Important mandatory requirement information

To provide greater access to government information, agencies must publish an indexed list of  files on their website every six months.

Why must I?

Under the Senate Order for the Production of Indexed Lists of Departmental and Agency Files (Senate Continuing Order No.8) (The Harradine motion), agencies must produce a list of relevant files every six months and publish it on their agency website.

What must I do?

All Australian Government agencies are required to produce an indexed list of relevant files every six months for tabling before Parliament. Agencies are also required to list these files on their websites.

‘Relevant files’ include those relating to policy advising functions, the development of legislation and matters of public administration. Case related files (files dealing with individual clients or taxpayers), related to internal administration of an agency (staff or personnel matters), and files transferred to the National Archives of Australia are specifically excluded.

How do I?

Agencies need to develop an indexed list of all relevant files, including new parts of files created from 1 January 1998. The index should be organised under the names of the current divisions and branches of the agency and then by file number. Once created, the index must be made available from the main agency internet home page.

As an example, please see the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

Subjects:

• Senate Order
• files