Delegations of authority for public records access

If your public authority is the responsible public authority for records held at Queensland State Archives (QSA), your public authority’s chief executive has responsibilities relating to records access under the Public Records Act 2023.

They may choose to delegate these responsibilities to an appropriately qualified officer under s282 of the Public Sector Act 2022.

Delegates for public records access determine the access status of public records in QSA’s custody under a RAN and/or provide access to restricted records in QSA’s custody.

In order to execute these functions, delegates may find the following useful:

• Knowledge and understanding of the public authority’s records and functions, including the ability to assess public records and determine their sensitivity, cultural significance, and potential impact on privacy.
• Sufficient seniority to authorise the release of information.
• Capacity to respond to requests within mandated response time of 35 days under s38 of the Public Records Act 2023.
• Awareness of relevant legal frameworks, including any legislation governing the authority’s functions, the Public Records Act 2023, the Right to Information Act 2009, the Information Privacy Act 2009, the Human Rights Act 2019 and the Information Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023.
• Understanding of importance of public records to First Nations peoples and ability to receive advice from appropriate knowledge holders to make informed determinations regarding sensitivity of public records relating to First Nations peoples and cultures.

QSA may also ask that authorised delegates provide nominations for other management roles relating to their agency’s records at QSA, such as ArchivesGateway Security Administrators and Senior Agency Administrators.

QSA may contact your chief executive to request delegations of authority for public records access when your public authority:

• is newly established and has inherited responsibility for public records in QSA’s custody
• has been renamed or has undergone significant changes in function or structure and is responsible for public records in QSA’s custody
• wishes to transfer public records into QSA’s custody and does not have current delegations of authority for public records access.

To update your public authority’s delegations of authority for public records access, please use the Delegation of authority for public records access form (DOCX, 184.5 KB) .

Delegations of authority for transfer of records and disposal should be managed internally within your public authority. These do not need to be sent to QSA.