Specifically, the Digital Records Transformation Initiative (DRTI) wants to modernize the public sector and improve productivity. Automation and cloud integration will drive the evolution. A focus will be placed on allowing government agencies to access data inter-organizationally. Now the DTA is searching for a software-as-a-service platform to handle government digital practices and to solve current problems in records management. “The customer wants to create an information management environment that is agile and suited to current and emerging records management needs,” the DTA wrote. “The customer is seeking an innovative records management solution that connects to multiple business systems and repositories to automatically capture, classify, and securely dispose of records based on their content with minimal user input in accordance with the requirements of applicable records management legislation, standards, and authorities.” In its statement, the DTA confirmed Microsoft Azure is the corporate environment underpinning the transformation. It is also leveraging Microsoft 365. Any successful solution would need to be based on this current environment. Australia’s federal government has embarked on ambitious plans to overhaul the country’s digital capabilities. “Government has made significant progress on our digital journey, however, there is a long way to go. If we are to deliver the high calibre of digital services that Australians deserve, we need to act quickly and strategically to lift digital capability,” the APSC, alongside the DTA, wrote in APS Digital Professional Stream Strategy.
Data Limitations in Australia?
Last year, Microsoft Chief Counsel and president, Brad Smith claimed it was becoming increasingly difficult for companies to store data in Australia. He described the country’s encryption regulations as “no longer comfortable”. In 2018, the Australian government passed new data encryption laws. A first of its kind in the world, the legislation was created in an effort to stop crime and terrorism. Critics have said the laws could have a worse impact on security and will compromise user privacy. The law forces companies to show data, even if it has been encrypted. This means companies are compelled to share information they don’t always have access to. Smith said this could mean companies stop storing data in Australia. “But when I travel to other countries I hear companies and governments say ‘we are no longer comfortable putting our data in Australia. So, they are asking us to build more data centres in other countries, and we’ll have to sort through those issues.”
