The work of archivists is vital for ensuring organisational efficiency and accountability, and for supporting understandings of Australian life through the management and retention of its personal, corporate and social memory. In addition, the ASA has a Code of Ethics , parts of which relate to the ethical handling of personal information in archival collections. The ASA and the ACA have some significant concerns about the impact of the key provisions of the Bill for archival practice in Australia. It is a primary function of archival collecting institutions to collect records that are of enduring value of individuals, organisations and businesses. The transfer of custody of these records usually occurs after active reference to the records by the records creators has ceased.
Many individuals deposit their own records directly with an archival institution.
These individuals could be advised of the matters raised in sub-clause 1.3. In other cases the records are deposited with an archival institution by a family member after the individual concerned has passed away. Moreover, it needs to be recognised that the private papers of individuals usually include personal information relating to a large number of other individuals, for example in correspondence received from friends and relatives. In addition, records about individuals in archival institutions are often collected by an organisation or business and then deposited by that organisation or business with an archival institution as a part of that organisation's records. Our understanding is that this Principle will apply to personal information collected after the commencement of the Act.