'Session 5A-Tasmanian police records of the Port Arthur massacre' by Nicki Ottavi

Nicki Ottavi works for LINC Tasmania.

The Port Arthur Massacre shook Australia and the world. The Tasmanian Police were first responders. In 2009 the Port Arthur records were transferred to the Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office (TAHO). The Police wanted TAHO to keep everything, they had never dealt with any event like this. For TAHO the issues were the same as any other Government transfer but these records was different. How do we deal with a unique state transfer without throwing out the rule book? How do we make sure the records are accountable as evidence in a meaningful way into the future? How do we process photographs we can't look at because the photographs are so graphic? How do we migrate video and ensure the quality is to standard without looking at it? Where is our quality control? The technological issues around the Port Arthur records had to be dealt with. TAHO had already made moves to find a solution when Police expressed concern about not being able to access an electronic record due to old software. The team assembled to deal with the records was extensive, across professions, staff areas and across agencies. Archivists, records managers, police, forensic and technical staff all worked together to ensure the evidence remained intact. This paper outlines the process TAHO staff followed to protect staff from the graphic nature of the work, protect the integrity of the records and ensure the records preserve the memory of what happened.

Recorded by Alan Milne in Astral 2, Crown Perth, Burswood WA, on Wednesday 26 September 2018 as part of ASA 2018 'Archives in a Blade Runner Age- Identity & Memory, Evidence & Accountability'

ASA 2018 is the National Conference of the Australian Society of Archivists Inc. (ASA) held in Perth, Australia 26-28 September 2018.

Info: https://www.archivists.org.au/learnin...