Appointments to National Archives of Australia Advisory Council

The Albanese Labor Government has today announced the appointments of Ms Nicola Laurent and Dr Kirsten Thorpe as members of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council, each for three-year terms.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the skills and experience of both appointees will be an asset to the Council.

“The National Archives houses and preserves some of the most important records that tell the story of our country.

“A key part of Revive – Australia’s new National Cultural Policy – is strong cultural infrastructure.

“I know that Nicola and Kirsten will work to ensure a strong future for this important Australian institution.”

Ms Nicola Laurent is currently the President of the Australian Society of Archivists and the Senior Project Archivist on the Department of Social Services’ ‘Find & Connect’ web resource team, hosted at the University of Melbourne. She is also the New Professionals Programme Coordinator for the International Council on Archives, and a Member of the Australian Libraries and Archives Copyright Coalition Committee and the GLAM Peak Committee.

Dr Kirsten Thorpe is a Chancellor's Postdoctoral Indigenous Research Fellow at Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research, University of Technology Sydney. Her previous roles include Senior Researcher at the Institute and Manager, Indigenous Services at the State Library of New South Wales. She is currently a member of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Expert Working Group, a Museums Victoria Honorary Associate and an Invited Member on the International Council on Archives Expert Group on Indigenous Matters. Dr Thorpe is a Worimi woman from the Port Stephens region.