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About the water industry

The Victorian water sector is made up of nineteen water corporations constituted under the Water Act 1989. The water corporations provide a range of water services to customers across the State. Several of them also manage bulk water storage and designated recreational areas throughout Victoria.

There are 10 Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) across Victoria who are primarily responsible for managing catchment resources.

Groundwater is managed by selected corporations that are responsible for irrigation districts and dam management. They are also responsible for licensing groundwater uses and river diverters across their allocated districts.

Regulators play a key role in setting economic, environmental and social obligations upon water businesses. The Minister for Water is the water industry’s portfolio Minister.

See the following Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) web pages for further information about the water industry:

 

Recordkeeping responsibilities in the water industry

In the Water Industry, the head of the corporation is the Managing Director.  The responsibility for records or information management is usually delegated across the corporation and the inherent responsibility for all employees is outlined in the Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC) Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees.

PROV Recordkeeping Standards

For every recordkeeping function, PROV has set mandatory recordkeeping principles - these are contained in the Standards. All agencies must comply with each principle by implementing certain requirements. These requirements are detailed in the Specification/s.

A series of guidelines, fact sheets and forms have been developed to help agencies to implement the requirements.

Roles and responsibilities

As head of a public office, the Managing Director has specific duties described in the Public Records Act 1973 which states in part S13: 

“Duties of officer in charge of a public office.  
The officer in charge of a public office:
(a) shall cause to be made and kept full and accurate records of the business of the office;
(b) shall be responsible, with the advice and assistance of the Keeper of Public Records, for the carrying out within the office of a programme of records management in accordance with the standards established under section 12 by the Keeper of Public Records.”
 

The General Managers and Branch Managers are responsible for: 

  • supporting the application of record and information management practices, procedures and policies throughout the organisation
  • ensuring compliance with all current legislative requirements for recordkeeping and full and accurate records of the business are made in accordance with best practice records management standards
  • ensuring compliance with recordkeeping requirements under the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees by all officers, contractors, consultants and volunteers.

 

Managers and Coordinators are responsible for supporting and monitoring employee compliance with proper recordkeeping practices, as part of normal business practices.
 

Records Management Specialists are responsible for:

  • the development and implementation of information and records management  and recordkeeping practices, procedures, strategies and guidelines that are in compliance with legislation
  • the development and implementation of relevant employee training and awareness programs for recordkeeping and information management
  • the control, access, storage, and destruction of records within the guidance of PROV recordkeeping standards.

 

In accordance with 5.4 of the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees, public sector employees must implement government policy in an open and transparent manner.

They maintain accurate and reliable records as required by relevant legislation, policies and procedures. Records are kept in such a way as to ensure their security and reliability and are made available to appropriate scrutiny when required.
 

 

Under Section 95 of the Water Act 1989:
(4)    The board of directors of a water corporation – 
        (a)    is responsible for:
         (i)    the strategic planning of the corporation; and
        (ii)    the management of the affairs of the corporation; and
        (b)    may exercise the powers of the corporation.

Records created carrying out this role are governed by PROV Retention and Disposal Authorities (RDAs):

Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

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