Manage content for a caretaker or new government - digital guide

Before you begin

What is caretaker mode?

Caretaker mode starts when the legislative assembly expires or is dissolved, usually before an election. It ends when the election result is clear or when a new government takes office.

During caretaker mode specific restrictions and practices apply to creating and distributing content. Caretaker mode will affect your department and agency’s day-to-day tasks, such as communicating to the media and publishing digital content.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet has issued ‘Guidelines on the Caretake Conventions’ for the 2022 State election period. The advice on this page should be read with the Guidelines, and you should contact DPC (using the contact details in the Guidelines) if you have any questions on how the Guidelines apply.

Why manage content for a caretaker or new government?

Create a neutral environment

An election’s special circumstances mean the Victorian public sector must work with extra diligence to provide an apolitical, even-handed approach.

Reduce public distractions

Managing online content appropriately is important to prevent the release of any contentious digital content that will distract from the election’s real issues.

What does the Victorian Government recommend?

During caretaker mode, your department’s or agency’s digital services should avoid distributing digital material if it promotes:

• party political content
• the government’s or a minister’s achievements
• government policies or initiatives.

Note: If you are another kind of organisation, for example, a statutory authority, check with your department to make sure what approach to use.

At the start of the caretaker period, you should review:

• everything you publish and distribute digitally
• any new advertising and information campaigns you plan to run.

What standards must be met?

VPSC Code of Conduct for Employees

The VPSC Code of Conduct for Employees (Section 2.2, Remaining Apolitical) outlines how to go about publishing political material (at any time, not just during the caretaker period), and issues of misconduct.

If you permanently unpublish content, make sure you archive it so it’s secure and intelligible later, for example, to meet a FOI request. Refer to manage online records - digital guide and the website decommissioning template.

Under Part 5A of the Public Administration Act 2004, public sector bodies must ensure that any information, material or message published (whether in print or electronic form) is in the public interest. Public sector bodies must ensure that the relevant information, material or message is not designed or intended to directly or indirectly influence public sentiment for or against:

• a political party
• a candidate for election
• a member of Parliament
• the current government
• or the current government of the Commonwealth, and is otherwise in accordance with the prescribed public sector communication standards set out in the Regulations.

Branding

Apply Brand Victoria. Refer to apply Brand Victoria - digital guide for more information.

Manage public records

The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) (under Section 12 of the Public Records Act 1973) sets the standards for managing the public records your department or agency create. Always check with your department’s or agency’s records or information management specialist first for the approach to compliance.

Refer to manage online records - digital guide or the PROV website for more information.

Security

Comply with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. Refer to secure your service - digital guide, and the security framework and standards on the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner website.

Getting it approved

If you receive a request to publish digital content which you think is of a political nature, escalate the request to your manager. They'll be able to provide advice on the appropriate action.

Managing existing content

What to check for

In most cases, your agency can leave what it’s already published before the caretaker period began. If it was apolitical enough to publish in the first place then it should be fine to leave.

Check the wording of any icons and links to other websites. Make sure they don’t appear to promote government policy.

According to the Guidelines at section 2.32, recent Ministerial media releases which comment on the Opposition or other political parties (or their members) in clearly critical terms should not be placed on public sector body websites.

What you can add

You can add any portfolio-related announcements to existing content, but only if it’s normal practice – your agency needs to judge what you consider ‘portfolio-related.’

This means you can’t add election promises but you can add, for example, a ministerial media release with a public health warning.

Existing social media accounts

Your social media guidelines should state you’re politically neutral, and you’ll remove any political, religious comments etc. If this isn't the case then refer to use social media - digital guide and update them accordingly.

Your guidelines should also state you don’t retweet or mention ministers at any time, not just near an election or when there’s a new government. Refer to manage ministerial content - digital guide for more detail.

When the caretaker period starts (and perhaps every so often), politely remind your audience to keep their comments respectful.

Specific purpose websites for policies, events, projects or initiatives

The Guidelines at section 2.39 to 2.42 set out the requirements for Specific purpose websites for policies, events, projects or initiatives. Public sector bodies should review the content of specific purpose websites at the start of the caretaker period in the same manner as the primary public sector body websites.

It may not be appropriate for a public sector body to continue to fund, maintain or host specific purpose websites if the policy, program, initiative or event for which the website was established is likely to be contentious in the election campaign.

Public sector bodies should consider whether the material on the website or the website itself could be seen as promoting:

• party political content
• government policies or initiatives
• or the achievements of the government or a Minister.

Adding new content

Ministerial website, Facebook and Twitter content

Ministerial digital content is dedicated to a minister. It’s distinct from an agency or departmental site. Agency or departmental staff are unlikely to ever work with (that is publish, republish, for example, retweet) digital ministerial content.

When adding new ministerial content during caretaker mode, ministerial staff should only add material on existing policy, or purely factual material to your Ministerial website or other digital channel. You should not add:

• material on future policies
• material on election commitments
• how-to-vote material
• media releases and speeches that criticise opponents, promote the government or pursue election issues.

Department and agency website, Facebook and Twitter content

During the caretaker period (and in fact at any time) it’s inappropriate for your agency and department’s staff to add any content other than apolitical content to an agency website, Facebook page or Twitter feed.

You should escalate any requests you think might be inappropriate. This includes any content which is political in nature, or ministerial content.

Escalating a request to publish ministerial content

If you receive a request to publish content that seems inappropriate (promotes political content) you should:

• escalate to your manager first
• if necessary, escalate to the Strategic Communications group in your department or agency
• if the issue still isn’t resolved, your escalation point is the Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement, at the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Managing upcoming digital advertising campaigns

What is acceptable digital advertising?

Digital advertising is acceptable as long as it remains apolitical. Acceptable advertising or information campaigns are campaigns that:

• give necessary public information. For example, a Transport Accident Commission (TAC) advertisement which promotes public safety would be acceptable
• promote Victoria as a tourist destination but doesn’t feature ministers or political content
• advertise essential operational information. This includes employment advertisements as long as they don’t feature Ministers or promote Government policies
• distributes electronic material. For example, it is acceptable to respond to an agency’s request for a public information campaign on fire safety.

Managing unacceptable digital advertising

It is important to consider whether your scheduled advertising could be interpreted as political. What you’d normally consider as appropriate and uncontroversial, others may legitimately see as party political.

Any content you are unsure about should be deferred. Outwardly political advertising should be withdrawn, and cancelled if it has already been booked.

If you plan to run a campaign to promote a government policy or minister (or both), it will become an especially sensitive activity and should be escalated.

Adding special messages for caretaker government

There may be a need to add temporary or special messages to your website or social media accounts during caretaker period.

Wording special messages

Insert this text:

'As the Victorian state election will be held on [Saturday, and date] the Victorian Government has assumed a caretaker role from [insert day and date]. During the caretaker period, content will only be added to this website or digital channel in accordance with caretaker conventions.’

Formatting special messages

Websites on Single Digital Presence (SDP) should use the alert feature to add the special message. If your website is on content.vic.gov.au the SDP content team will add the alert on your behalf.

Code is available to add the alert on non-SDP websites. Contact your department's digital team if needed.

Managing content for a new government

Policy related content

For a new government it’s acceptable to publish digital content about a policy or initiative. Once the new government is known, you’ll need to add a new message:

'Victoria has a new State Government, so the content on this website may change’ to indicate that these updates are expected.

Review your digital presence

Review each digital presence you maintain, fund, host or are responsible for. It’s inappropriate for your agency to continue to fund, maintain or host specific purpose websites or other digital channels, if the policy, program, initiative or event may be contentious after a new government takes power.

You may need to de-activate (unpublish) and change the settings on your content management system (CMS) make your now out-of-date digital content inaccessible to new searches. When you deactivate digital content remember it's important to archive it.

Archiving digital content

During the caretaker period or with a new government, your department or agency may need to permanently unpublish digital content. The digital content’s owner or manager does this work. It's important to keep records of any content so information is not lost.

Some departments may have a register of their digital presences (separate from, or incorporated in the Department's Information Asset register), in which case you’ll need to update this as well.

This digital guide assumes your agency and its Records Management Unit have workable procedures for making sure content is intelligible and usable for future FOI requests when unpublishing content or even decommissioning entire websites or other digital assets. If not, the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) discusses archiving digital records, including social media records and websites in depth.

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