Defence

Wordsmith

Ric Smith, Secretary

Keeping track of progress

Every day we generate large volumes of information as documents, emails, plans, pictures, electronic data, contracts and so on. Keeping appropriate records of this information is a critical part of our business.

The importance of producing and maintaining comprehensive records for all Defence activities cannot be emphasised enough. Maintaining effective internal records represents a major component of our accountability obligations to Government and to the community. Keeping records is an important factor in maintaining our organisational legitimacy and credibility.

Record-keeping obligations applied to us under Commonwealth law are extensive. Legislation on record-keeping applying to Defence includes the Archives Act 1983, the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 1982, and the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

The Archives Act provides for the appropriate handling, disposal and destruction of official Defence records, and together with the FOI Act provides access to a range of Defence records by members of the public. Several other acts, such as the Financial Management and Accountability Act, also impose fiduciary responsibilities that rely on records as evidence.

Records may be the only evidence of the decisions or activities that have been undertaken. They demonstrate that statutory requirements have been met and due process has been followed, and facilitate the effective and efficient performance of Defence operations.

Good record-keeping is more than just an administrative activity. When I reflect on recent inquiries into public administration—and there have been a few—it is apparent that we often fail to recognise that the act of making a decision or taking an action gives rise to the need for a corporate record to be created and retained. Too often, these inquiries detail deficiencies in record-keeping that make it almost impossible to understand why and how a decision was reached or an action was taken. All of us must be mindful of our obligations to create and retain corporate records.

There have been occasions in the past when our record-keeping practices have been called into question. Deficiencies in the accurate recording, reporting and stocktaking of Defence data have dented our status and credibility as a competent and professional government organisation. Insufficient supporting documentation in leave records and errors in the recording of leave transactions, for instance, have led to flaws in our current civilian and military leave and payroll processes.

In some cases, our desire to hold onto records beyond their utility or our statutory requirements, and a lack of sufficient mechanisms to deal with the vast amount of record-keeping and administration that we require, have also left us drowning under the weight of our own reporting in some areas.

It is our aim for Defence people to be recognised by Government as highly competent, professional and business-like financial managers within the next five years. As a result, our focus is on achieving best practice records management, increasing our data integrity, and achieving simple and uniform accessibility.

The implementation of best practice record-keeping within Defence has as its backbone three tools: the Defence Records Management Policy Manual, the Defence Functions Records Disposal Authority (DFRDA) and the Defence Records Management System (DRMS)/Electronic Record Management System (EDMS). Together, these provide Defence with the records management tools that meet the standards set by Government.

Rather than manage our records as a liability, we need to embrace them as an asset and information resource. The accountability and efficiency that proficient record-keeping provides underpins the policies and practices of all aspects of management within Defence.

Defence has made considerable progress in lifting the standard of its record-keeping and administration, and continues to progress a range of improvements. Despite our success, we still face challenges in ensuring that the quality of our record-keeping and administration is as it should be.

One of our biggest challenges in recent years has been the development of a comprehensive framework for the management of our financial performance and our financial records management. The Defence Financial Controls Framework Project has been central to our efforts to reform the financial management domain in Defence and achieve high-quality, repeatable outcomes that are accepted by external auditors.

While these initiatives aim to improve Defence records management and streamline administrative activities, 'soft controls' such as leadership, teamwork, culture, values, communication and flexibility are also essential for success.

Managers and supervisors must ensure that staff are familiar with the legislation that impacts on their work, and the departmental processes that govern our record-keeping administration. Individually, we all need to understand and act in accordance with our responsibilities under legislation and Defence record-keeping policy.

The importance of good records goes beyond present-day accountability. Records are the stuff of history—if history is to record our achievements accurately, then we must preserve our efforts today. It's up to us all to make sure that one legacy we leave is a high-quality record of our work activities and achievements.

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