The Building Trust in the Public Record: managing information and data for government and community policy (BTPR policy) came into effect 1 January 2021. It has since been updated and extended to 31 December 2028.
The policy lays out 3 key requirements for all Australian Government agencies to ensure they manage information to meet the needs of government and the community.
Each requirement has a list of actions associated with it. There are 3 mandatory actions, one under each key requirement, and 14 recommended actions.
The steps below provide a roadmap for agencies seeking to implement the policy for the first time or to decide their next steps in completing this work.
Step 1: Review Check-up Survey results
The National Archives' annual Check-up survey assesses an agency's current information maturity. Use the latest Check-up results to baseline your agency performance and identify the areas of focus for 2026 to 2028.
Step 2: Ensure Key Requirement 1 of the policy is fully implemented
Key Requirement 1 tasks agencies to manage information assets strategically with appropriate governance and reporting. It is the foundation for developing in-house capability, accountability and good governance.
There are 8 actions under Key Requirement 1.
Action 1 is mandatory.
Begin with a review of your latest Check-up results for actions 1 to 8 and then view a suggested order in which to implement them.
Step 3: Identify and manage risk
Identify, plan and mitigate information management risks. Develop an agency risk register to help manage information assets data, information and records or add information management risks to the corporate risk register.
Use the National Archives information management risk assessment tool to begin.
Step 4: Identify outstanding policy implementation actions and choose tools and resources
There are 17 policy implementation actions, grouped under the 3 key requirements of the policy. Visit each requirement to find the associated actions, and the resources which support them.
Key Requirement 1: Manage information assets strategically with appropriate governance and reporting
Key requirement 2: Implement fit-for-purpose information management processes, practices and systems
Key Requirement 3: Reduce areas of information management inefficiency and risk
Step 5: Develop an enterprise-wide plan to respond to the 2026-2028 BTPR policy extension
The policy recommends that agencies create an enterprise-wide information management strategy (Key Requirement 1: Action 4). This is a key document to help your agency align its information management practices and meet the requirements of an information governance framework.
With that strategy in place, an agency can identify the areas for improvement, resources required and benchmarks that need to be met or exceeded by your agency for the policy extension.
Step 6: Seek assistance from the National Archives of Australia
If you are unsure of how to apply one or more of the 17 actions under any of the 3 key requirements, please contact the Agency Service Centre for more information.
Step 7: Report regularly on the progress of your implementation strategy
Define and document the regular reporting requirements as part of updated governance arrangements to respond to the policy extension and help prepare for annual Check-up surveys.
Step 8: Complete Check-up survey
Complete the annual Check-up survey for your agency head to submit to ensure an update report showing your agency’s progress.