Motion (by Senator Harradine)—as amended by leave—agreed to.

(1)   That, subject to paragraph (2), there be laid on the table, by each minister in the Senate, in respect of each department or agency administered by that minister, or by a minister in the House of Representatives represented by that minister:

   (a)   by not later than the tenth day of the autumn sittings, an indexed list of the titles of all relevant files, including new parts of existing files, created between 1 July and 31 December of the preceding year in the central office of that department or agency; and

   (b)   by not later than the tenth day of the spring sittings, an indexed list of the titles of all relevant files, including new parts of existing files, created between 1 January and 30 June of that year in the central office of that department or agency.

(2)   For the purposes of this resolution:

   "autumn sittings" means the period of sittings of the Senate first commencing on a day after 1 January in any year;

   "indexed list" means:

   (a)   a hard copy of an indexed list in which file titles may be grouped by classifications used internally within departments or agencies, such as "policy", "legislation", "advisings", etc.; and

   (b)   the same indexed list in electronic format for IBM compatible personal computers of 286 processors or above on 3.5" high density 1.44 MB floppy disks in an uncompressed form; the file format to be in ASCII or, if the departments or agencies have the lists in Microsoft Word for Windows or Microsoft Access, in Word (*.doc) and Access (*.mdb) formats respectively and labelled accordingly; where data extends over more than one floppy disk, each new disk commences with a new computer file; all disks submitted should be scanned for computer viruses and it should be indicated on each disk that this has been done;

   "relevant files" includes files relating to the policy advising functions of the department or agency, including any relating to the development of legislation and other matters of public administration, but need not include:

   (a)   files transferred to the Australian Archives;

   (b)   case related files (for example personal representations or dealing with the personal affairs of departmental or agency clients or taxpayers); and

   (c)   files essentially related to the internal administration of the department or agency (for example staff or personnel matters);

   "spring sittings" means the period of sittings of the Senate first commencing on a day after 31 July in any year; and

   "title" means the name or title of the file, excluding any part of that name or title which would necessarily disclose commercially confidential, identifiably personal or national security matters.

(3)   That this order have continuing effect.

(4)   That, after the first returns under this order are tabled, the Finance and Public Administration References Committee undertake a review of the operation of this order to ascertain:

   (a)   the most efficient and effective method of ensuring that the information required by this order to be tabled, is available on the public record (including in electronic form);

   (b)   whether the indexing of file lists across departments and agencies can be improved in consultation with the Australian Archives to provide uniform methods of obtaining access to government data;

   (c)   whether the order needs amendment to take into account e-mail and electronic data storage; and

   (d)   any legal or practical difficulties encountered by departments and agencies in complying with the order;

   and that the committee report to the Senate by no later than the first day of sitting in 1997.