Queensland · Government

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

The Public Records Act 2023 (Qld) and the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) can reach posts, comments and replies made on official accounts. Brolly captures them automatically so councils and agencies can answer a RTI application without relying on screenshots.

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Used in Queensland

Cairns Regional Council · Livingstone Shire Council

Know your legislation

Four things shape the record in Queensland.

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

Public Records Act 2023 (Qld)

Public authorities must make and keep full and accurate records of their activities and manage them under the standards issued by the State Archivist. The 2023 Act replaced the Public Records Act 2002 and carries forward the duty to keep records and dispose of them only under an approved retention and disposal schedule. Public Records Act 2023 No. 33 of 2023

Access to information

RTI Act

The processing period for an access application is 25 business days from the day the agency receives it, with set periods that do not count (for example, a further 10 business days where third-party consultation is required). Request term: RTI application · Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld)

Retention & disposal

General Retention and Disposal Schedule and the Local Government Sector Retention and Disposal Schedule issued by Queensland State Archives

Social media records are subject to the same disposal rules as other digital public records. Retention follows the business activity the content documents, under the schedule that applies to your authority. Retention and disposal authorities

Records authority & oversight

Queensland State Archives (QSA)

Queensland State Archives (QSA) · Social media public records guidanceOversight: Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland

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Public Records Act 2023 (Qld)
Archiving Social Media: A Guide For Queensland Government
Queensland lawAustralia-wide lawRecordsChecklist
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Social Media Legislation Guide.

The Queensland edition, written for records and communications teams in Queensland government.

Queensland and Australia-wide legislation, side by side Records obligations explained in plain English Bonus compliance checklist inside
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In their words
“Social media content (e.g. posts, blogs, comments, likes, tweets, retweets) is a public record and should be managed according to its value and the same rules as all other public records.”

Queensland State Archives — read the guidance

For councils

Local Government Act 2009 (Qld)

Councils are public authorities for recordkeeping purposes; the Crime and Corruption Commission has published guidance on council records and councillor conduct.

  • Integrity body: Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland

Social media archiving for councils

Brolly illustration of records being organised for a request
How Brolly helps

Meeting the obligation in Queensland, 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 Queensland State Archives (QSA).

  • RTI 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 Queensland records teams ask

Are Queensland council social media posts public records?
Queensland State Archives' guidance says social media content such as posts, comments and likes is a public record to be managed by its value, under the same rules as other records. The Public Records Act 2023 sets the duty to make and keep records. What to keep and for how long depends on the activity the content documents, so follow your records policy.

Source: Public Records Act 2023 (Qld) · Queensland State Archives (QSA): Social media public records guidance

What is the RTI processing period in Queensland?
The Right to Information Act 2009 gives an agency 25 business days from receiving a valid application, with defined periods that do not count, such as 10 extra business days for third-party consultation. If an application covers social media, records staff need to locate and produce that content within the period.

Source: Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) · Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland

Do councillors' own accounts count?
Content a councillor creates or receives in their official capacity may be a public record, even on a personal account. The Crime and Corruption Commission has written about council records and councillor communications. Treat it case by case under your records policy and seek advice where the line is unclear.

Source: Local Government Act 2009 (Qld)

How does Brolly help a Queensland authority meet these obligations?
Brolly captures official social media activity as it happens, including comments, edits and deletions, keeps it searchable with its metadata and exports it in formats your records team can file or produce for an RTI application. It helps you meet your obligations under the Act; it does not replace your retention and disposal schedule.

Nothing is lost.

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

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