Administration of the State Records Act 1997
Letter to Hon Kyam Maher MLC
Attorney-General
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector
This annual report will be presented to Parliament to meet the statutory reporting requirements of the State Records Act 1997 and the requirements of Premier and Cabinet Circular PC013 Annual Reporting.
State Records of South Australia is a business unit within the Attorney-General’s Department and as such the administrative reporting required under PC013 is included in the 2023-24 annual report for the Attorney-General’s Department.
This report is verified to be accurate for the purposes of annual reporting to the Parliament of South Australia.
Submitted on behalf of State Records of South Australia by Stephanie Coleman, Director.
From the Director
Stephanie Coleman
State Records of South Australia preserves a collection rich in social, cultural, and historical significance. Each record captures a moment in time and describes the decisions of government, and the lives of individuals, communities, and society.
With a collection of over 13 million items, it is imperative that the collection remains discoverable and accessible. In setting best practice standards in information management, we safeguard information captured today through appropriate management to ensure its longevity and value into the future.
In 2023-24 State Records continued to provide important assistance for the work of the National Redress Scheme and Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme. 519 redress enquiries were received in the reporting year. With each enquiry, agencies seek assistance from State Records in locating, identifying, and researching records of relevance.
Work on enhancing access to the archives and services relating to Aboriginal peoples and culture continues to be prioritised. Working collaboratively with the Aboriginal Reference Group and Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation has seen much progress in the foundation work of improving access and providing better supports for access. Also undertaken was a review of the Tandanya Declaration to highlight positive progress and identify opportunities for empowering further change.
In 2023-24 State Records continued its commitment to preserve the archive collection. The Deadline 2025 project, which will result in the at risk magnetic media items in the collection being digitised to preservation standards, progressed with the appointment of a project manager. In-principle support was also obtained from the 22 agencies responsible for the at risk formats to ensure this collection remains accessible into the future. Digitisation will commence in 2024-25.
A key achievement for the reporting year was the co-ordination of the largest agency transfer of records in 13 years. A total of 4,135 linear metres and 394 plan drawers was added to the archive collection. Effective collaboration and liaison with Office of the Registrar-General and Office of the Surveyor-General enabled a successful transfer. Some of the records date back to 1849 and document the implementation of the Torrens title system, used widely for land registration and transfer in South Australia.
The agency response rate to the Information Management Maturity Survey that was conducted under section 15 of the State Records Act 1997 this year was pleasing. The survey assessed agencies information management practices against current standards. The results have since formed a baseline rating across state government, local government and South Australian universities. Overall strengths identified from the survey results include:
- record disposal coverage and destruction occurring under a current and approved determination
- sharing of information is occurring across government as appropriate or where authorised
- information is proactively being published in line with government policy
- reviews and audits of records management practices are occurring to gauge how well they support the business.
In the coming year, State Records will be assisting agencies with planning and prioritising improvements that can be made to their information management program. With the ever increasing advancements in technology, State Records will also be developing an Artificial Intelligence guideline to assist agencies in the use of ethical and secure use of Artificial Intelligence whilst upholding information management key principles and privacy standards.
Our purpose | State Records of South Australia is responsible for the administration of the State Records Act 1997 on behalf of the Attorney-General. |
Our vision | Information assets of the State are created, preserved and accessible. |
Our values | Our advice and services facilitate information governance maturity that supports a modern and trusted government by improving the integrity and accessibility of information assets. We preserve records of enduring value and share the state's recorded history. |
State Records of South Australia has the following functions under section 7 of the State Records Act 1997
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In accordance with Section 7(j) of the State Records Act 1997, State Records of South Australia supports the:
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As at 30 June 2024, State Records comprised of three teams: |
Archive TeamResponsible for archival advice and assistance to agencies, receiving official records into the archive, the arrangement, description, preservation and conservation of the archive and the provision of access to records in the archival collection. Provides an on-demand digitisation service and manages third party digitisation agreements, develops finding aids to improve accessibility to the archival collection, and delivers public programs to targeted audiences to enhance knowledge of State Records and its collection. |
Information Governance TeamProvides advice, policies, and education to agencies on records and information management and assists Ministers, agencies, and the public on administering and interpreting the Freedom of Information Act 1991 and the Information Privacy Principles Instruction. |
Business Support Services TeamProvides a diverse range of business support services including the administration of State Records’ Business systems; auditing; corporate reporting; human resources, facility, and financial management. |
Changes to the agency State Records adopted a revised organisation structure in December 2023. This structure better aligns staffing to key priorities and business functions. The review resulted in the following new positions being filled:
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State Records reports to the Hon Kyam Maher MLC as Attorney-General.
The Attorney-General is also responsible for other information management regulation including the Freedom of Information Act 1991 and South Australia’s Information Privacy Principles Instruction.
- State Records Act 1997
- Freedom of Information Act 1991
State Records is a business unit of the Attorney-General’s Department. As a result, information related to activities in the following categories is included in the Attorney-General’s Department 2023-24 Annual Report:
- corporate performance summary
- employment opportunity programs
- agency performance management and development systems
- work health, safety and return to work programs
- executive employment in the agency
- financial performance
- consultants disclosure
- contractors disclosure
- risk management
- fraud detected in the agency
- strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
- public interest disclosure
- public complaints
- service improvements
- audited financial statements.
Reporting required under the State Records Act 1997
Requirement | Reports in 2023-24 |
|---|---|
Section 16 | No reports of inadequate record management practices were made during the reporting year. |
Performance
State Records upholds the South Australian Public Sector Values and contributes to whole of Government objectives by:
- facilitating and supporting public and agency access to government records in the archive to preserve records of enduring value and share the state’s recorded history
- developing and maintaining information management policies for public sector agencies to improve the integrity and accessibility of information assets
- providing advice and education on recordkeeping
- investing in technology to ensure that records in the archive are maintained and available
- engaging with our customers and the South Australian community
- providing awareness on best practice approach to protecting individual’s personal information privacy.
Specific objectives under the State Records Act 1997
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
| Agencies are required to transfer their permanent official records to State Records if they are no longer required for administrative purposes. | In the reporting year a total of 59 transfers were processed and archived. Transfers totalled 4,585 linear metres of records, a substantial increase on the 237 linear metres recorded in the previous reporting period. At the start of the reporting year repository storage capacity was at 86%, by the end of the reporting year it increased to 91% occupied. |
| Details of the 4,585 linear metres of records | |
| A significant transfer of permanent official records was received from the Office of the Registrar-General and Office of the Surveyor-General. Records date back to 1849 and document the implementation of the Torrens title system for land registration in South Australia. | This transfer consisted of 4,135 linear metres of records and included 394 plan drawers. |
8 South Australian schools transferred historical records: - East Para PS - Blackwood PS - Allendale East Area School - Kilkenny PS - Nangwarry PS - Reynella South School - Christies Beach HS - Morphett Vale East PS | These transfers totalled 248 records: 104 admission registers |
| Other transfer of note | The Police Historical Society donated 9 volumes containing descriptions and photographs of convicted persons from 1903 to 1909. These volumes filled a gap in an existing series held at State Records. |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
Deadline 2025 project commenced - the digitisation and preservation of at risk magnetic media formats in the collection. | A Deadline 2025 Project Manager was appointed March 2024. |
| Digitisation services for members of the public, agencies and for at risk records progressively expanded in the reporting year. | In the reporting year a total of 306,465 images were digitised. 10,179 by State Records 18,675 by volunteers 277,611 by third parties. |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
| Conservation, digitisation and rehousing of glass plate negatives and other negatives. | 349 glass plate negatives were cleaned, digitised, listed, and rehoused. Images managed by the Government Photolithographer captured South Australian events between 1885 – 1957. Highlights include the:
57,000 negatives transferred from South Australia Police were sorted and rehoused. |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
| Conservation treatment, including cleaning and repairs for items being digitised. | 350 items underwent conservation treatment in preparation for digitisation. |
Environmental monitoring. | Environment monitoring reports were undertaken monthly at both Gepps Cross and Collinswood sites. Gepps Cross results The climate controlled sector consistently remained at optimal temperature and humidity levels all year round. Collinswood results All sectors are climate controlled. On average all sectors spent 4% of the time out of the recommended temperature range and 9% of the time out of the recommended relative humidity range. Five of the seven sectors experienced little change in relative humidity levels, but two sectors experienced large relative humidity fluctuations regularly*. |
| * Recommended temperature range 15°C - 25°C * Recommended relative humidity range 40% – 60% * Large fluctuations in relative humidity that exceed the recommended range are very damaging to materials as they cause them to expand and contract rapidly * Mould is activated if the relative humidity exceeds 70% * High temperatures accelerate degradation * A low relative humidity causes materials to become dry and brittle and more easily damaged | |
| Managing the safe storage of mould affected items, including bagging, labelling, registering and organising quarantine. | 5 items were accessed and safely managed in the reporting year. |
| Installation of a coolroom to house films in the archive collection at 5 degrees that would otherwise degrade with age. | A coolroom was installed at State Records’ Gepps Cross site. Completion works will be finalised in 2024-25. |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
Develop and review general disposal schedules for state, local government and universities. | In the reporting year the following schedules were developed and approved:
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| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
| Third party agreements to improve access to the indexes. | A total of 162,957* index views were made via the Ancestry website (an equivalent to 37 index views every hour). *Recording of statistics began 1 January 2024 |
Indexes are updated annually in January when additional restricted records become open access. | The following indexes were updated: Teacher history sheets (GRS 9084) Admission papers of Glenside Hospital and predecessor agencies (GRS 13461) Inquest files (GRG1/27) |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
| The State Records Research Centre is open by appointment to view original records and the reference collection. | 716 visitors to the Research Centre 3,909 items viewed in the Research Centre 1,094 public enquiries in relation to reference and access services 3,810 items loaned to government agencies |
| Enhance access to archives and services relating to Aboriginal peoples and culture. | 5 Aboriginal Reference Group meetings were held in the reporting year. For current membership details visit Aboriginal Reference Group. A working group to improve access to records under the responsibility of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation commenced. Members of the working group include representation from the Aboriginal Reference Group and Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. |
| State Records’ response to the Tandanya Declaration. | A review of State Records’ response has commenced with consultation initiated. A new template to manage Aboriginal access requests was developed. The new format provides information about records found on the database and other indexes in an easy to understand layout. A new family tree template was designed in June 2024. The new visual format assists in identifying family connections and supports access applications. |
| Provide digital access to records. | Established a digital copying service for government agencies, as an alternative to physical loans of records. Service commenced June 2024. 160* items provided to members of the public through the digitisation service 132* items provided to government agencies through the digital copying service *Statistics only captured Quarter 4 2023-2024 |
Provide opportunities for online research via the website and online catalogue. | 226,214 State Records’ website searches 102,635 ArchivesSearch searches |
High demand records are digitised through the State Records’ Volunteer Program. Includes listing and indexing of records to improve access to the archive. | For the reporting year the program had a total of 23 volunteers, with 17 volunteers active at 30 June 2024. Volunteers contributed 370 days to the program. Projects included: Digitisation of correspondence files Aborigines’ Office and successor agencies (GRG52/1) Digitisation of memorial books (GRS 12154) Indexing of description and photographs of convicted persons - South Australian Police Department (GRG5/58) Listing correspondence files - State Tourist Bureau and successors (GRG7/24) Indexing police reports to the Coroner (various series) Rehousing, indexing and improving image metadata for railway employee sheets (various series) Identifying and digitising school admission registers of value for Aboriginal family history. |
| Digitise an agreed program of works, including school admission registers, probate books and succession duty files. | FamilySearch volunteers attended 452 days and digitised 277,611 images. These records will be added to the FamilySearch website and available through State Records as capture and quality checking continues. |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
Provide advice and assist agencies in records management, record transfers, record retrievals, data management, disposal, and digitisation. | A total of 1,028 agency enquiries: 229 related to archives 305 related to records management 494 related to the National Redress Scheme |
| Respond to agency enquires within service delivery timeframes. | 93% of enquires actioned within service delivery timeframes. |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
Conduct an Information Management Maturity Survey. | The 2023-24 Information Management Maturity Survey was released in August 2023. Survey response rates: 94% state government 85% local government (including subsidiaries) 100% universities. Results will be published in 2024-25 and made available on the webpage Information Management Maturity Survey |
| Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|
| Conduct Information Sessions | Information Privacy Strategy and Fundamentals Information Session held in July 2023. Information Management Maturity Survey Information Sessions held in August and September 2023. |
In-person promotion | A talk on shipping records and family history research was presented in collaboration with the National Archives of Australia and the State Library of South Australia in August 2023. |
Tours of the Gepps Cross Research Centre and repository were held for:
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Presented at the First Nations Voice to Parliament induction day 11 April 2024. | |
History Festival events were undertaken in May 2024, including:
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The Reconciliation in the West event was attended by staff to promote State Records’ Aboriginal Access Services in May 2024. | |
| Social media promotion | A comprehensive Social Media Strategy was developed November 2023 to enhance our engagement with customers and stakeholders through existing social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and flickr. In January 2024 a social media group was formed to develop the social media calendar and content. In June 2024 the most successful post on State Records’ Facebook page was posted. It featured the South Australian Film Corporation film ‘Sunday Too Far Away’. The post received 861 reactions, 147 comments and 126 shares. |
Adelaide Botanic Garden, walkway covered by Wisteria, 18 October 1921
One of the glass plate negatives cleaned, digitised and rehoused
GRG35/342/1/13/GN12467
State Records Council
Functions and objectives
State Records Council was established under section 9 (1) of the State Records Act 1997.
The functions of Council are specified in section 10 and require it to:
- approve disposal determinations for official records
- provide advice to the Attorney-General and Director of State Records on policies relating to records management or access to official records.
Council structure
Section 9 (2) of the Act requires that the Council consist of nine members appointed by the Attorney-General. Appointments align with prescribed criteria defined in the Act.
The appointment term for all current members is 29 January 2023 - 28 January 2026. For the reporting year, Council had full membership with each representation actively involved, with no changes made to membership.
Executive support to the State Records Council is delivered within the resources of State Records. The Executive Officer for the reporting period was Tegan Hartweg.
| Amanda Paul | a historian, nominated by the Minister for the Arts |
| Jennifer Scott | a representative of the Australian Society of Archivists |
| Kerry Hazel | a representative of the Records and Information Management Practitioners Alliance Global |
| Keith Nicholas Chair | a public sector practitioner nominated by the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment |
| Deborah Horton Deputy Chair | a person with experience in local government nominated by the Local Government Association of South Australia |
| Karen White | a person with practical business experience |
| Judith O-Connor | a person nominated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court |
| Deanne Hanchant-Nichols | an Aboriginal person engaged in historical research, nominated by the Executive Director of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation |
| Dr Herbert Stock | a member of the public that makes use of official records |
In 2023-24 State Records Council held seven meetings. The number of meetings attended from each member was Amanda Paul (5), Deanne Hanchant-Nichols (6), Deborah Horton (6), Dr Herbert Stock (6), Karen White (4), Judith O’Connor (7), Keith Nicholas (7), Kerry Hazel (5), Jennifer Scott (5).
In 2023-24 the State Records Council reviewed a total of 22 disposal schedules and approved 21 of those disposal schedules.
The State Records Council does not administer a budget.
The State Records Council has not engaged any consultants.
The State Records Council has not engaged any contractors.