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The National Collections Advisory Forum was established in August 2002 to provide strategic advice on the cultural collections sector, and identify priorities for governments in addressing ongoing needs.

The Forum brought both industry and community perspectives to Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers on policy and planning for the gallery, library, archives and museum sectors in regard to the Distributed National Collection.

Forum members have expertise in areas such as libraries, archives, galleries, museums, education and information technology. The members of the Forum were:

Professor Margaret Seares - Pro Vice Chancellor (Community and Development) University of Western Australia (Chair);

• Ms Margaret Birtley - Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific, Deakin University;
• Mr Ross Gibbs - Director-General, National Archives of Australia;
• Dr J. Patrick Greene - CEO, Museum of Victoria;
• Mr Brendan Hartnett - Director of Policy, Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales;
• Ms Janine Schmidt - University Librarian, University of Queensland;
• Mr Chris Tassell - Director, Queen Victoria Museum;
• Professor David Throsby - Professor of Economics, Macquarie University; and
• Mr Gerry White - CEO, education.au limited.

The CMC's Key Needs Study revealed that leadership and national coordination of strategic initiatives are essential to the longer-term development of the sector. The National Collections Advisory Forum facilitated collaboration in addressing the critical needs of the sector.

The Forum's Terms of Reference were to:

prioritise the current and future needs of Australia's collections, including benchmarks and standards, and recommend strategies and programs to address these needs;

• develop strategies to identify the community value of collections and support their potential as instruments of social, cultural and economic development;
• advise on means of enhancing the coordination of support programs offered by the three tiers of Government and industry; and
• provide a report to CMC, within 12 months, upon the feasibility or otherwise of establishing a national industry body to represent the library, archives, museum and gallery sectors.

OUTCOME

The National Collections Advisory Forum met five times during its tenure, with its last meeting held on 8 August, 2003. The Forum developed a range of initiatives aimed at addressing the fundamental long-term needs of the sector, including a feasibility study into the establishment of a National Industry Body, a draft National Collections Strategy, and a Work Program. A key recommendation of the Forum was the establishment of a peak national body to represent libraries, archives, museums and galleries: The Collections Council of Australia (CCA).

The Forum concluded its terms of reference with Ministers agreement on 19 February 2004 to establish the Collections Council of Australia.

• Document ID: 78328 |
• Last modified: 5 February 2008, 8:33pm