VPRS 11975 Staff Instructions

Rationing and Prices were originally a function of the Commonwealth Government as part of its defence responsibilities with State Deputy Prices Commissioners being appointed for each State under the National Security (Prices) Regulations 1939. This function, after a referendum, became one for the individual states in 1948. The Victorian Government passed the Prices Regulation Act 1948 to both control prices during the period of post-war readjustment and control the progressive removal of price control. A Minister in Charge of Prices was appointed from 1950 to 1955. Under the Act, Commonwealth officers could continue to be employed by the State for the purposes of the Act (S50) and to ensure continuity of administration of the function.The records in this series consist of yearly files of Staff Instructions issued by the Deputy Prices Commissioner (Commonwealth) and the Prices Commissioner (State). Instructions are to do with human resources management, the organisation and administration of the Branch and policy and procedural instructions to do with the exercise of functions.