Archive bid not history yet

A push to secure a storage facility and digitisation branch of the National Archives in Goulburn is gaining momentum.

Mayor Bob Kirk, council general manager Warwick Bennett and Hume MP Angus Taylor met with National Archive representatives in Canberra last week. They were joined by NSW Regional Infrastructure Coordinator Ken Gillespie and his director, Harry Henderson.

The aim was to reignite talks about the concept, first raised several years ago, and to gauge State Government interest in also utilising such a facility.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council commissioned a feasibility study and business case in 2015, exploring the possibility. The 2015 report by Laterals found a complex in Goulburn would achieve significant savings, directly and indirectly create 140 jobs and cost $48.6 million.

Cr Kirk said the concept had “not died” and he’d met three times with National Archive officials since becoming Mayor.

“It hasn’t dropped off the perch,” he said.

“There are a whole lot of bureaucratic processes it has to follow and it’s moved slowly...The council invested money some years ago to explore the possibility of attracting that style of development to Ducks Lane, to which it is ideally suited.”

The Mayor said the federal government spent an “extraordinary amount” on rent to store and digitise archives and the study showed there were “demonstrable savings” to be achieved through a Goulburn location. The city’s location between Sydney and Canberra, cheaper land prices and infrastructure servicing at Ducks Lane were all selling points.

The council has previously spoken to a corporate body in the area but Cr Kirk said ultimately, tenders could have to be called if it proceeded.

“There are willing developers to construct what’s needed and to lease it on a long-term basis,” Cr Kirk.

“...Obviously we as a council are keen to see that style of development and it’s the type that could multiply in that area.”  

He said Mr Taylor had taken a strong interest in the idea in his previous Digital Transformation’ portfolio and despite the change in his ministerial portfolio, was continuing this as Member for Hume.

The idea was not to attract federal funding assistance but to enlist Mr Taylor’s support to progress discussions.

Cr Kirk said a developer would build the facility, and lease it to the National Archives on a long-term basis. Construction cost would depend on how many government departments were involved. The project has two strands – a storage area for National Archives and a digitised section for government records.

“The opportunity is there but there’s a process to include all of these departments as players,” the Mayor said.

“It could be big or small departments or all of the above, but the first thing is to get government to decide whether it wants to proceed.”

The council is also trying to garner State Government interest in the digitised side, hence Mr Gillespie’s and Mr Henderson’s attendance at the meeting.

Cr Kirk said the relationship with Mr Gillespie had been hugely beneficial for Goulburn. He was appointed by Premier Gladys Berejiklian and his portfolio is part of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

“Ken’s team has done a review of regional infrastructure and what’s holding up its delivery,” he said.

“Dare I say it, most of it is held up by bureaucracy, which is why Ken and his team have been employed.”

The Mayor and Mr Bennett have met with Mr Gillespie, Mr Henderson and chief executive Don Murray in Goulburn, Sydney and other forums to discuss projects in the pipeline.

“I think they recognise that Goulburn has a lot to offer,” Cr Kirk said.

“We use the adage that many of the solutions to the issues metropolitan Sydney is facing are here in Goulburn and regional NSW. They recognise there’s a lot to be said for that and we realise the need for businesses in outer Sydney to relocate, given the development pressures and Badgerys Creek airport.”

The Mayor argued the council was shaping up to this growth with land set aside for residential development, the $40 million upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant, an endorsed Employment Lands Strategy and the review of housing and peri-urban needs underway.

With more State money for regional NSW in the offing, the council is harnessing the relationship with Mr Gillespie’s department. 

It is also vying for $4.5m towards the $11.4m performing arts centre, with an announcement expected in April/May. 

Once design of the aquatic centre’s upgrade is completed, the council will apply for State funding assistance.

“The (Goulburn to Crookwell) rail trail (proposal) has gathered momentum and hopefully that will be elevated from a bright idea to a pilot program,” Cr Kirk said.

On other fronts, plans are underway for a $9m regional hockey centre at Carr Confoy fields, a wastewater reuse scheme and truckwash, for which the council will also apply for State funding. It secured some for a truckwash already but the Mayor said this was not enough and the design had been modified to a more basic one. This forms part of a new funding application on which the Mayor says the council is receiving positive signals. 

“There’s a tonne of things happening, so much so that we’re looking to employ another project manager (within the operations division),” Cr Kirk said.