State Records of South Australia

108 The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (25 October 2018). Can the Attorney-General advise:

1. Why do the budget papers predict a decrease of 200 visitors to State Records research centres and which research centres are included in this prediction?

2. Why is the Attorney-General predicting a decrease of 200 new public registered users?

3. Why did State Records fail to meet their target of 2017-18 target of 6,400 items loaned to government agencies?

4. Why do the budget papers predict a decrease of 300 items loaned to government agencies?

5. What kind of items are loaned to government agencies?

6. Why do the budget papers predict a reduction of 700 items retrieved by members of the public, and what kind of items are retrieved?

7. Why do the budget papers predict 5,000 fewer items being digitised, and what kind of items are being digitised?

8. Why do the budget papers predict an increase of 500 records and archive inquiries? How many of these additional inquiries are likely to come from ministerial offices?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer): The Attorney-General has provided the following advice:

1. The decrease in visitor numbers reflects records becoming accessible online.

2. Refer to question I.

3. & 4. Loans to government agencies are based on demand from those agencies.

5. Agencies are able to loan records that they have created and transferred to the state archive, under certain conditions.

6. Refer to question 1.

7. The predicted decrease in the number of items digitised is based on the expected availability of volunteers.

8. The level of inquiries is dependent on the need of agencies and the predicted increase is based on recent trends. It is unlikely that there will be a marked increase in the number of inquiries from ministerial offices.