Standard and Guidelines for Records and Information Governance

In ACT Government organisations (directorates, agencies, offices, and so on) records, information and data are important assets, and some are vital to ACT Government functions. They help to inform, plan for and achieve outcomes that are relevant and valuable to the community, business and government.

The term ‘record’ has a specific meaning under the Territory Records Act 2002, which defines records as ‘information created and kept, or received and kept, as evidence and information by a person in accordance with a legal obligation or in the course of conducting business’. In practice it can at times be difficult to distinguish between records and other types of information or data. This Standard is explicitly designed to meet the requirements of the Territory Records Act 2002 in terms of records, but is also a guide to good practice approaches for managing information and data for the ACT Government.

The Territory Records Office’s Guidelines and Advices provide additional information on use and implementation of the Standard, and offer opportunities to establish good practice in the records and information governance management sphere.

Launch of Standards and Guidelines for Records Management

On 27 May 2003 the Minister for Urban Services, Mr Bill Wood MLA, launched the first of the ACT Government Standards and Guidelines for Records Management.

The launch of the Standards and Guidelines for Records Management was held at the ACT Legislative Assembly Reception room. The launch was held as an event in Archives and Records week.

Launch of Standards

Mr David Wardle - Director of Territory Records, the then Minister for Urban Services Mr Bill Wood MLA and Mr George Nichols - Chairman of the Advisory Council at the launch of the Standards and Guidelines.

On 27 May 2011 the Territory Records Office launched the ACT Government Standard for Records Management Number 9: Records Digitisation and Conversion, Records Management Guideline Number 9: Records Digitisation and Conversion and the Records Disposal Schedule - Source Records.

The launch of the Records Management Standard, Guideline and Records Disposal Schedule was held at the ACT Legislative Assembly Reception room. The launch was held as an event for Information Awareness Month in May.

The day was a great success with participants enjoying the format of the presentation and finishing the the day informed on issues surrounding the implementation of the Standard and its related documents.

Launching the Standard were Elizabeth Estbergs - ACT Reference Archivist who welcomed the participants, Wayne Finlaison - Territory Records Office explained the main points of the Standard, Lynda Weller - Territory Records Office and Kat Luland, Legislative Assembly guided participants in exercises designed to impart a greater understanding of the issues for agencies implementing the Standard.


Preparing for the Session - Lynda Weller, Kat Luland	Preparing for the Session - Lynda Weller, Kat Luland

Welcome by Elizabeth Estbergs - ACT Reference Archivist	Some of the attentive audience

Explaining the Standard - Wayne Finlaison	Explaining the Standard - Wayne Finlaison

Explaining the Standard - Wayne Finlaison	Explaining the Standard - Wayne Finlaison

Break and General Discussions	Participants putting it all together

Putting it all together - Lynda Weller assisting	Finally all together with final overview from Lynda Weller

A special thanks go to Kat Luland, Legislative Assembly, for arranging for the use of the Legislative Assembly Reception room and also for her efforts in making the day the success it was.