Strategy 2025–2030: Evolving the National Archives
Replacing the previous Strategy 2030, this refreshed approach reflects a changing operating environment, the impact of evolving technologies on recordkeeping and archives, and the growing importance of trust in the national record at a time of increasing disinformation. Importantly, the strategy balances ambition with practicality, focusing on achievable progress while retaining flexibility to respond to changing demands.
One strategy, four connected priorities
The strategy is structured around four interconnected focus areas, each targeting a critical aspect of archival and information management practice:
-
Evolve – Working better together
Strengthening organisational capability, collaboration and stakeholder outcomes to deliver greater public value. -
Enable – Strategic leadership in agency information management
Lifting information management maturity across Australian Government agencies through stronger engagement and leadership. -
Secure – Managing an evolving collection
Safeguarding and optimising the national collection by improving knowledge, collaboration and practices to protect at-risk records. -
Connect – Fostering access and engagement
Enhancing access through deeper insight and understanding, ensuring meaningful and appropriate engagement with diverse audiences.
Together, these priorities reinforce the Archives’ role not just as a custodian of records, but as an active leader in information governance across government.
Aligning with national cultural priorities
Evolving National Archives plays a key role in embedding the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy – Revive: A place for every story, a story for every place. The strategy places strong emphasis on centring First Nations perspectives, improving public access, and strengthening cultural infrastructure by preserving and protecting the national record.
Why this matters for R&IM professionals
For records and information management practitioners, this strategy sends a clear signal: information governance, archival practice and public trust are deeply connected. The focus on agency maturity, access, and safeguarding records reinforces the critical role R&IM professionals play in ensuring government information is reliable, discoverable and defensible, now and into the future.
As the National Archives moves forward with this strategy, it provides a strong foundation for creators, managers and users of government records to unlock the full value of Australia’s shared national record and ensure it can be trusted for generations to come.