❓ A WA parliamentary question examines the compliance of agencies within the Premier's portfolios with digital recordkeeping standards (SRC 8). Responses reveal varying levels of compliance and transparency across departments.
AnsweredQoN 2927Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In Western Australia, a mandatory requirement for agencies to identify and manage State archives in digital format was introduced when the State Records Commission adopted SRC 8 (Digital Recordkeeping) with the Standard coming into operation in February 2008. In relation to each agency and department in the Premier’s portfolios, I ask:
(a) how many data sets and/or digital records have been identified by each agency for preservation as digital archives pursuant to Principle 5 of SRC 8;
(b) is there is a publicly accessible register that describes data sets and classes of records identified as digital archives in the Premier’s departments and agencies; and
(i) if not, why not, and when is it the Premier’s intention to publish such a register;
(c) if such a transparent register does not currently exist, what assurance can the Premier’s give that digital archives of the State within his portfolios are being identified and managed in accordance with the requirements of SRC 8; and
(d) what funding has been allocated within the Premier’s portfolios, or provided by the State Records Office, to provide agencies with training and instruction on how to comply with SRC 8?
(a) how many data sets and/or digital records have been identified by each agency for preservation as digital archives pursuant to Principle 5 of SRC 8;
(b) is there is a publicly accessible register that describes data sets and classes of records identified as digital archives in the Premier’s departments and agencies; and
(i) if not, why not, and when is it the Premier’s intention to publish such a register;
(c) if such a transparent register does not currently exist, what assurance can the Premier’s give that digital archives of the State within his portfolios are being identified and managed in accordance with the requirements of SRC 8; and
(d) what funding has been allocated within the Premier’s portfolios, or provided by the State Records Office, to provide agencies with training and instruction on how to comply with SRC 8?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 June 2010
Response time
34 days
Government agencies in the Premier's portfolio advise:
Department of the Premier and Cabinet:
(a) None. Archival value records in the custody and control of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) are managed as paper records in accordance with the Record Keeping Plan, the most recent revision of which was fully approved by the State Records Commission on 7 April 2010.
(b) Yes. Information about accessing collections of records in the custody and control of the DPC is readily available through the processes detailed in the Record Keeping Plan. This document is available upon request.
(i) Not applicable
(c)Not applicable
(d) None. Record awareness training is carried out as an operational activity within existing budgets.
Public Sector Commissioner:
(a) None. Archival value records in the custody and control of the Public Sector Commission (PSC) are managed as paper records in accordance with the Record Keeping Plan, the most recent revision of which was fully approved by the State Records Commission on 2 October 2009.
(b) Yes. Information about accessing collections of records in the custody and control of the PSC is readily available through the processes detailed in the Record Keeping Plan. This document is available upon request;
(bi - c) Not applicable
(d) None. Record awareness training is carried out as an operational activity within existing budgets.
Department of State Development:
(a) All of the Department of State Development's present datasets and digital records have been identified for eventual preservation as digital archives.
The Department is relatively new and is currently defining all corporate information (as the Department has been formed from multiple previous organisations) and is refining the Retention and Disposition Schedule to account for all previous versions of archived information. All paper-based archives stored both on the premises and offsite are to be archived digitally as part of ongoing internal records improvement projects.
All new active records are captured digitally using internationally recognised formats and committed to records files and stored electronically, and indexed through a corporate EDRMS to include classification and imbedded metadata. Metadata is stored in compliance with Principal 5.1 of SRC 8. Any system planning or migration to new hardware or systems takes into account Principal 5.2 of SRC 8.
(b) No.
(i) There is no legal requirement to publish a register of this type and no mechanism exists within the State Records Commission to host such a system.
(c) The Department has identified the risks and costs associated with the storage of paper based archives and is making plans to migrate this content to electronic format. Only current active records that are in digital format are being managed in accordance within the requirements of SRC 8.
(d) Costs for training and instruction on compliance with SRC 8 are managed within existing departmental budgets.
Acting Commissioner of the Public Sector Standards:
(a) None. Archival value records in the custody and control of the Public Office of the Public Sector Standards Commission (OPSSC) are managed as paper records in accordance with the Record Keeping Plan, the most recent revision of which was fully approved by the State Records Commission on 7 April 2010.
(b) Yes. Information about accessing collections of records in the custody and control of OPSSC is readily available through the processes detailed in the Record Keeping Plan.
(c) Not applicable
(d) None. Record awareness training is carried out as an operational activity within existing budgets.
Gold Corporation:
(a) Gold Corporation has identified it's digital records for preservation through our Retention and Disposal Schedule.
(b) Gold Corporation's Retention and Disposal Schedule describes the data sets and classes of records identified as digital archives and publican can request access.
(i) Gold Corporation considers a lot of these records to be sensitive or of a confidential nature.
(c) Gold Corporation's digital records are captured in our Electronic Records Management System and archival records are identified through our Retention and Disposal Schedule.
(d) Gold Corporation is not aware of any funding arrangements.
Lotterywest:
(a) Lotterywest currently employs paper-based records systems and therefore has no data sets and/or digital records for preservation as digital archives.
(b) Lotterywest currently has no publicly accessible register for data sets and digital archives.
(i) As Lotterywest has no digital archives there is currently no requirement for a register.
(c-d) Not applicable.
Insurance Commission of WA
One digital data set of archival value exists within the Insurance Commission.. All other significant records are on paper.
(a-c) The Insurance Commission has in place a State Records Office approved Retention and Disposal Authority which identifies record sets that are of State Archival value. A copy of this Retention and Disposal Authority is held for the record with the State Records Office.
(d) Records Management training is encapsulated in the training budget for all Insurance Commission staff, this training includes all Records Management compliance issues.
Office of the Auditor General
(a) The Office of the Auditor General has not identified any data sets or digital records for preservation at this time..
(b)-d) Not Applicable.
Western Australian Treasury Corporation
(a) The Western Australian Treasury Corporation (WATC) has an approved Recordkeeping Plan and the WATC currently manages six corporate databases which include records which are digital archives.
(b) No.
(i)WATC's digital archives contain commercially confidential information and information covered by privacy laws. They are however documented in WATC's Recordkeeping Plan.
(c) As stated in (a), WATC has an approved Recordkeeping Plan,. The Recordkeeping Plan documents WATC's policies and procedures and strategies in place for the ongoing and long term management and preservation of its digital records for as long as they are required, in compliance with SRC Standard 8 Principle 5.
(d) WATC funds training for its Information Technology staff, including Records Management staff.
Department of Treasury and Finance
(a) Nil. The Department of Treasury and Finance has a current practice of printing and registering to a paper file any digital archival documents for future preservation.
(b) The Department of Treasury and Finance uses approved electronic and document records management systems (CUA 80056) as its recordkeeping systems which is not a publicly accessible register.
(b i- c) Not applicable
(d) Training about our State Records responsibilities is provided as part of the staff induction program. However, there is no specific funding for State Records training.
GESB
(a) No data sets or digital records have been identified by GESB for preservation as a digital archive under Principle 5 of SRC 8. GESB's records are only disposed of once their archival value has been determined and in accordance with its Retention and Disposal Schedule.
(b) There is no publicly accessible register held in GESB, as no digital archives have been identified.
(b i - c) Not Applicable.
(d) No funding has been provided by GESB to provide training and instruction on how to comply with SRC 8.
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Department of the Premier and Cabinet:
(a) None. Archival value records in the custody and control of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) are managed as paper records in accordance with the Record Keeping Plan, the most recent revision of which was fully approved by the State Records Commission on 7 April 2010.
(b) Yes. Information about accessing collections of records in the custody and control of the DPC is readily available through the processes detailed in the Record Keeping Plan. This document is available upon request.
(i) Not applicable
(c)Not applicable
(d) None. Record awareness training is carried out as an operational activity within existing budgets.
Public Sector Commissioner:
(a) None. Archival value records in the custody and control of the Public Sector Commission (PSC) are managed as paper records in accordance with the Record Keeping Plan, the most recent revision of which was fully approved by the State Records Commission on 2 October 2009.
(b) Yes. Information about accessing collections of records in the custody and control of the PSC is readily available through the processes detailed in the Record Keeping Plan. This document is available upon request;
(bi - c) Not applicable
(d) None. Record awareness training is carried out as an operational activity within existing budgets.
Department of State Development:
(a) All of the Department of State Development's present datasets and digital records have been identified for eventual preservation as digital archives.
The Department is relatively new and is currently defining all corporate information (as the Department has been formed from multiple previous organisations) and is refining the Retention and Disposition Schedule to account for all previous versions of archived information. All paper-based archives stored both on the premises and offsite are to be archived digitally as part of ongoing internal records improvement projects.
All new active records are captured digitally using internationally recognised formats and committed to records files and stored electronically, and indexed through a corporate EDRMS to include classification and imbedded metadata. Metadata is stored in compliance with Principal 5.1 of SRC 8. Any system planning or migration to new hardware or systems takes into account Principal 5.2 of SRC 8.
(b) No.
(i) There is no legal requirement to publish a register of this type and no mechanism exists within the State Records Commission to host such a system.
(c) The Department has identified the risks and costs associated with the storage of paper based archives and is making plans to migrate this content to electronic format. Only current active records that are in digital format are being managed in accordance within the requirements of SRC 8.
(d) Costs for training and instruction on compliance with SRC 8 are managed within existing departmental budgets.
Acting Commissioner of the Public Sector Standards:
(a) None. Archival value records in the custody and control of the Public Office of the Public Sector Standards Commission (OPSSC) are managed as paper records in accordance with the Record Keeping Plan, the most recent revision of which was fully approved by the State Records Commission on 7 April 2010.
(b) Yes. Information about accessing collections of records in the custody and control of OPSSC is readily available through the processes detailed in the Record Keeping Plan.
(c) Not applicable
(d) None. Record awareness training is carried out as an operational activity within existing budgets.
Gold Corporation:
(a) Gold Corporation has identified it's digital records for preservation through our Retention and Disposal Schedule.
(b) Gold Corporation's Retention and Disposal Schedule describes the data sets and classes of records identified as digital archives and publican can request access.
(i) Gold Corporation considers a lot of these records to be sensitive or of a confidential nature.
(c) Gold Corporation's digital records are captured in our Electronic Records Management System and archival records are identified through our Retention and Disposal Schedule.
(d) Gold Corporation is not aware of any funding arrangements.
Lotterywest:
(a) Lotterywest currently employs paper-based records systems and therefore has no data sets and/or digital records for preservation as digital archives.
(b) Lotterywest currently has no publicly accessible register for data sets and digital archives.
(i) As Lotterywest has no digital archives there is currently no requirement for a register.
(c-d) Not applicable.
Insurance Commission of WA
One digital data set of archival value exists within the Insurance Commission.. All other significant records are on paper.
(a-c) The Insurance Commission has in place a State Records Office approved Retention and Disposal Authority which identifies record sets that are of State Archival value. A copy of this Retention and Disposal Authority is held for the record with the State Records Office.
(d) Records Management training is encapsulated in the training budget for all Insurance Commission staff, this training includes all Records Management compliance issues.
Office of the Auditor General
(a) The Office of the Auditor General has not identified any data sets or digital records for preservation at this time..
(b)-d) Not Applicable.
Western Australian Treasury Corporation
(a) The Western Australian Treasury Corporation (WATC) has an approved Recordkeeping Plan and the WATC currently manages six corporate databases which include records which are digital archives.
(b) No.
(i)WATC's digital archives contain commercially confidential information and information covered by privacy laws. They are however documented in WATC's Recordkeeping Plan.
(c) As stated in (a), WATC has an approved Recordkeeping Plan,. The Recordkeeping Plan documents WATC's policies and procedures and strategies in place for the ongoing and long term management and preservation of its digital records for as long as they are required, in compliance with SRC Standard 8 Principle 5.
(d) WATC funds training for its Information Technology staff, including Records Management staff.
Department of Treasury and Finance
(a) Nil. The Department of Treasury and Finance has a current practice of printing and registering to a paper file any digital archival documents for future preservation.
(b) The Department of Treasury and Finance uses approved electronic and document records management systems (CUA 80056) as its recordkeeping systems which is not a publicly accessible register.
(b i- c) Not applicable
(d) Training about our State Records responsibilities is provided as part of the staff induction program. However, there is no specific funding for State Records training.
GESB
(a) No data sets or digital records have been identified by GESB for preservation as a digital archive under Principle 5 of SRC 8. GESB's records are only disposed of once their archival value has been determined and in accordance with its Retention and Disposal Schedule.
(b) There is no publicly accessible register held in GESB, as no digital archives have been identified.
(b i - c) Not Applicable.
(d) No funding has been provided by GESB to provide training and instruction on how to comply with SRC 8.
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