❓ Minister McHale assures the House that no records from the Gordon Inquiry have been destroyed and that the State Records Commission is handling the retention and disposal of records with utmost probity, following the State Records Act 2000.
AnsweredQoN 234Legislative Assembly
Asked
22 October 2002
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women’s Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
I read with some concern comments made by the member for Hillarys that evidence from the Gordon inquiry will be or may already have been destroyed. Can the minister inform the House whether such claims are correct? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question. I place on the public record that the comments made by the member for Hillarys are inaccurate and have the effect of undermining both the Gordon inquiry and the integrity of record keeping in our State. As I have already indicated in this House, the records of the Gordon inquiry are subject to the provisions of the State Records Act 2000. Under that Act, the State Records Commission of Western Australia determines which records will be state archives, which have significant value and which will be preserved. The State Records Commission has considered the retention and disposal schedules included in the record keeping plan of the Gordon inquiry and has concluded that a number of steps need to be taken before a determination about disposal can be made. One action that will be undertaken is consultation with Aboriginal bodies on questions of Aboriginal heritage and/or tradition that might be impacted upon by some of the records. The State Records Commission has consulted fully with the chair of the Gordon inquiry, Sue Gordon, who is fully supportive of the steps taken by the commission. I am advised that no records of the Gordon inquiry have been destroyed and that they are currently in the custody of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Due to their sensitive nature, access to the records is restricted. Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question. I place on the public record that the comments made by the member for Hillarys are inaccurate and have the effect of undermining both the Gordon inquiry and the integrity of record keeping in our State. As I have already indicated in this House, the records of the Gordon inquiry are subject to the provisions of the State Records Act 2000. Under that Act, the State Records Commission of Western Australia determines which records will be state archives, which have significant value and which will be preserved. The State Records Commission has considered the retention and disposal schedules included in the record keeping plan of the Gordon inquiry and has concluded that a number of steps need to be taken before a determination about disposal can be made. One action that will be undertaken is consultation with Aboriginal bodies on questions of Aboriginal heritage and/or tradition that might be impacted upon by some of the records. The State Records Commission has consulted fully with the chair of the Gordon inquiry, Sue Gordon, who is fully supportive of the steps taken by the commission. I am advised that no records of the Gordon inquiry have been destroyed and that they are currently in the custody of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Due to their sensitive nature, access to the records is restricted. Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
I thank the member for his question. I place on the public record that the comments made by the member for Hillarys are inaccurate and have the effect of undermining both the Gordon inquiry and the integrity of record keeping in our State. As I have already indicated in this House, the records of the Gordon inquiry are subject to the provisions of the State Records Act 2000. Under that Act, the State Records Commission of Western Australia determines which records will be state archives, which have significant value and which will be preserved. The State Records Commission has considered the retention and disposal schedules included in the record keeping plan of the Gordon inquiry and has concluded that a number of steps need to be taken before a determination about disposal can be made. One action that will be undertaken is consultation with Aboriginal bodies on questions of Aboriginal heritage and/or tradition that might be impacted upon by some of the records. The State Records Commission has consulted fully with the chair of the Gordon inquiry, Sue Gordon, who is fully supportive of the steps taken by the commission. I am advised that no records of the Gordon inquiry have been destroyed and that they are currently in the custody of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Due to their sensitive nature, access to the records is restricted. Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question. I place on the public record that the comments made by the member for Hillarys are inaccurate and have the effect of undermining both the Gordon inquiry and the integrity of record keeping in our State. As I have already indicated in this House, the records of the Gordon inquiry are subject to the provisions of the State Records Act 2000. Under that Act, the State Records Commission of Western Australia determines which records will be state archives, which have significant value and which will be preserved. The State Records Commission has considered the retention and disposal schedules included in the record keeping plan of the Gordon inquiry and has concluded that a number of steps need to be taken before a determination about disposal can be made. One action that will be undertaken is consultation with Aboriginal bodies on questions of Aboriginal heritage and/or tradition that might be impacted upon by some of the records. The State Records Commission has consulted fully with the chair of the Gordon inquiry, Sue Gordon, who is fully supportive of the steps taken by the commission. I am advised that no records of the Gordon inquiry have been destroyed and that they are currently in the custody of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Due to their sensitive nature, access to the records is restricted. Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
I thank the member for his question. I place on the public record that the comments made by the member for Hillarys are inaccurate and have the effect of undermining both the Gordon inquiry and the integrity of record keeping in our State. As I have already indicated in this House, the records of the Gordon inquiry are subject to the provisions of the State Records Act 2000. Under that Act, the State Records Commission of Western Australia determines which records will be state archives, which have significant value and which will be preserved. The State Records Commission has considered the retention and disposal schedules included in the record keeping plan of the Gordon inquiry and has concluded that a number of steps need to be taken before a determination about disposal can be made. One action that will be undertaken is consultation with Aboriginal bodies on questions of Aboriginal heritage and/or tradition that might be impacted upon by some of the records. The State Records Commission has consulted fully with the chair of the Gordon inquiry, Sue Gordon, who is fully supportive of the steps taken by the commission. I am advised that no records of the Gordon inquiry have been destroyed and that they are currently in the custody of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Due to their sensitive nature, access to the records is restricted. Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Mr R.F. Johnson: Are you saying that they won’t be destroyed? Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Ms S.M. McHALE: I am advised that no records have been destroyed and that any records that may be retained or destroyed will be fully scrutinised by the State Records Commission. Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
Ms S.M. McHALE: Absolutely. I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
I am assured that the State Records Commission will expedite the resolution of this issue. The finalisation of an approved retention and disposal plan for the State Records Commission is a top priority. Contrary to the Opposition’s assertion, the maintenance and retention of information under this Government is being handled with the utmost probity.
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