of the Towards Federation 2001 Conference, viz:

That this conference requests NLA, SLC, ACLIS and ACA to solicit one-off funding support (on a shared basis) from conference participants and the organisations and constituencies which they represent, or from other funding bodies, for specific cross sectoral initiatives of high priority arising from the conference.

The Working Group has met on a regular basis since 1993, to consider projects which have been submitted for funding by the High Priorities Project Fund. Priority has been given to projects with a practical outcome which could proceed fairly quickly and which were in direct support of the objectives of the Towards Federation 2001 Conference. Submissions were only considered if:

Membership

The Working Group on High Priority Cross Sectoral Projects has consisted of the following representatives since February 1993:

Eric Wainwright, Convenor, Deputy Director-General, National Library of Australia (1993-1996)
Fran Awcock, Director, State Library of South Australia, representing the Council of Australian State Libraries (1993-1996)
Robyn Collins, Director (Library Services), State Library of Tasmania, representing ACLIS (1993-September 1995)
Des Stephens, State Librarian, State Library of Queensland, representing ACLIS (October 1995-1996)
Janine Schmidt, University Librarian, University of Queensland, representing the Council of Australian University Librarians (May 1995-1996)

Administrative Support to the Working Group has been supplied since 1993 by Rachel Jakimow, DNC Office, National Library of Australia.

Funding

The Working Group on High Priority Cross Sectoral Projects has initiated two requests for funds to support new and existing projects in 1993 and 1995. As a result approximately $190,000.00 has been raised from the following organisations:

Projects

Projects which have been supported using funds raised by the Working Group on High Priority Cross Sectoral Projects can be divided into two main categories:

  1. Completed Projects - project completed.
  2. Active Projects - funding provided and project commenced.

Details of these projects are provided in the following report:

Completed Projects

Active Projects

The Future

The Working Group on High Priority Cross Sectoral Projects will cease to operate as a separate monitoring body when the current resources at its disposal are committed. The decision to disband the Working Group is based on the Group's view that it will not be feasible to continue to raise significant funds from the sources previously tapped, i.e. ACLIS, the National Library, the State Libraries and a few university libraries; and also a view that the Towards Federation 2001 agenda may now be under review.

Nevertheless, the Group believes that this report on the projects funded illustrates that fairly small sums of money can act as a catalyst for action on a number of activities in the national interest. The National and State Libraries will stand ready to seize any funding opportunities which may present themselves in the period up to the celebration of 100 years of Federation. The National Library is also examining the possibility of refocussing the 'access to Australian heritage' agenda in the light of the opportunities now afforded by the new technologies, and the Commonwealth Government's plans for a 'National Cultural Network'.


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