OVIC and PROV release joint statement: records management and freedom of information
Public Record Office Victoria and the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner have issued a joint statement about the critical intersection between records management and freedom of information
The Victorian Public Sector holds critical information which is used to make decisions that affect all Victorians. Individuals therefore need to be able to access information about those decisions, and why they were made, in order to uphold their rights and to keep decision making entities accountable. Individuals also have a right to access information held about them by the government. Both OVIC and PROV are committed to extending as far as possible the right of access to government-held information limited only by specific public interest and privacy exemptions.
This access cannot happen unless full, accurate and reliable records are created, properly managed and stored for their minimum retention period. Victorian public sector officers need to be able to locate and provide the necessary records to allow the freedom of information (FOI) process to operate effectively and facilitate broader access to information.
The full joint statement is available to read and download here.