Section 14(1) of the State Records Act, 1997 (SR Act) allows State Records to, with the approval of the Minister, issue standards relating to the information management practices of agencies.

Part 5 of the SR Act makes it clear that Standards issued under the Act are binding on agencies and must be complied with to ensure the care and management of information assets.

The term ‘information asset’ incorporates the definition of official information assets as defined by section 3(1) of the SR Act, and includes information, data and records, in any format (whether digital or hardcopy), where it is created or received through the conduct of government business.

As new standards are released, there will be impacts on previous guidance documents published to our website.  We are progressively reviewing guidance documents to ensure appropriate advice is available.

Policies are available on the Policies and Guidelines page.

Please contact us for advice.

Strategy and Standards

The Information Management Strategy 2023-2026 (the Strategy) establishes the principles that government agencies must follow to ensure their data and information assets can be relied upon and trusted.

The five principles outlined in the Strategy are:

  • The value of information is known: Information is treated as an asset of the agency; its value to enable business activities and functions, both current and future, is determined, understood and leveraged to improve business outcomes.
  • Information assets are created and managed appropriate to risk: Agencies understand what information needs to be created and kept to support business objectives, meet compliance obligations and mitigate risk.
  • Ownership of information assets is assigned: Responsibility for the governance of information assets is assigned appropriately in order to ensure information assets are managed for the best outcomes of the agency, its customers and broader community.
  • Information assets can be relied upon: Policies, practices and systems are implemented that ensure information assets can be relied upon as trusted and authentic evidence of decisions made and actions taken.
  • Information assets are available as required: Information assets are accessible for as long as needed and are shared appropriately (subject to access, security and privacy rules) within a protected and trusted environment.

Information Management Strategy and Standard Information Session

The Information Management Standard expands on these principles by outlining the behaviours expected of agencies in managing government information to achieve their own business objectives and to meet legislative and policy obligations.

Information Governance Guideline

The Information Governance Guideline (Guideline) expands on the behaviours underpinning the Standard. It offers guidance on the necessary structure and rigor to manage information assets.

The Guideline assist agencies with:

  • the development and implementation of an Information Management Program , as prescribed in Standard, or
  • improvement of an existing Information Management Program.

It also offers advice to assist in compliance with other standards issued under section 14 of the SR Act, and other advice provided by State Records.

Self-Assessment Tool

The Self-Assessment Tool allows agencies to assess their Information Management Program ’s compliance and current information management practices against the Information Management Standard.

The results of the Tool provide an indicative assessment of an agency’s overall information governance maturity and capability, highlighting Program elements to focus on to ensure compliance with, and improvement against, the Information Management Standard.

Information Management Strategy and Standard Information Session

Agencies must use the Appraisal Standard when undertaking appraisal for disposal purposes or determining whether information assets should be kept permanently as part of the State Archive.

The standard establishes the criteria agencies must assess against when determining whether an information asset has permanent value.

This Standard is to be used in conjunction with the Disposal Standard.

This standard replaces the 2003 Appraisal of Official Records - Policy and Objectives.

Appraisal Standard Information Session

Agencies must use the Managing Digital Records in Systems Standard to ensure that all business systems and information management systems maintain the integrity and reliability of the digital information stored in them.

This standard is to be used in conjunction with the Minimum Recordkeeping Metadata Requirements Standard, and will also assist agencies in the procurement of new systems.

This Standard replaces numerous previous standards that addressed the design and procurement for electronic document and records management systems and the management of digital records through business systems including:

  • Document and Records Management Systems (2009)
  • EDRMS Functional Specifications (2009)
  • EDRMS Design Standard (2009)
  • Functional Specification for Records in a Business System (2011)
  • Management of Official Records in a Business System (2011)

Managing Digital Records in Systems and Minimum Recordkeeping Metadata Requirements Standards Information Session

Agencies must use the Minimum Recordkeeping Metadata Requirements Standard to ensure they are creating and managing metadata appropriate to the business activity that is occurring in their systems.

This standard is to be used in conjunction with the Managing Digital Records in Systems Standard.

This Standard replaces the 2015 South Australian Recordkeeping Metadata Standard (SARKMS).

Managing Digital Records in Systems and Minimum Recordkeeping Metadata Requirements Standards Information Session

Agencies must use the Contracting and Information Assets Standard to ensure they continue to comply with their legislative obligations under the SR Act, Freedom of Information Act 1991 (FOI Act), the Premier and Cabinet Circular 012 – Information Privacy Principles Instruction (IPPI) when entering into contracts with third party providers.

This Standard is to be used in conjunction with the following Standards:

The Contracting and Information Assets Standard  sets out the mandatory principles and requirements agencies must adhere to when contracting out of government information assets and information management responsibilities to contracted service providers.

Agencies must use the Management and Storage of Temporary Value Information Assets Standard to ensure information assets of temporary value managed and stored by services providers are secure, kept in good condition and accessible for as long as required.

This Standard is to be used in conjunction with the Deed of Agreement for State Records Storage Approved Service Providers List (the Deed).  The Deed establishes a list of Approved Service Providers (ASPs) which agencies can engage with for storage, retrieval and destruction services for temporary value records.  For more information on the Deed contract State Records .

The Management and Storage of Temporary Value Information Assets Standard sets out the mandatory principles and requirements agencies must adhere to when storing information assets of temporary value with an ASP.

Agencies must use the Disposal Standard to ensure they are disposing of government information lawfully and efficiently.

This Standard is to be used in conjunction with the Appraisal Standard.

This Standard does not replace an existing standard.

The Disposal Standard sets out the mandatory principles and requirements agencies must adhere to when disposing of government information.

Disposal Standard Information Session

Agencies must use the Transfer of Official Records Standard when determining whether official records (information assets) of permanent value should be transferred into the State Archive. It does this by establishing the circumstances under which transfers of official records, into State Records custody, will be accepted or postponed in accordance with the SR Act.

This Standard is to be used in conjunction with the Appraisal Standard and Disposal Standard. It does not replace an existing standard.

Transfer Standard Information Session

Page last updated: 25 May 2023