By 3 News online staff
The shelving of a project to move the Treaty of Waitangi to the National Library is a sign of "complete failure" by the Government, Labour says.
Internal Affairs chief executive Colin MacDonald says the Active Archives project will not meet its deadline of April 2014 because "issues have been identified that mean this timeline is unachievable".
The project, like the Government Digital Archive Programme, has been placed under review at the request of Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain.
Labour's associate arts, culture and heritage spokesman Grant Robertson believes the Active Archives project was "ill-conceived" from the start.
"Ministers were advised in 2012 that upgrading the existing purpose-built Treaty room at Archives NZ would cost $1.9 million, but instead opted for a $6.7 million move to the National Library a few hundred metres down the road."
The move was meant to be done this year, but has already been delayed until April next year.
"Now whether it even happens is in doubt," Mr Robertson says.
Mr Robertson believes there has been internal conflict during the project and poor consultation with Maori.
"These two botched projects represent a massive waste of resources. Chris Tremain needs to front up to the public and say how much money has already been spent for no return."
Officials told a parliamentary select committee last week Mr Tremain had been briefed throughout the failed Digital Archive Programme.
Mr MacDonald contends both projects are within their respective budgets. The review will consider "the circumstances surrounding these initiatives and the factors that have contributed to their current state", he says.
It will also look into possible changes which could improve management of other projects by Archives New Zealand.
3 News
source: newshub archive