VPRS 11935 Cabinet Records

Cabinet Records Prior to 1982Although a system of Cabinet Government is thought to have operated in Victoria since the commencement of responsible government, relatively few records relating to Cabinet meetings prior to the 1980s are known to be extant and little is known about the record-keeping processes associated with Cabinet throughout this period.The records in this series suggest that at least for some periods of time systematic procedures were in place for bringing matters to Cabinet and/or for the recording of Cabinet decisions. However, this may not always have been the case.Most papers in the series date from the 1920s or the 1960s and 1970s, with one bundle of papers dating from 1943.Cabinet Records -- 1920sThe records relating to Cabinet meetings held in the 1920s include:-- agendas-- "Decision Sheets" prepared at the conclusion of Cabinet meetings as a summary record of Cabinet decisions. It appears unlikely that formal "minutes" of Cabinet meetings have ever been made. These sheets merely record the decisions reached by Cabinet regarding the matters set down on its agenda.-- memoranda from various departments to the Cabinet Secretary (an officer within the Premier's Department) requesting that certain matters be listed for Cabinet.From these records it appears that during the 1920s Cabinet met at least once a week. An officer within the Department of the Premier provided a secretariat. However, it is not clear whether this officer attended Cabinet meetings and recorded decisions, or whether a Parliamentary Secretary performed this role. It seems unlikely that detailed submissions on matters before Cabinet were prepared, since the mechanism for bringing a matter to Cabinet was merely to ask for it to be listed on the agenda. Loose decision sheets appear to provide the only record of Cabinet decisions. These may have been distributed to all Cabinet members.