AGENDAAGENDA
Wednesday 13th June 2001
Victorian Archives Conference Room
99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne, ph 9348 5600
Carparking available via 112 Macaulay Road
Confirmation of Minutes / Business Arising
PROV News and Reports
Electronic Transactions Act 2000 interpreted.
Alison O’Brien, Senior Solicitor, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office
Dianne Scott, Acute Health Division, Department of Human Services
Di is a co-author of the Health Records Act
Including a VERS@DoI implementation Update
Gail Nicholson, Manager, Personnel & Corporate Services,
Department of Infrastructure
Local Government
Brian McInerny, Beacon Archives & Records Management
Universities
David Brown & Dr. Carolyn Mather, Archival Systems & Enterprise Knowledge
Disposal Guides
Charlie Farrugia, Team Leader, Agency Services, PROV
Members are invited to stay for lunch and take the opportunity to make contacts and exchange ideas.
Industry Support Program, Implementing Disposal Schedules; Common Administrative Records Training Seminar will commence at 1pm. Booking and payment in advance.
tracey.manallack@dpc.vic.gov.au, ( 9348 5613 or
David Fowler ( 9348 5642
Welcome/Apologies
Ross Gibbs opened the meeting and welcomed the 75 members present.
Apologies: Robyn Ross, Ray Bradford, Carolyn Theodore, Fiona Bing.
Confirmation of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held 14 February 2001 were confirmed.
PROV News: Ross Gibbs, PROV.
Ross provided an update on the progress of the VERS implementation project at the Department of Infrastructure. The tender has been awarded to the software company Solution 6 and the project is now in full swing.
Ross informed members that Sophie Sturup has joined PROV to undertake further work in relation to the Audit Review of Government Contracts. One of Sophie’s activities will be to develop training sessions to inform contractors of their obligations and responsibilities in relation to the Public Records Act 1973.
Ross also informed members that a new Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards committee has been established with Professor Bill Russell as Chair. The award category for local government will remain.
"Permanent Means Paper" – Electronic Transactions Act 2000 interpreted: Alison O’Brien, Senior Solicitor, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office.
Alison spoke about the effect of the Electronic Transactions Act on the maintenance of Public Records, focussing on Section 11 "Retention of information and documents". In particular, Alison discussed the issues surrounding the retention of an electronic version of a paper record in lieu of the original paper record. Of note for RMN members is that the Act cannot be used to justify the destruction of paper records for which an electronic copy exists if the records are deemed to be of permanent value. If original paper records of temporary value are to be destroyed after an electronic copy has been made then consideration needs to be given to ensuring the integrity and accessibility of the electronic record for the period it is required to be maintained. Courts may not give electronic records a high weight in terms of quality of evidence if an agency cannot demonstrate that the record has not been tampered with. Alison suggested the adoption of a ‘chain of evidence’ approach. Factors to consider include fully documenting the creation or copying process, creating master record-copies for comparative purposes, ensuring media items (discs, cd’s etc) are subject to physical and intellectual control, and the use of an affidavit to attest to the veracity of the entire process.
Alison’s paper is available on the RMN website:
www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/rmn/rmn.htm
"Patient Records are Private Forever" – Dianne Scott, Acute Health Division, Department of Human Services. Dianne is a co-author of the Health Records Act.
Dianne outlined the Act’s development, rationale, application, and its relationship to the Information Privacy Act. Intended as a companion to the latter, the Act aims to provide for uniform access and privacy standards across the public and private health sector, and provide standards tailored to health information. Dianne drew attention to the issues surrounding access to health information by third parties, for example, researchers. This remains something of a ‘grey’ area and Dianne intends to seek advice from the Health Services and Privacy Commissioners in the near future. Dianne noted that the Act does not over-ride other more specific acts that may provide for access to health information, and the Freedom of Information Act and Public Records Act still apply in their respective jurisdictions.
The Health Records Act is available online at: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/ahs/healthrecords/
Dianne’s paper is available on the RMN website: www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/rmn/rmn.htm
"How we won a Hamer (Records Management) Award" – Gail Nicholson, Manager, Personnel and Corporate Services, Department of Infrastructure.
- including a VERS@DOI update – Barbara Gobbert, Project Manager, Department of Infrastructure.
Like other recipients of the award Gail was ‘absolutely delighted’ with the win. Gail provided members with an overview of Records@DOI, the department’s on-line records management manual – the basis on which the award was made. Ease of access, rapid update capability, and the ability to search were just some of the advantages offered by the move to the electronic, on-line environment. The manual includes a FAQ’s page, glossary and ‘Contact Us’ section. Updates are made on a weekly basis. Summing up, Gail believed that Records@DOI demonstrated ‘creativity in the records management space’. This, Gail felt, lay at the heart of the award.
Barbara informed members that the system was now being built, with the pilot due to start in October. In light of Alison’s presentation, Barbara noted that the VERS project aimed to address the issue of ensuring record integrity, and that digital signature technology was one means that will be used to indicate if a record has been tampered with. Along with the technical issues faced by the project, Barbara noted how change management now loomed as perhaps the most difficult challenge ahead.
Developing Disposal Schedules (and Disposal Guides).
Two major up-coming PROV initiatives concern the revision of PROS 98/01 Local Government General Disposal Schedule and the development of a general disposal schedule for Victorian universities.
Local Government – Brian McInerney, Beacon Archives and Records Management.
Brian outlined the development of the local government general disposal schedule over time, noting how it had changed from a record to a function based approach. Brian’s experience is that the current standard - PROS 98/01 Local Government Records General Disposal Schedule – is widely used throughout local government. From discussion with representatives of local government and PROV, however, it has become apparent that there is scope for revision of the schedule. Brian noted, for example, the absence of classes relating to library and pre-school services. The revised schedule is expected to be ready by 2002.
Universities – David Brown and Dr. Carolyn Mather, Archival Systems and Enterprise Knowledge
David outlined the approach that will be taken to develop the schedule, noting the project’s aims and objectives, and the methodology that will be followed. David envisages gathering as widespread support amongst the university community as possible, and will establish a consultative body to review and provide feedback upon the schedule as it progresses. The use of a contractor, appointed by PROV, and the sharing of costs between PROV and the ten universities, is seen as a way minimising the resource burden on the universities. The inclusion of TAFE institutes was discussed at some length, with the issue expected to be resolved at the initial meeting of the project working party. There was also some discussion from the floor concerning how the project was initiated. Ross Gibbs highlighted how great the demand was for a general universities disposal schedule and David noted that the aim for was to have a representative from each university attend the initial working party meeting to held soon.
David’s paper is available on the RMN website:
www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/rmn/rmn.htm
Disposal Guides – Charlie Farrugia, Team Leader, Agency Services, PROV
Charlie informed members that the next issue of PROfile will consist of a consolidation of the five PROV information sheets that have appeared in PROfile over the last few years, plus information on four additional topics of interest. The new topics are: conducting a records survey, destruction of records under Normal Administrative Practice, physical destruction of public records, and the use of approved places of deposit (other than an APROSS). The information sheets will also be made available as a stand-alone document that can be downloaded from the PROV website. It is envisaged that a future edition of PROfile will be used to address the subject of transferring records to PROV. Charlie noted that individual information sheets on particular topics will continue to be included in editions of PROfile as in the past. Charlie invited members to email him with ideas for future topics. Charlie’s email address is charlie.farrugia@dpc.vic.gov.au.
Meeting Closed 12.00 pm.
Members adjourned for lunch, taking the opportunity to make contacts and exchange ideas and undertake a tour of the Victorian Archive building. Some members stayed on to attend the PROV afternoon training session: Implementing Disposal Schedules: Common Administrative Records.
Any queries regarding the RMN can be directed to
Tracey Manallack: % 9348 5613, fax 9348 5656, tracey.manallack@dpc.vic.gov.au
David Fowler: % 9348 5642, fax 9348 5656, david.fowler@dpc.vic.gov.au