❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the State Records Office's guidance on managing COVID-19 information, focusing on document retention, disposal, and Freedom of Information implications. The response clarifies the guidance's nature and its impact on government organisations.
AnsweredQoN 692Legislative Assembly
Asked
14 February 2023
Member
Portfolio
Culture and the Arts; Sport and Recreation; International Education; Heritage
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the State Records Office updated Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information (the policy): (a) Please list all types of documents that would be considered “Other COVID-19 information that has enduring value”; (b) How many of the documents included in (a) have been charged with failing to dispose of COVID-19 information; (c) How does the policy interact with the 2021-010 Ad Hoc Disposal Authority; (d) What metadata is captured by the policy; (e) How many State government organisations are still required to collect COVID-19 declarations and report this to the State Records Office: (i) Please detail the organisations and the time they are still required to collect COVID-19 declarations; (f) How many Freedom of Information requests relating to COVID-19 information will be impacted by the policy; and (g) Has the State Records Office been called before the Independent Expert Review of Western Australia's COVID-19 Management and Response?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 March 2023
Responded by
Minister for Culture and the Arts; Sport and Recreation; International Education; Heritage
Response time
6 days
(a) These are records described under Step 5 in the document 'Records Management Advice:
Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information', which describes:
(b) None.
(c) The document 'Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information' is not a policy. The document is guidance regarding the application of existing disposal authorities for State records.
2021-010 Ad Hoc Disposal Authority is a disposal authority and sets out minimum retention periods and disposal actions. (d) The document 'Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information' is not a policy. The document is guidance regarding the application of existing disposal authorities for State records.
Metadata collected or created by State Government organisations under the jurisdiction of the State Records Act 2000 is considered a State record and subject to the requirements of the Act. (e-i) There are currently no mandatory requirements to collect COVID-19 related information under the Public Health Act 2016 . However, the public are still encouraged to register positive COVID test results online and in some cases, evidence of health status may still be required e.g., applications for COVID-19 leave. These records must be managed according to requirements of the State Records Act 2000 .
The types of information collected by government organisations under the jurisdiction of the State Records Act 2000 are required to be described in their Record Keeping Plans. (f) The document 'Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information' is not a policy. The document is guidance regarding the application of existing disposal authorities for State records and does not change existing obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 1993 .
(g) No
Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information', which describes:
(b) None.
(c) The document 'Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information' is not a policy. The document is guidance regarding the application of existing disposal authorities for State records.
2021-010 Ad Hoc Disposal Authority is a disposal authority and sets out minimum retention periods and disposal actions. (d) The document 'Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information' is not a policy. The document is guidance regarding the application of existing disposal authorities for State records.
Metadata collected or created by State Government organisations under the jurisdiction of the State Records Act 2000 is considered a State record and subject to the requirements of the Act. (e-i) There are currently no mandatory requirements to collect COVID-19 related information under the Public Health Act 2016 . However, the public are still encouraged to register positive COVID test results online and in some cases, evidence of health status may still be required e.g., applications for COVID-19 leave. These records must be managed according to requirements of the State Records Act 2000 .
The types of information collected by government organisations under the jurisdiction of the State Records Act 2000 are required to be described in their Record Keeping Plans. (f) The document 'Records Management Advice: Retention and Disposal of COVID-19 Information' is not a policy. The document is guidance regarding the application of existing disposal authorities for State records and does not change existing obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 1993 .
(g) No
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