Consultancy expenditure
In 2025–26 there were six consultancies engaged with a total approved value at $10,000 or greater.
The total expenditure incurred during 2025–26 in relation to these consultancies was $0.346 million (excluding GST).
Details of consultancies (valued at $10,000 or greater)
| Consultant | Purpose of consultancy | Total approved | Expenditure | Future |
| Dr Vincent Clark Archaeology & Heritage Pty Ltd | Richardsons Lagoon Conservation Management Plan. | 276,950 | 96,933 | - |
| Extent Heritage Pty Ltd | Aboriginal cultural heritage landscape assessment of Barton Station surrounds. | 95,616 | 28,686 | - |
| George Lekakis AO Management & Professional Consulting | Undertake Victoria’s Multicultural Review | 25,000 | 5,000 | - |
| Lionheart Consulting Australia | Rapid Child Safety Review | 129,500 | 129,500 | - |
| Pam White | Rapid Child Safety Review | 40,695 | 37,004 | - |
| Mott MacDonald Australia Pty Ltd | Understanding industry views of infrastructure delivery | 48,904 | 48,904 | - |
| Totals | Total number of consultancies: 6 | 616,665 | 346,026 | - |
Details of consultancies under $10,000
In 2025–26 there were three consultancies engaged with a total approved value of less than $10,000. The total expenditure incurred during 2025–26 in relation to these consultancies was $16,032 (excl. GST).
Government advertising expenditure
During 2025–26, there were three government advertising campaigns with total media spend of $100,000 or greater (exclusive of GST). The details of each campaign are outlined below.
| Name of campaign | Campaign summary | Start / end date | Advertising (media) expenditures (excl GST) | Creative and campaign development expenditure | Research expenditure | Post campaign evaluation | Print and collateral | Other expenditure | Total |
| Real Help, Right Now’ — Cost of Living campaign – Phase 2 2025–26 | Campaign to raise awareness of cost-of living support available to all Victorians | 06/07/25 to 31/08/25 | Approved: $873,000
Actual: $750,626 | Planned: $60,000
Actual: $63,542 | Planned: $0 Actual: $0 | Planned: $0
Actual: $0 | Planned: $0 Actual: $0 | Planned: $75,000
Actual: $75,000 (for social moderation and translation phone services) | Planned: $1,008,000
Actual: $889,168 |
| Real Help, Right Now’ — Cost of Living campaign – Phase 3 2025–26 | Campaign to raise awareness of cost-of-living support available to all Victorians | 15/10/25 to 17/12/25 | Approved: $1,000,000
Actual: $881,266 | Planned: $72,292
Actual: $72,752 | Planned: $0 Actual: $0 | Planned: $17,470
Actual: $17,470 | Planned: $0 Actual: $0 | Planned: $31,509
Actual: $31,509 (CALD social moderation) | Planned: $1,002,997
$1,002,997 |
| Real Help, Right Now’ — Cost of Living campaign – Phase 4 2025–26 | Campaign to raise awareness of cost-of-living support available to all Victorians | 12/04/26 to 30/06/26 | Approved: $1,000,000
Actual: $608,665 | Planned: $264,000 Actual: $283,633 | Planned: $0
Actual: $0 | Planned: $20,000
Actual: $16,470 | Planned: $0
Actual: $0 | Planned: $0
Actual: $11,238 (Social moderation & phone translation services) | Planned: $1,284,000
Actual: $920,006 |
Grants and transfer payments
DPC has provided assistance through grants and transfer payments during the reporting period. The financial assistance provided in 2025–26 is listed in Section 6, Appendix 4: Grants and transfer payments.
Information and communications technology expenditure
For the 2025–26 reporting period, DPC had total information and communications technology (ICT) expenditure of $12.05 million, with details shown below.
Expenditure | |
| All operational ICT expenditure | |
| Business as usual (BAU) ICT expenditure (total) | 11,450 |
| ICT expenditure related to projects to create or enhance ICT capabilities | |
| Operational expenditure | 559 |
| Capital expenditure | 46 |
| Non-BAU ICT expenditure (total) | 604 |
ICT expenditure refers to DPC’s costs in providing business-enabling ICT services. It comprises BAU ICT expenditure and non-BAU ICT expenditure:
- Non-BAU ICT expenditure relates to extending or enhancing DPC’s current ICT capabilities.
- BAU ICT expenditure is all remaining ICT expenditure, which primarily relates to ongoing activities to operate and maintain the current ICT capability.
Major contracts
DPC is required to disclose, in accordance with the requirements of government policy and accompanying guidelines, all contracts greater than $10 million entered into during the financial year.
DPC did not enter into any new contracts greater than $10 million during 2025–26.
Reviews and studies expenditure
During 2025–26, there were four reviews and studies undertaken. The total expenditure incurred during 2025–26 was $179,286 (excl. GST). Details of individual reviews and studies are outlined below.
| Name of the review (portfolio(s) and output(s)/agency responsible | Reasons for review/study | Terms of reference/scope | Timeline | Anticipated outcomes | Estimated cost for the year | Final cost if completed | Publicly available (Y/N) and URL |
Multicultural Film Festival - Provision of Project Evaluation Report (Portfolio: Multicultural Affairs) | Evaluation of the Multicultural Film Festival 2026. | Evaluation of the 2026 Multicultural Film Festival to assess project outcomes, key learnings, and inform future delivery. | October 2025 – July 2026 | To make recommendations for future delivery of similar projects. | $5,232 | $5,232 | No |
Operational review: Strengthening Victoria’s Regional Advisory Councils (Portfolio: Multicultural Affairs) | Improve the governance, operations and structure of Regional Advisory Councils (RACs). | Hold consultations with RAC members and Victorian Multicultural Commission staff to identify RAC governance improvement areas. | June 2025 – August 2025 | Recommendations included in Victoria’s 2025 Multicultural Review with improvement areas. | $2,550 | $5,300 | No |
Rapid Child Safety Review (Portfolio: Premier) | On 2 July 2025, the Victorian Government commissioned an independent Rapid Child Safety Review in response to allegations of child sexual abuse in early childhood, education and care settings. | Draft the report of the Rapid Child Safety Review. Conduct research and other briefing in support of the Review Panel. Lead and support targeted stakeholder engagement. Identify immediateactions to improve the safety of children in early childhood education and care settings. | July 2025 – August 2025 | To look at immediate steps the Victorian Government could take, and advocate nationally, to improve child safety in early childhood education and care settings in Victoria. | $166,504 | $166,504 | Yes https://www.vic.gov.au/rapid-child-safety-review |
Victoria’s Multicultural Review (Portfolio: Multicultural Affairs) | To recommend ways the government could strengthen its support to multicultural and multifaith communities. It was announced by the Premier in December 2024 as part of a suite of measures to strengthen social cohesion across Victoria. | To review Victoria’s multicultural policies, institutions and personnel, to ensure they are equipped. To reject division, build bridges and resolve conflicts. | December 2024 – September 2025 | A review of Victoria’s multicultural policies and institutions to strengthen support for multicultural and multifaith communities. | $5,000 | $25,000 | Yes www.vic.gov.au/victorias-multicultural-review |
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