Western Australia · Government

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

The State Records Act 2000 (WA) and the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA) can reach posts, comments and replies made on official accounts. Brolly captures them automatically so councils and agencies can answer a FOI access application without relying on screenshots.

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WA organisations that use Brolly

  • City of Joondalup

Also City of Kalamunda, Shire of Harvey, Shire of Exmouth.

Know your legislation

Four things shape the record in Western Australia.

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

State Records Act 2000 (WA)

Government organisations, including local governments, must have an approved recordkeeping plan and keep records of their business in line with the State Records Principles and Standards 2002. Records may only be destroyed under an approved retention and disposal authority. State Records Act 2000 No. 52 of 2000

Access to information

FOI Act

An agency must deal with an access application within the permitted period of 45 days after it is received, or another period agreed with the applicant or allowed by the Information Commissioner. Request term: FOI access application · Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA)

Retention & disposal

General Disposal Authority for Local Government Records and sector disposal authorities approved by the State Records Commission

Retention follows the business function the content documents. Social media records sit under the same disposal authority as the activity they evidence, as set out in your recordkeeping plan. Retention and disposal authorities

Records authority & oversight

State Records Office of Western Australia

State Records Office of Western Australia · Records management advice: social media content as government recordsOversight: Office of the Information Commissioner WA

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BrollyFree guide · PDF
State Records Act 2000 (WA)
Archiving Social Media: A Guide For WA Government
WA lawAustralia-wide lawRecordsChecklist
Captured. Searchable. Defensible.PDF
Free guide

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Social Media Legislation Guide.

The WA edition, written for records and communications teams in Western Australia government.

Western Australia and Australia-wide legislation, side by side Records obligations explained in plain English Bonus compliance checklist inside
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In their words
“The State Records Act 2000 defines a record as 'information however recorded', therefore any business-related content created by a government organisation using social media is subject to the same recordkeeping requirements as information created by other means.”

State Records Office of Western Australia — read the guidance

For councils

Local Government Act 1995 (WA)

Local governments are government organisations under the State Records Act and must hold an approved recordkeeping plan; elected members' official-capacity communications can be local government records.

  • Integrity body: Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries

Social media archiving for councils

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

Meeting the obligation in WA, 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 State Records Office of Western 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 WA records teams ask

Can social media content be a government record in WA?
Yes. The State Records Office's advice points to the Act's definition of a record as 'information however recorded', which means business-related social media content can be subject to the same recordkeeping requirements as email or paper. Your recordkeeping plan and disposal authority decide what is kept and for how long.

Source: State Records Act 2000 (WA) · State Records Office of Western Australia: Records management advice: social media content as government records

How long does a WA agency have to deal with an FOI application?
The Freedom of Information Act 1992 sets a permitted period of 45 days, or another period agreed with the applicant or allowed by the Information Commissioner. If the application covers social media, your records team needs to find and produce that content within the period.

Source: Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA) · Office of the Information Commissioner WA

Do elected members' accounts need to be covered?
Content an elected member creates or receives in their official capacity may be a local government record, whichever account it sits on. Many WA local governments add councillor and shire president accounts to their archive after each election. Treat it case by case under your recordkeeping plan.
How does Brolly help a WA local government meet these obligations?
Brolly captures official accounts as they are used, including comments, edits and deletions, keeps the content searchable with its metadata and exports it in formats you can file in your EDRMS or produce for an access application. It helps you meet your recordkeeping plan; it does not replace it.

Nothing is lost.

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

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