Departments were requested in Premier's Department Circular No. 88/11, dated 2nd June, 1988 to ensure reference details were included in Ministerial correspondence.

The use of reference details in all correspondence is seen as an effective means of achieving productivity savings through the reduction of delays in communication between Government Departments and members of the public. Records Systems also benefit through time reduction in identifying source of correspondence.

This desirable practice is allowed to slip from time to time, and it is appreciated that there has been difficulty in tracing the source of correspondence from central agencies, such as the Premier's Department, because of the absence of reference details. This problem is being rectified.

Most public sector bodies do include in their correspondence reference details such as the name of the contact officer, contact telephone number or file number.

The purpose of this Circular is to remind all administrations of the benefits of this practice and to ensure that such details are included at all times, except those rare occasions where it is inappropriate.