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This general retention and disposal authority provides for the authorised destruction of original or source records that have been copied, provided that certain conditions are met.
| GA no | GA 51 |
|---|---|
| Public office | All public offices as defined by the State Records Act 1998. |
| Scope | This general retention and disposal authority covers original or source records that have been copied. |
| Authority | This general retention and disposal authority is issued under section 21(2)(c) of the State Records Act. It has been approved by the Board of the State Records Authority in accordance with section 21(3) of the State Records Act. |
| Authorised | State Records Authority New South Wales Approved for issue 9 October 2025 |
| Supersedes | GA51 supersedes GA45: Original or source records that have been copied which can no longer be used. |
1.1 Purpose of the Authority
The purpose of this authority is to provide approval under the State Records Act 1998 for the destruction of original or source records after they have been successfully copied. This includes the conversion of paper, film and other physical formats into digital formats.
This Authority establishes the:
- conditions that must be met before destruction can take place, and
- identifies records that are excluded from this approval.
This Authority does not apply to:
- private records held by NSW public offices including collection items held by cultural institutions
- items from the State Archives Collection that are on loan. State archives that have been retrieved or are on loan from Museums of History NSW or its regional archives centres must be returned to Museums of History NSW or the relevant regional archives centres.
- the destruction of digital source records that have been used as the input or source records for migration. Disposal coverage for these records is provided by the General retention and disposal authority for source records that have been migrated (GA48).
1.2 Authorisation
The following table details the categories of original records that can or cannot be destroyed after copying and the conditions that need to be met:
| Number | Records | Permission to destroy original after copying | Conditions for authorisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2.1 | Original records required as State archives that were created in full or part prior to 1 January 1980 that have been copied. | No | Not applicable |
| Note: Records retention and disposal authorities for each public office identify records that are required as State archives. If these records were created in full or in part prior to 1 January 1980 they cannot be destroyed after copying. However, they can be transferred to Museums of History NSW to form part of the State Archives Collection. The 1980 date limiter reflects the time when word processors became more widespread to create digital rather than paper records. | |||
| 1.2.2 | Records subject to a legislative or Government policy requirement that the record not be destroyed that have been copied. | No | Not applicable |
Note: Public offices need to be aware of any such requirements in legislation that applies to them. For example:
| |||
| 1.2.3 | Original records documenting special circumstances personal information of high personal value to the subject of the record that have been copied. | No | Not applicable |
| Note: This entry is intended to cover the case files of care leavers and other individuals, such as members of the Stolen Generation, who were subject to Government control, where the Government record contains significant documentation of their early life and development not otherwise available to them. These records may have value to the individuals in their original format. It is not intended to apply to records such as patient files and student records. | |||
| 1.2.4 | Records that are considered to have cultural, iconic, heritage or aesthetic value as a physical artefact value in their original format that have been copied. | No | Not applicable |
Note: This value relates to the qualities or characteristics of a record that reside in its original form and are lost or diminished when it is copied, for example:
Records with these values must be retained in their original format for the minimum retention period in the relevant records retention and disposal authority, or if they are required as State archives, transferred to Museums of History when no longer required for official purposes. Please contact State Records NSW or Museums of History NSW if clarification is required. | |||
| 1.2.5 | Original records required as State archives that were created after 1 January 1980 that have been copied successfully. | Yes unless they fall under entries 1.2.2, 1.2.3 or 1.2.4. | All conditions under Section 1.3 below |
| Note: Records retention and disposal authorities for each public office identify records that are required as State archives. If these records were created after 1 January 1980 they can be destroyed after copying provided that the conditions listed under 1.3 are met and they are not covered by entries 1.2.2, 1.2.3 or 1.2.4. This includes paper and audiovisual records. Please note that State Records NSW does not require these records to be copied, or destroyed after copying. If there is no business need to copy the records they can be transferred to Museums of History NSW to become part of the State Archives Collection. Please contact Museums of History for any special requirements around copying of audiovisual material. | |||
| 1.2.6 | Deteriorating cellulose nitrate and acetate film, including film that is required as State archives that has been copied successfully. | Yes | All conditions under Section 1.3 below |
| Note: Cellulose nitrate film base was widely used from the 1890s until the 1950s. If stored below minus 18 degrees Celsius the film can be stable and some nitrate film is in good condition. However, the film is inherently flammable, can auto ignite, and if not stored properly becomes more flammable as it decomposes. Transport of the film also requires compliance with the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road & Rail, and storage in sufficient quantities requires notification to SafeWork NSW. Cellulose acetate film was widely adopted in the 1950s as safety film to replace cellulose nitrate and was in use until the 1990s. In the 1980s it was discovered that unless it is stored at below minus 18 degrees Celsius it is susceptible to 'vinegar syndrome' where the film shrinks, distorts and the image layer cracks. Eventually, the film layers can stick together and become blocked. Once film reaches this stage there is no practical way to repair it. As cellulose nitrate and acetate film decomposes it emits toxic acidic gases which are harmful to humans and surrounding objects. For these reasons permission to destroy deteriorating cellulose nitrate and acetate film is given provided that all the conditions under Section 1.3 are met. If the film is unable to be copied please contact State Records NSW. If the film is not deteriorating see 1.2.1, 1.2.5, 1.2.7 or 1.2.8. | |||
| 1.2.7 | Original records that have not reached minimum retention periods in a records retention and disposal authority (temporary records) or that are required to be retained in agency, that have been copied successfully. | Yes unless they fall under entries 1.2.2, 1.2.3 or 1.2.4 | All conditions under Section 1.3 below |
Note: Record retention and disposal authorities for each public office identify records that can be destroyed after minimum retention periods have been met. The originals of these records can be destroyed after copying provided that the conditions under Section 1.3 are met and they are not covered by entries 1.2.2, 1.2.3 or 1.2.4. This includes records with a disposal action of ‘retain in agency’. | |||
| 1.2.8 | Original records that have reached minimum retention periods in a records retention and disposal authority (temporary records) that have been copied. | Yes unless they fall under entries 1.2.2, 1.2.3 or 1.2.4 | Not applicable |
| Note: Record retention and disposal authorities for each public office identify records that can be destroyed after minimum retention periods have been met. Once these have been reached the originals of these records can be destroyed without copying provided that entries 1.2.2, 1.2.3 or 1.2.4 do not apply. | |||
1.3 Conditions for Authorisation
The destruction of original records covered by entries 1.2.5, 1.2.6, 1.27 and 1.2.8 after copying is approved provided that the conditions listed below are met:
- the records are covered by an approved retention and disposal authority
- the copies become the official record of the business of the agency and are kept in accordance with authorised retention requirements
- quality assurance benchmarks and processes have been implemented, monitored and documented to establish that authentic, complete and accessible copies of the records are made. See Managing digitisation programs and projects for further information. If quality cannot be assured, then the original or source records must not be destroyed.
- the original or source records are kept for quality control purposes for an appropriate length of time after copying