Disposal, monitoring and review

Documentation of disposal

Disposal decisions must be authorised. This includes those to destroy or transfer original paper records.

Actions to destroy or transfer records must also be accountable. For accountability purposes, it’s essential that you document both authorisations and actions for records disposal.  

For more information, see the Standard on records management.

For more information on the capture of metadata about specific processes performed on records, including their disposal, see Metadata requirements.

Monitoring and review

Public offices are responsible for monitoring their recordkeeping and records disposal practices. This includes:

• monitoring the currency of retention and disposal authorities and reviewing them when required
• ensuring that digitisation policies and procedures, systems and practices remain current and in keeping with best practice
• ensuring that any changes to digitisation procedures or recordkeeping practices still ensure that all of the requirements of General retention and disposal authority: original or source records that have been copied (GA45) are being met.