[LINK] interoperability efforts [was: Broadband for a Broad Land

[ARTHUR,Evan (Dr)]

Jan raised a number of issues about privacy.  SIF is a technical mechanism for executing sharing of information if a policy decision is taken to do so.  Policy decisions about sharing of data in the schools area are never taken without awareness of privacy issues.  Apart from the legislative requirements (and in some states there are schools-specific information/privacy pieces of legislation) the whole policy environment is acutely sensitive to privacy issues. This is not to claim that every decision which may be taken is the 'right' one in terms of privacy.  It is just that the issues are always part of the policy decision process.  

As an example of how it works, one of the projects undertaken by SIF is about how to have information about a student who transfers between States travel with that student.  The sequence was that Ministers agreed that some information should travel and agreed, following a lengthy consultation process, what that information should be.  This decision was first implemented by way of a paper record travelling with the student.  A decision was then taken to 'automate' this process.  The SIF troops were then brought in to address the technical aspects of doing so.  And yes, there are aspects of how SIF works, such as the way in which it handles passing of messages, which are themselves of privacy interest and need to be taken into account.


Evan Arthur
Group Manager
National Schools and Youth Partnerships Group
Department of Education,  Employment and Workplace Relations




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