As government agencies adopt more data-driven and AI-enabled ways of working, recordkeeping can sometimes be seen as a back-office function. Damian Shepherd, State Archivist and Executive Director, State Records Office, sees it differently. In his view, good recordkeeping sits right at the centre of safe, effective and accountable use of data.
Ahead of Government Innovation Showcase Western Australia 2026, Damian shares why recordkeeping still matters, where the biggest information governance risks are emerging, and why records, archives and information management professionals need to be part of the wider digital, data and AI conversation.
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Public Sector Network:
As government agencies adopt more data-driven and AI-enabled ways of working, why does good recordkeeping still matter?
Damian Shepherd:
In a Western Australian context, it matters more than ever given the broad scope of our State Records Act, which encompasses the management of data.
In essence, our legislation in WA is all about managing data so it is discoverable and usable by those who need it, when they need it, with appropriate safeguards around that access of course.
To be effective and safe, AI-enabled ways of working depend on us having a really good understanding of what data we hold, how it should be used and by whom.
The Information Management Framework we developed a couple of years ago with our colleagues across WA Government is a great way to understand how the State Records Act supports and interacts with other legislation and policy in WA to help us manage our data.
Importantly, it also reminds us how important it is for our ICT, cybersecurity and records management professionals to work closely together to support our agencies.
Public Sector Network:
What are the biggest information governance risks agencies need to consider as they integrate new technologies, data platforms and AI tools?
Damian Shepherd:
To be effective and safe, AI-enabled ways of working depend on us having a good understanding of what data we hold, how it should be used and by whom.
The record keeping plans all government agencies in WA, both State and local, are required to maintain under the State Records Act can be useful here. These plans are intended to be a home and source of truth that captures how we are keeping track of our data holdings and managing them as part of our records.
Our experience at the State Records Office in working with and advising other agencies is that as we integrate new technologies, data platforms and AI tools we need to carefully consider how data flows between these systems, particularly when we are migrating from one system to another. We need to ensure that process is complete and that we do not lose data unintentionally in the process.
That does not mean the State Records Act requires us to keep everything, of course. Perhaps ironically, an important part of recordkeeping is the safe and secure disposal of data no longer required. Currently, we are generally not doing this well or often enough, which means we are storing more than we need to, and that costs a lot of money in a digital-first world.
Regular disposal of records, including data, is intended to be a normal part of the way we manage information. We just need to make sure we are doing this in a planned and organised way and in accordance with our record keeping plans.
Public Sector Network:
How can agencies balance innovation with the need to preserve reliable evidence of government decisions and actions?
Damian Shepherd:
Balance might seem to imply there is a tension here between innovation and preserving evidence. I would argue there is not a tension here at all.
In the public sector here in WA, we are all accountable to the people of WA.
That means we need to be able to show how we arrive at decisions and actions. The easiest way to do that is to ensure we have to hand the information we have used to inform those decisions and actions, including supporting data and other records.
To make decisions and take actions at the pace required, we need to be innovative in the way we approach the way we manage our information.
So innovation in technology and process, in the way we do things, is an enabler rather than something we need to balance.
Public Sector Network:
What does transparency look like in practice when government is using AI or more complex data-driven decision-making?
Damian Shepherd:
AI is one of the technologies we use to process data and information, which are all records in WA.
It is one of the technologies enabling us to respond at pace.
At the State Records Office, I think our experience probably mirrors that of others in that we have seen how important the reliability and quality of our data and information are when we deploy AI to use that data and information. It is truer than ever that it is rubbish in, rubbish out.
Another important lesson is the importance of actually creating records about how we use AI to make decisions, so it is not a black box process.
Increasingly, I think we will be expected to be able to demonstrate how this is done fairly and transparently.
Public Sector Network:
Where do records, archives and information management professionals fit into the wider digital, data and AI governance conversation?
Damian Shepherd:
The Information Management Framework we developed with other agencies a couple of years ago maps out the responsibilities of everyone in every agency for managing our data, information and other records effectively.
As every agency is ultimately responsible and accountable for what is set out in its record keeping plans, our records, archives and information management professionals are there to help their colleagues ensure we are managing our data and other information assets properly, including through our digital, data and AI policies and other governance arrangements.
Public Sector Network:
What would you like public sector leaders to take away from this panel discussion at Government Innovation Showcase WA?
Damian Shepherd:
Leverage your recordkeeping obligations to manage your data, information and other records effectively, including managing costs for storing and managing that data.
Encourage and support your ICT, cyber and records and information management professionals to work as closely as possible together so they can help your organisation keep pace with the expectations of government and the community.
Continue to share your learning and experience with others across government so we can collectively address challenges and opportunities together.
At Government Innovation Showcase Western Australia 2026, Damian will join the panel “Privacy, Data and AI Governance, Transparency and Trust.” The discussion will look at building trust and transparency in AI, protecting privacy, strengthening data governance, and making sure agencies can innovate responsibly as digital and AI use accelerates across government.
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