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Reality check - Reality versus Theory - Actual Records Management at the operational level in Australian Federal Government Agencies - An Audit of four Agencies



Title: Reality check - Reality versus Theory - Actual Records Management at the operational level in Australian Federal Government Agencies - An Audit of four Agencies

Dear, Colleagues

Since the early 1990's Records Management in Australia has taken giant leaps forward in the documentation of Policies, Standards and improved Legislation in respect to the creation, capture and management of records and one would hope in the practices carried out at the operational level.

To mention a few of the achievements and relevant legislation and publications introduced over the recent period:

1996 - Australian Records Management Standard AS 4390

1998 - New South Wales - State Records Act 1998

1999 - Victorian Public Records Office - VERS, Victorian Electronic Records Strategy - Final Report

2000 - National Archives - Manual for the Design and Implementation of Recordkeeping Systems (DIRKS Manual)
2001 - Archiving Web Resources: Guidelines for Keeping Records of Web-based Activity in the Commonwealth Government

2001-  Western Australian - State Records Act 2001

The above is but a limited example with many more publications, regulations, standards and guidelines published and promulgated at State and Federal level. In addition there has been the implementation of  Whole of Government Records Management initiatives introduced by the South Australian Governments State Records Office, the New South Wales State Records Authority, the Australian Federal Government and the Northern Territory Government.

In 2000 at the RMAA Convention in Sydney the international guest speaker Mr Hans Hoffman, Senior Advisor, Netherlands Ministry of the Interior, commented in his presentation to the Convention that even though Australia was leading the world in its creation of standards and appropriate legislation and supporting material that on his visits to a number of agencies in the Eastern States he had found that the actuality of the situation at the operational level was not dissimilar to his home environment. This contrast in theory to reality was obvious to him in the real work environment.

Now the reality check!

In mid 2001 the Australian National Audit Office carried out an audit of four Australian Federal Government Agencies and a report is available on their web site at www.anao.gov.au/ in the What's New section then select Latest Audit Reports and the third report down is Recordkeeping which is available for download in text or pdf format.

Recordkeeping
Audit Report No.45, tabled 01/05/2002
Assurance and Control Assessment Audit
Across Agency
Themes: Information technology Accountability and governance Legislative and/ or administrative compliance.

The document is a 32 page good read and reality check in respect to actuality versus theory.
I probably will get a few barbs for this statement, but in my humble view the audit report could refer to 80% of all State, Federal and Local Government and like Agencies across Australia.

Theory does not in itself make immediate impact on the day to day running of an organisation. In respect to the recently proclaimed Western Australian legislation, State Records Act 2001 and its supporting Standards, Guidelines and Procedures "Which I whole heartedly support" it is my personal view that it will be an average of 10 years or so [some sooner, some later] before one can carry out an audit of an agency and be pleasantly surprised that all, if not most of the requirement as detailed in the legislation, plus the Records Management Standards ISO/AS 15489.1 and .2 and the current AS 4390 parts 1-6 [soon to be incorporated as a part of ISO/AS 15489] are being utilised and a natural almost automatic day to day occurrence across the agency.

I trust that you find the 32 page audit report worthy of your assessment and evaluation.

Yours Sincerely, Laurie Varendorff

Mr Daniel Lawrance [Laurie] Varendorff, ARMA

A Records Management Professional, and proud of the fact

Consultant/Trainer/Tutor/Presenter: Records and Information Management

Imaging and Micrographic Specialist: 26 years experience

The Varendorff Consultancy

The Australian Distributor for A&P International

Scanner & Micrographic Resolution Test Targets

Visit our www site: http://www.pressenter.com/~apintl/

ABN: 77 836 801 165

27 Ronneby Rd, Lesmurdie, Western Australia 6076 - AUSTRALIA

PHONE: + 61 [08] 9291 6925 - MOBILE: + 61 0417 094 147

EMAIL: Laurie.Varendorff@Bigpond.com