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1 Introduction

Government recordkeeping provides a mechanism to support evidence of activity in an agency (public office). It requires, particularly in the electronic environment, a thorough understanding of the functions and legislative requirements that may affect individual agencies and the particular recordkeeping needs of those agencies.

The Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS) is designed to assist agencies in managing their electronic records. The strategy focuses on the data or information contained in electronic records, rather than the systems that are used to produce them.

VERS was developed with the assistance of CSIRO, Ernst & Young, the Department of Infrastructure, and records managers across government. The recommendations included in the VERS Final Report¹ issued in March 1999 provide a framework for the management of electronic records.

Under various provisions of the Public Records Act 1973, Public Record Office Victoria and agencies share responsibility for the management of records in all formats and, where appropriate, their long-term preservation. In order to assist agencies to meet their responsibilities under the Public Records Act, Public Record Office Victoria publishes Standards for the management of public records³. These include Standards for the creation and maintenance, management, destruction and transfer of public records. They apply equally to records in all formats, including electronic records.

The determination of disposal sentences for electronic records must be done in consultation with Public Record Office Victoria. PROS 97/003³ outlines the various means by which records disposal may be authorised. Determining which electronic records need to be kept for extended periods of time will enable the integration of disposal sentences into record keeping systems. This in turn will lead to greater efficiencies in the management of public records, as the processes are readily automated, integrated and implemented in the electronic records environment.

This Standard should be used in conjunction with:

• PROS 99/007 Specification 1: System Requirements for Preserving Electronic Records
• PROS 99/007 Specification 2: VERS Metadata Scheme
• PROS 99/007 Specification 3: VERS Standard Electronic Record Format
• PROS 99/007 Specification 4: VERS Long Term Preservation Formats
• PROS 99/007 Specification 5: Export of Electronic Records to PROV.

¹   Victorian Electronic Records Strategy Final Report, Public Record Office Victoria 1999.
²   Available from the PROV Web site http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/
³   Destruction of Public Records PROS 97/003. Available from the PROV Web site http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/

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