DMO Bulletin For Industry - Department of Defence

The pallets of F-111 records at RAAF Base Amberley.
Nobody likes filing, but
when it comes to decades
of Defence documents,
we have to make sure this
history is preserved. With all
of the demands for access to
information about our business,
and the changes to the Freedom
of Information Act, it’s now more
important than ever that DMO
records are properly managed.
Tucked away in a hangar at RAAF
Base Amberley are over 130
pallets of F-111 records. That’s
approximately six million sheets
15 | DMO Bulletin Issue 2 2012
of paper that encapsulate the
history of this hard working and
dearly loved aircraft. Understanding
the significance of these records,
the Disposal and Aerial Targets
Office (DATO) (formerly known as
the Strike and Reconnaissance SPO)
is looking to improve how they are
managed. Physical storage over
many decades is a costly activity.
The DATO has identified what
documents need to be archived and
how long each document needs
to be kept (known as a retention
period) and has recently established
continued page 16
DMO RECORDS
GOInG DIGItAL
FAST FACT
Careful and accurate
records management
throughout a platform’s life
reduces the work required
when the platform is retired.
The introduction of
Objective will assist areas
in maintaining records and
prevent the build up of hard
copy documents, which
will ultimately save space
and money.