VPRS 9557 General Correspondence Files, Annual Single Number

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This series comprises subject correspondence files containing inward and copies of outward correspondence created by the Victorian Government Printing Office (Law Printer). The Victorian Government Printing Office was a division of the Department of Property and services (VA 430) from 1981 to 1991. In 1992 it became a division of the Department of Treasury (VA 3007) and subsequently the Department of Finance (VA 3016), in the same year.

This series documents the central administration of the function which included the printing and publishing for the Victorian Public Service and the Victorian Parliament. The responsibilities of the Victorian Government Printing Office (Law Printer) included the production of the Government Gazette, Victorian Public Service Notices, Hansard, annual reports and other government forms and publications. The agency was also responsible for the administration of government advertising.

From Federation in 1901 to 1929, the Victorian Government Printing Office (VGPO) was also responsible for the provision of printing services to the Commonwealth Public Service and Parliament.

During 1990/1 the Victorian Government Printing Office was restructured, into four core business units following Government deregulation in 1990/1991, which allowed Government departments to choose other printing services. In response the VGPO reviewed its operations, and the name of the organisation was changed to Printing and Publishing Services Victoria. In 1995 the core business units were:

Corporate image, which printed corporate identity stationery, such as letterheads;

Creative solutions, a printing consultancy business;

Fast copy, an instant printing and photocopying business; and

The Law Printer which published all parliamentary items. This function which was considered the core of Printing and Publishing Services Victoria work, was not deregulated.