Excellence in public recordkeeping awarded

Significant projects that capture and preserve public records have been awarded at the Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards announced at the Victorian Archives Centre on Friday.

The biennial Awards recognise recent Victorian and local government projects that reflect excellence, innovation and dedication to best practice recordkeeping and preservation of records of permanent value.

Minister for Government Services, Danny Pearson congratulated winners including The University of Melbourne, Department of Justice and Community Safety and Monash Health for their outstanding approaches to records management.

“Congratulations to the agencies and staff awarded for their continued innovation and important work in ensuring records of the Victorian Government are well managed now and into the future,” said Mr Pearson.

The Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards is an initiative of the Public Records Advisory Council and Victoria’s State and local government archive Public Record Office Victoria (PROV).

The Awards are named after Sir Rupert Hamer, Premier when the Public Records Act was passed and PROV established in 1973. Sir Hamer was a continued supporter of the Archives until his passing. 

“We are pleased to present the Awards this year on the 50th anniversary of the Public Records Act, showcasing the fantastic work our public servants do every day to ensure the capture of records of Victoria’s recent and distant past,” said President of the Public Records Advisory Council, Judy Maddigan.

Winners of the 2023 Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards:

• The University of Melbourne won two awards for their digital preservation and records management projects which saw the organisation upgrade recordkeeping and records management systems.
• Department of Justice and Community Safety for the recordkeeping processes established as part of their industry engagement and enforcement operation in response to COVID-19.

Commendations of the 2023 Sir Rupert Records Management Awards:

• Cardinia Shire Council for their Microsoft 365 records management migration project.
• South West TAFE for their new beginning project implementing and embedding a new records management strategy.
• Department of Education and Training for their 150 years of public education project which saw the collection, digitisation and promotion of records of Victoria’s education history.

Most valuable transfer

• Monash Health for transfer of Queen Victoria Hospital records to PROV ensuring the ongoing preservation of records of women’s 19th and 20th century history.