Greetings all,
I have a request for some assistance.... it is my understanding that the
Department of Environment and Heritage is seriously considering closing its
library. Not only is the library at DEH a public resource that contains an
extensive collection of books and reports on the environment and related
issues, it should be an important source of information for the policy
makers in the department.
I am concerned about the potential impacts of this proposal and have written
to the Secretary of the Department, David Borthwick (email:
the Minister, Ian Campbell (email:
the opposition spokesperson, Anthony
Albanese (email: and the relevant branch head
within the department, Peter Woods (email:
If you are similarly concerned, could I ask you to write to these people
requesting a reconsideration. For your background, I have included a copy
of my email at the end of this request.
Thanks,
Paul
"Paul Mahoney"
To
cc
Subject Deteriorating quality of decision-making at DEH
Dear Sirs,
I understand that serious consideration is being given to closing the
library at the Department of Environment and Heritage.
While I am not an officer of DEH, I have been a wildlife researcher for
more
than twenty years. As a result, I am keenly aware of the responsibility
that all Australians have to the unique environment in which we live. As
Australians, we have authorised DEH to have primary responsibility for
formulating policy concerning the environment and advising the Government
on
environmental issues.
As well as being a wildlife researcher, I am an executive in the
Commonwealth public service. In this role, I understand the importance and
centrality of high quality information in the policy formulation and
decision making process. One of the key resources for information and
knowledge management is our libraries.
Closing a library may realise a short-term budgetary saving to the
Department, but it is also incurring a significant long-term cost: the
store of information in a library, and the service provided by the
professionally trained staff working therein, may be difficult to value
monetarily however all of the knowledge management literature suggests that
the return is far greater than the investment.
If my information is correct, and the library at DEH is to close, then it
can only be to the detriment of the quality of the service provided by DEH
to the Government and to the Australian public as a whole. Given the
importance currently placed on environmental issues (witness the funding
for
the Murray-Darling in the recent budget), this decision appears misguided
at
best.
For your consideration,
Paul Mahoney
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