Report on performance
Performance reporting in this annual report is based on the outcome and outputs structure set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements and Additional Estimates Statements 2005–06.
The Archives has one outcome: A national archival collection, preserved and accessible for all Australians; the creation and management of Commonwealth records that support accountable government.
This report is structured to show a clear relationship between the planned achieve-ments in the Portfolio Budget Statements and Additional Estimates Statements and the actual results achieved by the Archives.
Each report against the output covers effectiveness, quality and quantity measures.
Output 1.1
Enable and promote best practice in the management of government records from the point of creation for as long as required
to support the needs of government and the people.
Strategies
In order to enable best practice management of government records, the Archives:
- provides standards, policies, guidelines and training about the creation, management and preservation of records; and
- authorises arrangements for the disposal and custody of Commonwealth records.
To ensure the long-term preservation of records of national archival value, the Archives:
- provides appropriate storage conditions;
- continually assesses and monitors the physical condition of the records; and
- undertakes both preventative preservation measures and conservation treatments for traditional and electronic formats.
Performance
Measure |
Improved management of government records |
Indicator |
The management of government records to best practice |
Highlights
- The Archives undertook a strategic review of records management systems and practices in the former Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) [now the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA)], following the Palmer and Comrie reports. DIMA is progressively implementing the Archives’ recommendations.
- The Archives enhanced its suite of software tools for converting, retrieving and accessing digital records and promoted it to chief information officers and other key people in government agencies.
- The Archives redeveloped its primary training course for agency records management staff.
- The Archives completed the largest description, repackaging and digitisation project it has ever undertaken resulting in the repackaging and digitisation of 376,000 World War I service records.
Government recordkeeping
During the year, the Archives continued to focus on providing advice and assistance to government agencies as they manage the transition from paper to digital recordkeeping.
Best practice government recordkeeping
The importance of good recordkeeping continued to be reinforced by key government agencies. The Australian Public Service Commission stressed the importance of good recordkeeping in its ‘State of the Service’ reports, and the Australian National Audit Office regularly raised recordkeeping issues in its audits of Australian Government agencies.
In late 2005, at the request of the former Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, the Archives conducted a strategic review of the Department’s recordkeeping systems and practices. The review found that recordkeeping had not adequately supported its business needs or legislative obligations (as reported in Recordkeeping in DIMIA: A Strategic Review). The review was well received by the Department and is being used to establish best practice recordkeeping.
The strategic review was then used by the Archives to produce a recordkeeping assessment framework for all agencies to follow when reviewing their recordkeeping systems and practices. The framework will be available in 2006–07.
Records management standards, policies and guidelines
The Archives continued to develop and communicate recordkeeping policies, guidelines and standards as benchmarks for Australian Government agencies. The following recordkeeping publications were issued in 2005–06:
- Australian Government Email Metadata Standard Version 1.0. Describes the metadata Australian Government agencies should use when transmitting email to ensure that it is captured, stored and retrievable for business and accountability purposes.
- Functional Specifications for Electronic Records Management Systems Software and accompanying Guidelines for Implementing the Functional Specifications for Electronic Records Management Systems Software. Advice for government agencies to use when purchasing, designing, developing or upgrading records and information management systems.
- Australian Governments’ Interactive Functional Thesaurus (AGIFT), 2nd edition, which supersedes the 1999 edition. Describes business functions carried out across federal, state and local government.
- Australian Government Implementation Manual: AGLS Metadata Version 2.0, which supersedes Version 1.1 released in 2002. Sets out requirements for implementing the Australian Government Locator Service (AGLS) Metadata Standard.
The Archives publishes its recordkeeping standards, policies and guidelines on its website, www.naa.gov.au. In 2005–06, the recordkeeping pages on the site received an average of 108,666 visits each month. There were 469,621 downloads of individual products over the year – a high level of usage.
In 2005–06, focus groups and an online survey were used to assess whether the website was meeting the needs of government, professional, industry and community users. The results of the evaluation confirmed that users regarded the website as an authoritative and trusted source of recordkeeping information, but that it would benefit from improvements to its structure, navigation and language. Suggested improvements to the website are being developed and will be implemented in 2006–07.
Training
The Archives provided recordkeeping training to staff of Australian Government agencies in all its state and territory offices.
The one-day course Training for Commonwealth Recordkeepers was redeveloped. Now titled Introduction to Recordkeepingin the APS, it targets Australian Public Service employees new to records management. After pilot sessions in Sydney and Canberra, the new course commenced in March 2006. By 30 June 2006, seven courses had been held in four Archives offices, with 99 participants from 58 agencies. Evaluation results were positive, and the course will continue on a regular basis throughout the coming year.
Training was offered during the year to help agencies apply the suite of the Archives’ advice and guidelines on designing and implementing recordkeeping systems (DIRKS).
The training package Keep the Knowledge – Make a Record! enables agencies to deliver tailored training to staff using an electronic package and printed material developed by the Archives. During the year, 20 copies of the electronic package and 5000 printed cards and booklets were distributed.
Following on from its review of recordkeeping in the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, the Archives also reviewed the Department’s recordkeeping training and helped it develop new training material.
Disposal and custody of government records
Section 24 of the Archives Act 1983 addresses the disposal and custody of records of Commonwealth institutions. To appraise the value of particular records and subsequently to authorise their retention or disposal, the Archives uses a functional analysis-based approach. This involves analysing an agency’s functions and activities, establishing how long records documenting each activity need to be kept, and recording these decisions in a records disposal authority (RDA).
In 2005–06 the Archives issued eight records disposal authorities, adding coverage for an additional 52 government functions. Authorities were issued to the Australian Electoral Commission, Australian War Memorial, Australian Communications and Media Authority, Australian National University, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Geoscience Australia, and the Department of Finance and Administration.
Storage of the collection
To be stored in appropriate conditions, paper records must be kept in archival]quality folders and boxes located on shelving. The storage premises must have appropriate temperature and humidity controls, and suitable fire and security protection. Specialised low-temperature vaults are used to store films and photographs.
The proportion of records in the national archival collection stored in appropriate conditions increased from 89 per cent in 2004–05 to 90 per cent in 2005–06. The increase was the result of work undertaken during the year to re-house records in archival]quality folders and containers.
All records stored in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Brisbane are stored in air-conditioned repositories.
Existing storage in Canberra and some other offices is very near capacity. The Archives has developed a five-year national space utilisation plan to ensure that its vacant space is managed to the best effect. Importantly, the Government has given approval for the new National Archives Preservation Centre in the Australian Capital Territory, which will expand and improve the Archives’ overall storage.
Table 4 – Archives holdings by office in shelf metres
2003–04 |
2004–05 |
2005–06 |
|
Canberra |
103 506 |
103 578 |
102 858 |
Sydney |
144 011 |
143 804 |
144 121 |
Melbourne |
51 006 |
51 182 |
51 347 |
Brisbane |
23 600 |
23 393 |
22 506 |
Perth |
20 393 |
20 815 |
20 398 |
Adelaide |
2 944 |
2 928 |
3 076 |
Hobart |
5 811 |
6 513 |
6 512 |
Darwin |
4 086 |
4 135 |
4 026 |
Total |
355 358 |
356 348 |
354 845* |
*The decrease is largely the result of the withdrawal of temporary records from the collection.
Table 5 – Format of Archives holdings in shelf metres
2003–04 |
2004–05 |
2005–06 |
|
Paper files and documents |
304 560 |
302 243 |
290 128 |
Bound volumes |
18 005 |
18 089 |
18 409 |
Cartographic records |
16 359 |
19 039 |
18 974 |
Audiovisual |
13 174 |
13 988 |
15 166 |
Photographic |
2 711 |
2 803 |
2 858 |
Audio |
249 |
291 |
323 |
Microforms |
817 |
824 |
845 |
Electronic records |
126 |
126 |
128 |
Other format* |
166 |
166 |
166 |
*Other format includes three-dimensional records and textiles.
Preservation of the collection
The National Long-Term Collection Preservation Plan governs the preservation projects undertaken each year. The Plan identifies risks to the collection, and proposes strategies and priorities to minimise them.
Paper preservation activities
During 2005–06 the Archives completed the largest description, repackaging and digitisation project it has ever undertaken. The project resulted in the preservation of 376,000 original World War I service records. The project also resulted in the production of more than 12 million digital images for online access (discussed under Output 1.2 on pages 31–33). This outcome is exceptional in Australia, where few projects have been undertaken to digitise and make available online such a large quantity of fragile historical records.
Paper records receiving preservation priority in 2005–06 included design registrations, immigration files, ships’ passenger lists, courts martial files, Parliament House design competition entries, colonial patents registrations, military officers’ service records, and World War II works files.
In 2005–06, the Archives undertook groundbreaking research on the behaviour of iron gall ink on parchment. This research is of critical importance to the Archives as this ink is the primary medium used on key constitutional documents displayed in the Archives’ Federation Gallery. The research is part of an Australian Research Council-funded project and has attracted considerable international interest.
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Digital preservation activities
The Archives’ digital preservation project focused on refining software used for the long-term preservation of digital records. Software development work undertaken during 2005–06 included:
- enhancement of the Archives’ Digital Preservation Recorder from a proof-of-concept prototype to a robust workflow management application. This software works across networks by recording preservation metadata about processed records; and
- development of Xena (3.0) Lite, an application that showcases features of the Xena framework that can be used to convert digital data into formats suited for long-term preservation.
Refinement of a purpose-built digital archive that houses digital preservation software and hardware infrastructure was completed, and a number of Australian Government digital records were processed for storage in late 2005–06.
The December 2005 seminar, Information Challenges for the APS, provided the setting for the Australian launch of the Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative (ADRI) website by the Australian Government Chief Information Officer, Ann Steward. Developed and hosted by the Archives, the ADRI website is a Council of Australasian Archives and Records Authorities’ initiative.
The primary objective of ADRI is to pool resources and expertise to ensure that digital records are preserved for, and accessible in, the future. Each member institution agreed to collaborate on the development, articulation and implementation of a common set of strategies for the making, keeping and using of the digital records of governments.
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Audiovisual preservation activities
The Archives continued to assist Film Australia to assess the condition of its audiovisual records held in the Archives’ collection. This assessment will ensure that future preservation treatments are prioritised towards records at the greatest risk of deterioration.
In 2005–06 preservation work was undertaken on films created by the renowned documentary film-maker, Ian Dunlop. Made in 1974, the films document the Pintupi people of Yayayi on the border of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The films were screened to the Pintupi community.
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The Archives worked closely with ABC Archives to complete a detailed restoration of the first series of The Aunty Jack Show. The restored series was launched by ABC Enterprises in December 2005, and similar detailed work began on the second series of this popular show.
Preservation work was also undertaken on films selected for inclusion in the australianscreen online project, in which the Archives is a partner. The selection includes records from Cockatoo Island Dockyard, the Postmaster-General’s Department and the Decimal Currency Board.
Volunteer repackaging of records
The Archives highly values the work of volunteers from the Heraldry and Genealogy Society of Canberra, who are re-boxing and re-foldering a large series of individual courts martial and war crimes case files created between 1901 and 1988. These volunteers processed more than 25,000 items in 2005–06. Names of volunteers are listed at Appendix B.
Table 6 – Output 1.1 quality and quantity measures
Quality |
Performance |
Level of agency use of the National Archives’ recordkeeping products and services. |
Recordkeeping products and services provided by the Archives continue to be in high demand, with strong interest in training services. Web statistics demonstrate high usage of the products published on the recordkeeping section of the Archives’ corporate website, with 469,621 downloads of individual products in 2005–06. |
Quality and appropriateness of the storage of the Archives’ collection. |
The proportion of records in the national archival collection stored in appropriate conditions increased from 89 per cent in 2004–05 to 90 per cent in 2005–06. |
Quantity |
Performance |
Increase in the total proportion of government functions covered by the Archives’ records disposal authorities. Target: 100 per cent coverage by June 2011. |
Since the introduction of the functional analysis-based appraisal approach, the Archives has issued disposal authorisations for 41 per cent of all high‑level functions performed by the Australian Government, an increase of 7 percentage points since 30 June 2005. |
Number of items receiving preservation treatment in the year. Target: 1 million items. |
A total of 675,272 items received preservation treatment in 2005–06 because they were identified as damaged, degraded or at risk. This was a shortfall from our performance target. The target was originally determined on the basis that resources could be devoted to very high volume repackaging of paper records. In 2005–06, the combination of preservation priorities and budget pressures meant that limited preservation expertise had to be concentrated on higher priority, but lower volume, tasks, such as preservation of audiovisual material. |