Hello Everyone I would like to share with you this article from (Australian Family Tree Connections) After which I would liek your views. As well I would like us to band together and do something about it. "Threat to research" Researches in NSW and other states/Territories of Australia could see in the very near future the closure of any government record in which people are named. The reason is that if Australia is to trade with the European Economic Union it has to have privacy laws in place. Draft Commonwealth Privacy legislation is currently before the Federal and NSW State (at least) govermnents. However, in drafting these new privacy laws, it has been forgotten that the tools of trade of historians are records. In NSW the intestate records for 1880 to 1914 have already been closed- these are records about people who have died 86 to 120 years ago. I would appreciate your views on how we can stop the government from putting on more closures. We could write to the minister who is (The Hon B Debus, MP Attorney General) PO Box A290 South Sydney NSW 1232 We must not let this government interfere with our family history. Regards Grahame James

Thank you, Grahame, for alerting us to the threat of file withdrawal/destruction? I am concerned, as are you, obviously, about the long term effect of this action should it proceed to the conclusions we fear. Is the answer privately owned CDs? How may that be achieved - assuming that we started yesterday, what an onerous task to attempt, and probably ludicrous to contemplate. But privately owned records may be another solution. If there was a way to convince the relevant authorities to deed the records to reputable organisations for the purpose of family historians only. The key lies in the term ' Government Record'. Does that mean owned by, or collected by? If it is a simple matter of ownership, my suggestion may work. If, on the other hand, it refers to the collection of records - which would include electoral roles etc, then there is indeed the need to raise a very loud voice. I wonder how many biographical, and non-fictional books will need to be removed from libraries around the country. What do I do with my copies of Manning Clarke? I will not let my fingers run on, my mind is struggling to grapple with feasible and rational implications and alternatives. The MP you mention - is he Federal? (not good on Politics <g>). We need more information - ALL the information. We need the guidelines that determine precisely which records must go, and why, and we need to know if it is possible to delete part of sensitive entries which are obviously causing consternation 'over there', without losing the crucial information our family historians need to collect. And most of all, we need to convince the unconverted that working on one's family history is NOT just a pleasurable past-time that could be substituted by gardening, or teaching the budgie to talk. So, if any realistic, legal and feasible proposals are made, please put them to air, and if urgent transcribing at the home level is required - I will do what I can. cheers, Nandina ----- Original Message ----- From: Grahame James <grahamej@viper.net.au> To: <AUSTRALIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, November 10, 2000 6:36 AM Subject: INTESTATE FILES > Hello Everyone > > I would like to share with you this article from (Australian Family Tree > Connections) After which I would liek your views. As well I would like > us to band together and do something about it. > > "Threat to research" > Researches in NSW and other states/Territories of Australia could see in > the very near future the closure of any government record in which > people are named. The reason is that if Australia is to trade with the > European Economic Union it has to have privacy laws in place. Draft > Commonwealth Privacy legislation is currently before the Federal and NSW > State (at least) govermnents. > > However, in drafting these new privacy laws, it has been forgotten that > the tools of trade of historians are records. In NSW the intestate > records for 1880 to 1914 have already been closed- these are records > about people who have died 86 to 120 years ago. > > I would appreciate your views on how we can stop the government from > putting on more closures. > > We could write to the minister who is (The Hon B Debus, MP Attorney > General) > PO Box A290 South Sydney NSW 1232 > > We must not let this government interfere with our family history. > > Regards > > Grahame James > > > > ==== AUSTRALIA Mailing List ==== > Ray White's Vintage Phones > http://www.southernx.com.au/vintagephones/ > > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog >