Business. Scoop » Information Management Trends Highlighted In Chief Archivist’s Annual Report
Press Release – Department Of Internal AffairsThe State of Government Recordkeeping 2024/25 details the work and initiatives that help enable effective government recordkeeping, including the maturity of. . .
Press Release – Department Of Internal AffairsThe State of Government Recordkeeping 2024/25 details the work and initiatives that help enable effective government recordkeeping, including the maturity of information management practices. The 2024/25 Annual Report on the State of Government Recordkeeping, from the Chief Archivist Poumanaaki, Anahera Morehu, was presented to Parliament yesterday by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Brooke van Velden. The State of Government Recordkeeping 2024/25 details the work and initiatives that help enable effective government recordkeeping, including the maturity of information management practices. “This year’s report gives us the clearest picture yet of how well the public sector is meeting its obligations,” said Chief Archivist Poumanaaki, Anahera Morehu. “Strong information management does not happen by accident. It requires dedicated people, robust systems, and leadership that treats records as strategic assets. ”The findings confirm that while some agencies are lifting performance, most remain below the expected ‘Managing’ level of maturity. Persistent weaknesses include delays in transferring records into the care of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, implementing disposal decisions, embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in recordkeeping, and managing high-value or high-risk information. A new performance measure requires at least 20% of new assessments of agencies to reach ‘Managing’ or better maturity levels. “While ambitious, this target is both realistic and necessary to drive improvement,” said Morehu. The report also highlights Archives New Zealand’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care, including a review of all Disposal Authorities, redevelopment of theIntention to Disposeprocess, and implementation of the Care Records Framework. “The experiences of survivors remind us starkly of the human consequences when records are not properly created, maintained, or accessible,” said Morehu. The Chief Archivist also warned of urgent risks in digital preservation. “Without coordinated action, we risk the loss of irreplaceable evidence of government decisions, rights, and entitlements,” said Morehu. “Good recordkeeping is not only a legal obligation; it is a taonga that sustains the trust between government and the people. Together, we must continue to lift performance, embrace innovation, and keep people at the heart of our recordkeeping system. ”The Public Records Act provides Archives New Zealand and the Chief Archivist with regulatory tools including the audit of central government bodies, the power to direct a public office to report to the Chief Archivist, the ability to inspect records and to set standards and issue guidance on how records must be managed. Recent amendments to the Act have strengthened the powers to inspect records and systems, given flexibility to re-audit agencies sooner and provided for action plans and performance notices to be required from agencies. Read the full Chief Archivist’s AnnualReport2024/25. (https://www. archives. govt. nz/about-us/publications/report-on-the-state-of-government-recordkeeping)Content Sourced fromscoop. co. nzOriginal url