❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the cost and access to records management and archiving services within the Energy portfolio, answered by Synergy, Horizon Power and Western Power.
AnsweredQoN 1354Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to records management and archiving, and I ask: (a) for
each of the last five financial years finishing 2016-17, for each Government
agency within the Minister’s portfolio, could the Minister please provide the
cost of records archiving services including: (i) collection; (ii) storage; (iii) retrieval; and (iv) destruction; (b) for each of the last five financial years,
finishing 2016-17, for each Government agency within the Minister’s portfolio,
could the Minister please provide the cost of records management consultancy
services provided by: (i) the
State Records Office; and (ii) private consultants and/or consultancy
businesses; and (c) for
each Government agency reporting to the Minister, could the Minister please
explain the process by which records held offsite by third-party private
companies can be searched and accessed by: (i) members of the agency; (ii) members of other Government agencies; (iii) members of academia; and (iv) members of the public?
refer to records management and archiving, and I ask: (a) for
each of the last five financial years finishing 2016-17, for each Government
agency within the Minister’s portfolio, could the Minister please provide the
cost of records archiving services including: (i) collection; (ii) storage; (iii) retrieval; and (iv) destruction; (b) for each of the last five financial years,
finishing 2016-17, for each Government agency within the Minister’s portfolio,
could the Minister please provide the cost of records management consultancy
services provided by: (i) the
State Records Office; and (ii) private consultants and/or consultancy
businesses; and (c) for
each Government agency reporting to the Minister, could the Minister please
explain the process by which records held offsite by third-party private
companies can be searched and accessed by: (i) members of the agency; (ii) members of other Government agencies; (iii) members of academia; and (iv) members of the public?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 August 2018
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Energy
Response time
9 days
Synergy
(a)
Year
Collection
Storage
Retrieval
Destruction
Total
2012-13
$ 1,924.60
$ 43,888.23
$ 2,583.30
$ 48,396.13
2013-14
$ 4,766.88
$ 46,775.33
$ 4,249.98
$ 1661.25
$ 57,453.44
2014-15
$ 8,192.90
$ 44,022.75
$ 1,939.00
$ 54,154.65
2015-16
$ 3,250.66
$ 40,202.36
$ 1,040.36
$ 44,493.38
2016-17
$ 377.39
$ 29,691.91
$ 723.53
$ 30,792.83
TOTAL
$ 18,512.43
$ 204,580.58
$ 10,536.17
$ 1,661.25
$ 235,290.43
(b)(i) the State Records Office: Nil
(ii) private consultants and/or consultancy businesses:
Company
Scope
Date
Amount (exc GST)
Iris Consulting
Review of Synergy (electricity generation and retail corporation) record keeping plan
Dec-15
$ 6,000
Iris Consulting
Record Keeping Plan Development
Dec-16
$ 127,880
(c)(i) members of the agency:
(ii) members of other Government agencies;
(iii) members of academia:
(iv) members of the public:
Horizon Power
(a)(i) Incorporated in item (ii) cost
(ii) $299,933.55
(iii) Incorporated in item (ii) cost
(iv) Incorporated in item (ii) cost
(b)(i) Not applicable
(ii) $91,769.93
(c)(i) To request a record(s) from offsite storage, a search of the record can be conducted against the file number and file title of the file required. The archivist will then consult a master spreadsheet that contains the details of all the boxes and files that are stored in offsite storage. The archivist then locates the box with the files in it and orders it through the offsite company’s ordering system. Individual boxes are uniquely identified ensuring that records are accurately tracked. All Horizon Power employees and staff have access to the spreadsheet (read only) so any files they are looking for can be returned to them by the archivist from offsite storage.
(ii) Members of other Government Agencies cannot directly search and access Horizon Power’s records. Some records may be accessed through the Freedom of Information request process. If the record is with other Electricity Agencies, an agreement is in place that allows for the exchange of records. The agreement is called the caretaker arrangement and Horizon Power, Verve, Synergy and Western Power can share records through this arrangement. This arrangement has been in place since 2006 as a result of the disaggregation of Western Power.
(iii) Members of Academia cannot directly search and access Horizon Power’s records. Some records may be accessed through the Freedom of Information request process.
(iv) Members of the public cannot directly search and access Horizon Power’s records. Some records may be accessed through the Freedom of Information request process.
Western Power
(a)(i-iv) Collection; storage; retrievals; and destruction.
Financial Years
Excluding GST
Including GST
2012 / 2013
155841.40
171425.55
2013 / 2014
146314.63
147980.15
2014 / 2015
114778.92
126256.81
2015 / 2016
77717.38
85487.17
2016 / 2017
77763.31
85457.83
Information in the format requested is not available. Western Power only keeps these figures in aggregate as there is no commercial or compliance reason to do so.
(b)(i-ii)Western Power has not engaged with the State Records Office’s on-site consultancy service or a private consultant and/or consultancy business for records management for the last five years ending 2016-2017. Western Power’s recordkeeping compliance is supported by qualified records management professionals within the Information Compliance Team.
(c) Access to Western Power’s offsite records held by the approved third party provider is restricted to the Information Compliance Team only.
(i) All queries and access to Western Power’s offsite records requested by Western Power staff are evaluated and managed by the records management professionals of the Information Compliance Team through established protocols.
(ii-iv) All queries and access to Western Power's offsite records requested by members of other Government agencies; members of academia; and members of the public are received via:
- Freedom of Information (FOI);
- Legal discovery;
- Parliamentary Enquiry/Special Enquiry; or
- Request for Information.
Requests are evaluated through established protocols to ensure confidentiality and privacy is not breached. If the request is legitimate and appropriate, the Information Compliance Team conducts the record search and arranges the retrieval of the offsite records to Western Power offices to then provide access to the requestor.
Caretaker Records and Archives
The Western Power Information Compliance team provides a Caretaker role that is responsible for the ongoing retention, management and administration of the residual records of Western Power Corporation pre-disaggregation in April 2006. This includes all records of the previous forms of Western Power Corporation such as SECWA/SEC, etc.
The Caretaker function operates as a ring fenced entity and is managed under a contract, under which Synergy and Horizon Power may seek access to the residual records as required. Caretaker processes these requests.
Synergy, Horizon Power and Western Power share the cost of the provision of the caretaker service.
(a)(i-iv)
Collection; storage; retrievals; and destruction
Financial Years
Excluding GST
Including GST
2012 / 2013
42804.97
47085.45
2013 / 2014
42349.73
46584.71
2014 / 2015
32070.29
35277.31
2015 / 2016
20275.61
22299.45
2016 / 2017
22110.03
22110.03
Information in the format requested is not available. Western Power only keeps these figures in aggregate, as there is no commercial or compliance reason to do so.
(b)(i-ii)
Caretaker has not engaged with the State Records Office on-site consultancy service or a private consultant and/or consultancy business for records management for the last five years ending 2016-2017.
As per the Caretaker contract requirement, Caretaker’s recordkeeping compliance is managed by qualified records management professionals under the caretaker role within Western Power.
(c) As per Caretaker contract, access to the Caretaker’s offsite records held by the approved third party provider is restricted to the Caretaker role only.
(c)(i-iv) As per contractual obligations and conditions all queries and access to Caretaker’s offsite records requested by the customers of the contract including Western Power, Horizon Power, Synergy, members of other Government agencies; members of academia; and members of the public are received via:
- Freedom of Information (FOI);
- Legal discovery;
- Parliamentary Enquiry/Special Enquiry; or
- Request for Information.
Requests are evaluated and managed by the Caretaker role through established protocols and adhere to contract conditions.
If the request is legitimate and approved under the terms of the contract terms, the Caretaker conducts the record search and arranges the retrieval of the offsite records to then provide access to the requestor.
(a)
Year
Collection
Storage
Retrieval
Destruction
Total
2012-13
$ 1,924.60
$ 43,888.23
$ 2,583.30
$ 48,396.13
2013-14
$ 4,766.88
$ 46,775.33
$ 4,249.98
$ 1661.25
$ 57,453.44
2014-15
$ 8,192.90
$ 44,022.75
$ 1,939.00
$ 54,154.65
2015-16
$ 3,250.66
$ 40,202.36
$ 1,040.36
$ 44,493.38
2016-17
$ 377.39
$ 29,691.91
$ 723.53
$ 30,792.83
TOTAL
$ 18,512.43
$ 204,580.58
$ 10,536.17
$ 1,661.25
$ 235,290.43
(b)(i) the State Records Office: Nil
(ii) private consultants and/or consultancy businesses:
Company
Scope
Date
Amount (exc GST)
Iris Consulting
Review of Synergy (electricity generation and retail corporation) record keeping plan
Dec-15
$ 6,000
Iris Consulting
Record Keeping Plan Development
Dec-16
$ 127,880
(c)(i) members of the agency:
(ii) members of other Government agencies;
(iii) members of academia:
(iv) members of the public:
Horizon Power
(a)(i) Incorporated in item (ii) cost
(ii) $299,933.55
(iii) Incorporated in item (ii) cost
(iv) Incorporated in item (ii) cost
(b)(i) Not applicable
(ii) $91,769.93
(c)(i) To request a record(s) from offsite storage, a search of the record can be conducted against the file number and file title of the file required. The archivist will then consult a master spreadsheet that contains the details of all the boxes and files that are stored in offsite storage. The archivist then locates the box with the files in it and orders it through the offsite company’s ordering system. Individual boxes are uniquely identified ensuring that records are accurately tracked. All Horizon Power employees and staff have access to the spreadsheet (read only) so any files they are looking for can be returned to them by the archivist from offsite storage.
(ii) Members of other Government Agencies cannot directly search and access Horizon Power’s records. Some records may be accessed through the Freedom of Information request process. If the record is with other Electricity Agencies, an agreement is in place that allows for the exchange of records. The agreement is called the caretaker arrangement and Horizon Power, Verve, Synergy and Western Power can share records through this arrangement. This arrangement has been in place since 2006 as a result of the disaggregation of Western Power.
(iii) Members of Academia cannot directly search and access Horizon Power’s records. Some records may be accessed through the Freedom of Information request process.
(iv) Members of the public cannot directly search and access Horizon Power’s records. Some records may be accessed through the Freedom of Information request process.
Western Power
(a)(i-iv) Collection; storage; retrievals; and destruction.
Financial Years
Excluding GST
Including GST
2012 / 2013
155841.40
171425.55
2013 / 2014
146314.63
147980.15
2014 / 2015
114778.92
126256.81
2015 / 2016
77717.38
85487.17
2016 / 2017
77763.31
85457.83
Information in the format requested is not available. Western Power only keeps these figures in aggregate as there is no commercial or compliance reason to do so.
(b)(i-ii)Western Power has not engaged with the State Records Office’s on-site consultancy service or a private consultant and/or consultancy business for records management for the last five years ending 2016-2017. Western Power’s recordkeeping compliance is supported by qualified records management professionals within the Information Compliance Team.
(c) Access to Western Power’s offsite records held by the approved third party provider is restricted to the Information Compliance Team only.
(i) All queries and access to Western Power’s offsite records requested by Western Power staff are evaluated and managed by the records management professionals of the Information Compliance Team through established protocols.
(ii-iv) All queries and access to Western Power's offsite records requested by members of other Government agencies; members of academia; and members of the public are received via:
- Freedom of Information (FOI);
- Legal discovery;
- Parliamentary Enquiry/Special Enquiry; or
- Request for Information.
Requests are evaluated through established protocols to ensure confidentiality and privacy is not breached. If the request is legitimate and appropriate, the Information Compliance Team conducts the record search and arranges the retrieval of the offsite records to Western Power offices to then provide access to the requestor.
Caretaker Records and Archives
The Western Power Information Compliance team provides a Caretaker role that is responsible for the ongoing retention, management and administration of the residual records of Western Power Corporation pre-disaggregation in April 2006. This includes all records of the previous forms of Western Power Corporation such as SECWA/SEC, etc.
The Caretaker function operates as a ring fenced entity and is managed under a contract, under which Synergy and Horizon Power may seek access to the residual records as required. Caretaker processes these requests.
Synergy, Horizon Power and Western Power share the cost of the provision of the caretaker service.
(a)(i-iv)
Collection; storage; retrievals; and destruction
Financial Years
Excluding GST
Including GST
2012 / 2013
42804.97
47085.45
2013 / 2014
42349.73
46584.71
2014 / 2015
32070.29
35277.31
2015 / 2016
20275.61
22299.45
2016 / 2017
22110.03
22110.03
Information in the format requested is not available. Western Power only keeps these figures in aggregate, as there is no commercial or compliance reason to do so.
(b)(i-ii)
Caretaker has not engaged with the State Records Office on-site consultancy service or a private consultant and/or consultancy business for records management for the last five years ending 2016-2017.
As per the Caretaker contract requirement, Caretaker’s recordkeeping compliance is managed by qualified records management professionals under the caretaker role within Western Power.
(c) As per Caretaker contract, access to the Caretaker’s offsite records held by the approved third party provider is restricted to the Caretaker role only.
(c)(i-iv) As per contractual obligations and conditions all queries and access to Caretaker’s offsite records requested by the customers of the contract including Western Power, Horizon Power, Synergy, members of other Government agencies; members of academia; and members of the public are received via:
- Freedom of Information (FOI);
- Legal discovery;
- Parliamentary Enquiry/Special Enquiry; or
- Request for Information.
Requests are evaluated and managed by the Caretaker role through established protocols and adhere to contract conditions.
If the request is legitimate and approved under the terms of the contract terms, the Caretaker conducts the record search and arranges the retrieval of the offsite records to then provide access to the requestor.
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