Australian Government · Government

Official social media in Australian Government can be subject to its recordkeeping laws.

The Archives Act 1983 (Cth) and the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) can reach posts, comments and replies made on official accounts. Brolly captures them automatically so councils and agencies can answer a FOI request without relying on screenshots.

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Know your legislation

Four things shape the record in Australian Government.

The records Act, the access regime, retention and disposal, and the authority that oversees them — each named from the legislation and linked to its source. Confirm current requirements with your records authority and legal team. Sources last reviewed 21 August 2026.

Records act

Archives Act 1983 (Cth)

Commonwealth records may not be destroyed, altered or transferred out of Commonwealth custody except as the Act permits, generally under a records authority issued by the National Archives of Australia. Agencies are expected to manage information in line with the National Archives' standards and policies, including Building trust in the public record. Archives Act 1983 No. 79, 1983

Access to information

FOI Act

An agency or minister must acknowledge a request within 14 days and notify a decision within 30 days, extendable where third-party consultation is needed, by agreement with the applicant, or with the Information Commissioner's approval for complex or voluminous requests. Request term: FOI request · Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)

Retention & disposal

Records authorities issued by the National Archives of Australia (including the Administrative Functions Disposal Authority, AFDA Express)

Retention follows the function the record documents. Social media records are kept under the same records authority as the business activity they evidence. Retention and disposal authorities

Records authority & oversight

National Archives of Australia

National Archives of Australia · Managing social media and instant messagingOversight: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

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BrollyFree guide · PDF
Archives Act 1983 (Cth)
Archiving Social Media: A Guide For Federal Government
Commonwealth lawAustralia-wide lawRecordsChecklist
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Free guide

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Social Media Legislation Guide.

The Commonwealth edition, written for records and communications teams in Australian Government government.

Australia-wide legislation for federal agencies Records obligations explained in plain English Bonus compliance checklist inside
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In their words
“If your agency uses social media for business activities, the information created is an Australian Government record and needs to be managed.”

National Archives of Australia — read the guidance

How Brolly helps

Meeting the obligation in Commonwealth, without screenshots.

Capture every official channel as it happens

Brolly connects to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok through official APIs and keeps posts, comments, replies, edits and deletions with their metadata and a digital checksum. That helps you meet the recordkeeping expectations set by National Archives of Australia.

  • FOI Act-ready exports in PDF, CSV, HTML or JSON, with chain of custody preserved
  • Search by account, date, keyword or author, then export the set a records officer needs
See the archiveProtect and moderation

Retention aligned to your authority, records in your EDRMS

Set retention to follow your retention and disposal authority, so social media records are kept for as long as the business activity they evidence and disposed of on your terms. The Content Manager integration sends records into your EDRMS alongside the rest of your records.

  • Retention and legal hold you control, applied per account
  • Records stored on AWS cloud servers located in Australia
Content Manager integration
Straight answers

Questions Commonwealth records teams ask

Is an Australian Government agency's social media content a Commonwealth record?
National Archives of Australia guidance says posts, comments, messages and analytics created or received as part of Australian Government business are Commonwealth records. The Archives Act 1983 then governs how they are kept and disposed of. Your records authority and information governance framework decide what is retained and for how long.

Source: Archives Act 1983 (Cth) · National Archives of Australia: Managing social media and instant messaging

How long does an agency have to decide an FOI request?
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 requires an acknowledgement within 14 days and a decision within 30 days, with extensions for consultation, by agreement or with OAIC approval. Social media content within scope needs to be found and produced inside that period.

Source: Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) · Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Does keeping content on the platform count as managing the record?
Content left only on a third-party platform is outside your custody and control. The National Archives expects agencies to capture and manage social media records in their own systems so they stay accessible, authentic and disposable under a records authority. Platform policies and account loss can remove content without notice.

Source: Archives Act 1983 (Cth) · National Archives of Australia: Managing social media and instant messaging

How does Brolly help an Australian Government agency meet these obligations?
Brolly captures official accounts continuously on infrastructure located in Australia, keeps posts, comments, edits and deletions searchable with their metadata, and exports in formats your information management team can file in an EDRMS or produce for an FOI request. It helps you meet the Archives Act and FOI Act; it does not replace your records authority or legal advice.

Nothing is lost.

See complete capture on your own Commonwealth channels in a 20-minute walkthrough. Records teams welcome.

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