An audit of the National Archives of Australia’s (NAA’s) management of digital records has determined that the policy’s goals are unlikely to be met.
In his report, Implementation of the Digital Continuity 2020 Policy, Auditor-General, Grant Hehir examined Archives’ effectiveness in monitoring, assisting and encouraging entities to meet the targets of the policy, declaring it “largely ineffective”.
Mr Hehir said the audit examined the extent to which Government entities had implemented the policy and how effectively the NAA was helping these entities meet the specified targets.
He said the objectives of the policy was for entities to manage information as an asset; transition to entirely digital work processes; and ensure that information was created and managed in digital format.
“The Archives’ arrangements to administer the Digital Continuity 2020 Policy are limited in effectiveness. Appropriate governance arrangements to provide strategic direction and oversight of the policy were not maintained,” Mr Hehir said.
“The products, advice, and guidance material issued by the Archives to support entities implementing the policy are largely fit for purpose, with some exceptions in relation to the clarity of terminology and timeliness.”
He said Archives did not have a stakeholder engagement and communication strategy and did not effectively target entities requiring additional assistance to implement the targets of the policy.
“The priorities, objectives, and targets utilised by the Archives to measure its performance in overseeing the implementation of the policy have not been designed to appropriately align with the policy’s objectives,” the Auditor-General said.
The report makes seven recommendations to improve the administration, monitoring and evaluation arrangements, all of which were agreed by the NAA.
The Auditor-General’s 83-page report can be accessed at this PS News link and the audit team was Joyce Knight, Nathan Callaway, Jessica Kanikula and Paul Bryant.
