INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME
PLAN
April 2012
Information Publication Scheme Plan 2012
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME PLAN ............................................................................. 3
1.1
1.2
1.3
2
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 3
PURPOSE.................................................................................................................................... 3
OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................ 3
IMPLEMENTING THE INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME ..................................................... 5
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
ESTABLISHING AN INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME .................................................................... 5
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE ........................................................................................................ 5
INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE PUBLISHED ...................................................................................... 6
OPTIONAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................. 7
ADMINISTERING CRIMTRAC’S INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME .................................................... 7
REVIEW ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Information Publication Scheme Plan 2012
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1 INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME
PLAN
1.1 INTRODUCTION
CrimTrac has prepared this Information Publication Scheme Plan (the Plan) in accordance
with Part II (section 8(1)) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
Section 8(1) of the FOI Act states:
An agency must prepare a plan showing the following:
a) what information the agency proposes to publish for the purposes of this Part;
b) how, and to whom, the agency proposes to publish information for the purposes
of this Part;
c) how the agency otherwise proposes to comply with this Part.
1.2 PURPOSE
The primary purpose of the Plan is to:
a) outline how CrimTrac plans to improve access by the Australian Community to
information it holds through the Information Publication Scheme (IPS);
b) comply with Part II of the FOI Act; and
c) assist CrimTrac develop appropriate procedures to proactively disclose its
information holdings in accordance with the objects of the FOI Act.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
CrimTrac intends that the Plan will provide the appropriate guidance to:
a) manage its information holdings relevant to the IPS;
b) identify all information required by the FOI Act to be identified for publication;
c) provide appropriate mechanisms and procedures for the publication of all
information required to be published under the FOI Act;
d) identify and publish all optional information, as provided by Part II of the FOI
Act;
e) evaluate information published under the IPS, particularly to ensure:
a. accuracy
b. currency and
c. completeness.
f) ensure that information published under the Scheme is discoverable,
understandable and re-useable;
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g) ensure that the format of online content conforms with the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines1; and
h) measure the success of CrimTrac’s contribution to the IPS using feedback and
other review mechanisms.
1
The Australian Government Information Management Office advises that agencies, in publishing information on
the web, are required to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Further information can be
sourced at www.finance.gov.au/publications/wcag-2-implementation/index.html. The requirements of each
level of the staged compliance model are available at www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/.
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2 IMPLEMENTING THE INFORMATION
PUBLICATION SCHEME
2.1 ESTABLISHING AN INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME
Reforms to the FOI Act have introduced a number of fundamental changes to the way
information, held by government, is managed and made accessible to the public. CrimTrac is
committed to meeting its obligations under the FOI Act, by:
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providing leadership, at the Executive Leadership Team level, for the agency’s work
on implementing FOI reforms, including establishing and administering the IPS;
making administrative arrangements to have a dedicated Freedom of Information
Officer within the Legal and Policy Team, consistent with section 23(1) of the FOI
Act;
ensuring:
o the most stringent security and privacy protections are provided to the
personal and sensitive information for which CrimTrac is responsible;
o the development of an information asset management framework that
meets the requirements of the FOI reforms (CrimTrac’s Information
Architecture);
o the maintenance of the IPS Information Register of CrimTrac-held
information for publication under the IPS;
o the maintenance of a register listing the information that has been made
available to members of the public otherwise than by publication (the FOI
Disclosure Log);
o the public is given, via the CrimTrac website (www.crimtrac.gov.au) details
of the information published under the IPS, how that information is
produced and accessed, as well as the steps CrimTrac will take to ensure the
information is accurate, up to date and complete; and
o notice is given on the CrimTrac website of any changes that CrimTrac
intends to implement to support access to CrimTrac held information as
they arise.
2.2 INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
CrimTrac was established in 2000 by Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) and as an
executive agency under section 65 of the Public Service Act 1999 (Cth) (the Public Service
Act). Underpinning the IGA is the collaborative willingness of each of the parties to create
the most effective information sharing solutions for operational police to help combat crime
in Australia.
The primary role of CrimTrac is to provide national information sharing solutions to support
the effective operation of police services and law enforcement agencies across state and
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territory borders. CrimTrac achieves this by hosting, managing and administering national
information sharing solutions:
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the police agencies collectively determine what data should be shared, the minimum
set of data they will provide and who is authorised to access the data.
CrimTrac is not authorised, under its governance arrangements, to amend or change
the operational police information held on its systems.
CrimTrac officers do not themselves collect information relating to crime, criminal
activity, or persons of interest.
the information has been collected by police and statutory law enforcement
agencies as part of operational policing, including investigations.
the information provided by police agencies to CrimTrac is, with few exceptions,
personal information of a sensitive nature. Accordingly, a limited amount of
information held by CrimTrac can be made available to the public generally. It is the
intention, however, to make as much information as possible available through the
IPS.
In relation to FOI requests:
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where they relate to operational policing information held by CrimTrac, CrimTrac
must consult with the Australian police services that have an interest in that
information when considering the appropriate response to that request.
CrimTrac will also seek to exempt access to information where the disclosure of a
document would involve an unreasonable disclosure of personal information about
another person, including a deceased person (in accordance with section 47F(1)), or
where the information has been provided in confidence.
2.3 INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE PUBLISHED
CrimTrac will make the following types of information available to the public on its external
website (www.crimtrac.gov.au):
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2
this IPS;
CrimTrac’s organisation chart;
details of CrimTrac’s functions set out in the IGA and the Partnership Approach
Memorandum of Understanding, and governance, supported in the document titled
CrimTrac Governance, Program Delivery and Management2. This will include
membership of the CrimTrac Board of Management and its role;
publicly available agreements to which CrimTrac is a party, such as those that
support the governance of the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database;
templates used by CrimTrac for accrediting certain agencies to access the National
Police Checking Service;
Published December 2010
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CrimTrac’s annual reports from 2000/2001 onwards;
CrimTrac Strategic Plans from 2004 – 2007 onwards;
CrimTrac organisational policies that are appropriate for publication through the IPS;
CrimTrac’s legal services reporting statement for the previous financial year;
relevant files for the Senate File List, in compliance with Senate Continuing Order
No. 103, from 2003;
information relating to any tenders sponsored by CrimTrac for the relevant period of
the tender (this information will also be provided at tenders.gov.au);
contact details for CrimTrac’s Freedom of Information Officer; and
other relevant operational information relating to CrimTrac’s functions .
All information will be made available in Microsoft Word compatible format and in English.
2.4 OPTIONAL INFORMATION
In addition to the information required to be published, CrimTrac will also ensure that the
following information is made available on its website
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Information relating to CrimTrac's priorities, including:
o Any nationally identified priorities and new initiatives relating to CrimTrac as
and when released by the Commonwealth Government or by State or
Territory Governments;
o nationally agreed research and development priorities to which CrimTrac is a
sponsor, contributor or leader;
o publicly available results of any inspections, investigations or audits on
CrimTrac business such as ANAO reports; and
o publicly available results of any government or non-government reviews of
CrimTrac business or functions.
Reports and discussion papers prepared by CrimTrac for public release;
Information relating to employment at CrimTrac including:
o agreed outcomes relating to CrimTrac enterprise bargaining processes;
o financial information relating to CrimTrac pay and grading structures;
o publicly available tender, procurement and contract procedures and
processes; and
Publicly available information relating to file lists, appointments, disclosure logs and
datasets.
2.5 ADMINISTERING CRIMTRAC’S INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME
CrimTrac is committed to meeting its obligations under the FOI Act, and in particular to the
IPS.
3
Relevant files includes files relating to the policy advising functions of the department or agency, including any
relating to the development of legislation and other matters of public administration.
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CrimTrac will:
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review the IPS annually for accuracy, contemporaneity and application;
develop and review annually a CrimTrac information asset management framework;
ensure that the FOI Officer continues to be appropriately resourced to meet the
ongoing requirements of the IPS and the FOI disclosure log;
maintain the dedicated FOI mailbox which receives incoming FOI enquiries and
public suggestions for publication of CrimTrac-related information;
initiate quarterly reviews through the CrimTrac Executive Leadership Team to assess
what information is required or encouraged to be published under the FOI Act;
identify, through the CrimTrac website, information that is already otherwise
available for public perusal;
ensure that accuracy and transparency is maintained regarding any charges that
CrimTrac imposes for access to information , and how the charge is calculated;
ensure that the information published is maintained to the highest standard to
support accessibility, usability and accuracy; and
publish any additional information relating to the information asset management
framework and the review of the IPS.
2.6 REVIEW
In accordance with requirements of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
(OAIC), this revised IPS Plan is being made available on www.crimtrac.gov.au for a public
comment period of two weeks.
Prior to publishing a revised IPS Plan, CrimTrac will submit the final draft (incorporating
public comment on the revised draft IPS) to the OAIC for endorsement.
CrimTrac will continue to conduct a comparative environmental scan of IPS plans developed
by similarly placed agencies. Through this, CrimTrac is confident that it will maintain the
currency and appropriate application of its IPS.
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