Quality information is the foundation of our services. By having accurate, reliable and timely information available and accessible to clients and staff, we contribute to the experience they have when they participate in the tax and superannuation systems.
What is information
Information is ‘the representation of an object, event or a concept.’ Our information exists in both digital and hard-copy format, including:
- our business records
- our clients’ information
- data we use to manage high-volume transactions with appropriate quality, security and privacy.
Data
Data is ’the value of an attribute of an object, event or a concept’. It is not just a number or word, it has to be expressed in context for it to be useful.
Good data allows us to undertake complex analyses to assist in assessments, investigations and enable effective services to be provided to government, clients and staff.
Records
A record is ‘the evidence of a business transaction or decision’. We treat our records as being a valuable component of the information we acquire, use and share. We only keep the records that are required to provide transparency and accountability of our business.
Keeping good records allows us to:
- identify assets
- capture evidence
- reuse valuable information
- provide our clients and government with transparency of our performance in achieving our purpose.
Information management
Information management is ‘the management practices through which we acquire and generate value from information’.
Information management includes:
- collection, management and analysis of data including master data and metadata
- web content management and social media
- document management
- digital asset management and learning content management
- management of digital and hard-copy (legacy) records and information assets
- email, eMessaging and online collaboration
- enterprise search
- researching and resourcing information sources and reference material
- management of shared drive content
- information governance
- information security and risk management
- Intellectual Property (IP)
- managing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests
- design, graphics and publishing.
Key drivers
Performance
The most compelling driver for effective management of our information is improving our service delivery. Having authoritative, reliable and credible information encourages participation in our tax and superannuation systems. Good information practices enable us to have confidence in decisions we make and advice we provide to our clients, staff and to government.
Risk
Our ability to manage information security and confidentiality is paramount to the trust clients have in our services and systems. Loss of that trust would have a significant impact on client participation in the tax and superannuation systems.
Accountability
We are required to comply with legislative and regulatory instruments to ensure appropriate levels of transparency and accountability.
Key legislation includes the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability, Archives, Privacy, FOI and the Evidence and Income Tax Assessment Acts.
Efficiency
Ongoing pressure and competition for resources drives how we plan, acquire and store our information. To deliver our services, we need to ensure we make the best possible use of our systems, technology and resources to deliver our services.
Our vision for managing information
Our vision statement is a key part of our information management framework. It describes how we aspire to operate and where we want to be.
We contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of Australians by making our information relevant, accurate and easily accessible by clients and staff.
Our principles
Our information management principles provide a foundation for making better decisions about services, risk, capabilities, priorities and investments in information management technology.
Our information:
- is well organised and managed
- is easily found and used
- is available and accessible by clients and staff
- demonstrates transparency and accountability of our business
- delivers value for money
- is authoritative, reliable and credible
- is secure and confidential.