The National Archives of Australia Advisory Council (the Council) is established under subsection 10(1) of the Archives Act 1983. The main purpose of the Council is to provide advice to the Minister responsible for the National Archives of Australia and the Director-General on matters that relate to the National Archives.

Under section 11 of the Archives Act, the Council is an advisory body with the following functions:

1. The Council shall furnish advice to the Minister and the Director-General with respect to matters to which the functions of the Archives relate.
2. The Minister or the Director-General may refer any matter of the kind referred to in subsection (1) (above) to the Council for advice and the Council may, if it thinks fit, consider and advise the Minister or the Director-General on a matter of that kind of its own motion.

Council membership

The Archives Act provides for a Council consisting of:

• one senator chosen by the Senate
• one member of the House of Representatives chosen by the House
• 11 other members appointed by the Minister.

Members serve for terms not exceeding three years, and may serve an additional term. Council membership during 2018–19 comprised:

• Dr Denver Beanland (Chair)
• Mr Christopher Puplick AM (Deputy Chair) (to 29 April 2019)
• Ms Jade Balfour
• Professor (Emeritus) Peter Boyce AO
• Mr Adam Creighton
• Ms Suzanne Hampel OAM (from 8 March 2019)
• Ms Anne Henderson AM
• Mr David Irvine AO (to 23 November 2018)
• Dr Rosemary Laing
• Dr Phil Robertson FTSE
• Professor (Emeritus) Sally Walker AM
• Professor John Williams.

Parliamentary representation

• The Hon Jane Prentice MP (last meeting 20 March 2019)
• Senator Claire Moore (to 30 June 2019).

National Archives of Australia Advisory Council. Back row from left: Dr Phil Robertson FTSE, Mr David Irvine AO, Professor John Williams, Dr Rosemary Laing. Middle row from left: Mr Adam Creighton, Professor (Emertius) Sally Walker AM, The Hon Jane Prentice MP, Senator Claire Moore, Professor (Emeritus) Peter Boyce AO. Front row from left: Dr Denver Beanland, Ms Jade Balfour, Ms Anne Henderson AM, Mr Christopher Puplick AM. Absent: Ms Suzanne Hampel OAM

Summary of activities

The Council met four times in 2018–19.