Improved public administration and support for the Victorian public service - progress

This objective fosters and promotes a high-performing public service. It ensures effective whole-of-government performance and outcomes and supports the effective administration of government. It protects and promotes the values of good governance, integrity and accountability across the public service to foster and maintain public trust in government. It maintains compliance with government advertising and communication guidelines to support effective financial management, probity and accountability of government advertising.

Key initiatives

DPC delivered the following key initiatives in 2024-25, contributing significantly to the achievement of the departmental objective: ‘Improved public administration and support for the Victorian Public Service’.

Output: Executive government advice and services

Provided legal and policy advice to support the Premier, DPC’s ministers and the department more broadly

Key achievements of DPC’s Office of the General Counsel in 2024–25 included:

Advised on the drafting and passage of the Constitution Amendment (SEC) Act 2023, the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Act 2024, the Inquiries Amendment (Yoorrook Justice Commission Records and Other Matters) Act 2025, the Aboriginal Land Legislation Amendment Act 2024 and the Statute Law Repeals Act 2025, the drafting and introduction to Parliament of the Statute Law Revision Bill 2025, as well as supported DPC policy areas on other legislative and regulatory reform projects.
Advised on corporate and employment law matters including the shared services arrangement between DGS and DPC.
Advised DPC and the Premier in relation to inquiries under the Inquiries Act 2014, such as the establishment of the Formal Review into Victorian Government Bodies’ Engagement with Construction Companies and Construction Unions, the Board of Inquiry into the McCrae landslide and the government’s engagement with the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing systemic injustices experienced by First Peoples
in Victoria.

Provided clear, timely and practical guidance, expertise and support to our stakeholders in relation to Cabinet, Parliament, legislation, Executive Council and ministerial correspondence-related matters

In 2024–25, DPC provided expert guidance to support Cabinet, Parliament, Executive Council and ministerial correspondence matters. This included providing administrative support to the Cabinet, the Premier and DPC ministers, as well as other departments and the ministry where needed. DPC also provided high-quality administrative support for the Governor in relation to Executive Council matters.

Led and advised Victorian Government departments and agencies on best practice and setting standards in advertising and research, governance, strategic communications, media strategy and insights

As part of its strategic governance and central advisory role for all government advertising campaigns, in 2024-25 DPC ensured adherence to the Victorian Government Communication Guidelines and relevant legislation, supported
the consistent development of campaign creative and media buying across government, and provided strategic advice on communicating
with diverse and regional audiences.

Communications support was provided
across the department and to DPC ministers
on a number of priorities, with key support provided for:

the establishment of the Board of Inquiry
into the McCrae landslide
the launch of Victoria’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2029
consultation on the Commonwealth Government’s proposed changes to social media age limits
Victoria’s India Strategy: Our Shared Future 2025–30
the Housing Statement update and Victoria’s Housing Forum — ‘More homes for Victorians’
the launch of priority advertising campaigns for housing and cost of living.

Provided advice on protocol matters to the public service and delivered events of major state significance

DPC provided strategic advice and oversight of the protocol policies and functions of the Victorian Government, along with the delivery of state significant events.

Events and state services delivered in 2024–25 include:

Victoria’s Australia Day public events as part of the National Australia Day Council program
opening ceremony of Treaty negotiations in Victoria
homecoming event for Olympians and Paralympians in partnership with the Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia and the City of Melbourne
state services to honour the lives of:
- Mr Stefan Romaniw OAM
- The Honourable Barry Pullen
- The Honourable John Delzoppo OAM
- Mr Neale Fraser AO MBE
- The Honourable Dr Race Mathews.
celebrating multicultural and multifaith communities at the:
- Premier’s Diwali State Reception 2024
- Reception to Celebrate Victoria’s Diverse Christian Communities
- Victorian Iftar Dinner.

DPC provided protocol support to the Victorian Government for:

the death of His Holiness Pope Francis and the Solemn Pontifical Mass for the repose
of the soul of Pope Francis
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew’s visit to Victoria as a Guest
of Government

Deliver a whole-of-government communications strategy to support Victoria’s path to Treaty

DPC provided strategic advice and oversight as part of a centralised whole-of-government communication strategy on Treaty. The strategy sets out how the government will deliver on its objectives by informing and educating the public about Treaty, its purpose and benefits.

Delivered a whole-of-government communications strategy to improve access
to information for people with disability

DPC led a program of work over two years to build accessible communications capability and capacity across the VPS. The accessible communications project, which concluded in 2024–25, included the development of the Victorian Government Accessible Communications Policy. DPC will review the policy every two years. Other key initiatives delivered as part of the accessible communications project in 2024–25 included:

providing plain language training which was attended by 1,200 VPS staff
developing plain language toolkits and resources which are published on the VPSC’s website for VPS staff to access.

Oversee the government’s Regional Press Policy, Regional Advertising Policy and Multicultural Advertising Policy to ensure all Victorians have relevant and timely access to information

DPC oversaw government compliance with a range of advertising policies in 2024–25, to ensure all Victorians have access to relevant and timely information, including supporting local newspapers which continue to play an important role for regional communities across Victoria.

DPC reviewed all Victorian Government advertising campaigns undertaken in 2024–25 to ensure they included a minimum 15 per cent expenditure on regional and rural media and a minimum 15 per cent expenditure on multicultural media, unless specifically exempted by DPC.

Supported the Governor to carry out the role for the benefit of Victoria

The Office of the Governor continued to support the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, across her constitutional, ceremonial, community and international duties.

Activities in 2024–25 included representing Victoria during the official visit to Australia of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, presiding over the swearing-in of the 13th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria as well as hosting State Receptions for the Land Forces International Land Defences Exposition, Avalon Airshow and NAIDOC Week. Public access to Government House has further expanded, with the addition of seasonal Twilight Garden Tours and the School Holiday Family Tours program. Two open days were held, including Australia Day, which saw thousands of people taking the opportunity to visit Government House.

Engagement with regional Victoria included official visits to Kilmore, Greater Geelong City and to the Shires of Wellington, East Gippsland, Mitchell, Hindmarsh and West Wimmera.

The Governor’s international duties included official visits to France, Belgium, Denmark and the United Kingdom, focusing on key priority sectors such as energy transition, medical research, education, MedTech and Biotech, advanced manufacturing and defence industry. In Denmark the Governor was received in audience by Her Majesty Queen Mary. The Governor visited the Western Front where she undertook commemorative activities honouring the service of Victorian soldiers during WWI and WWII. The Governor also participated in an official visit to Japan and China, reinforcing Victoria’s sister-state relationships with the Aichi Prefecture and Sichuan Province.

Official visitors received at Government House included the Governors of the States of Indiana and Michigan, USA; and Anhui Province, Peoples Republic of China; His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and New Rome; Chief Minister of Punjab, India; the Lord Mayor of the City of London; Her Majesty The Queen Mother of the Kingdom of Bhutan and Their Royal Highnesses Prince Chimi and Princess Kesang; The Right Honourable the Lord Spellar, United Kingdom Trade Envoy to Australia; and Catherine West MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Indo Pacific, United Kingdom.

Output: Public sector administration advice and support

Enhanced public sector integrity and governance capability, including through supporting:

the VPSC to ensure that the public sector operates in accordance with the highest expectations of trust
the Premier to respond to key integrity agency reports and improve Victoria’s parliamentary integrity and standards regime

DPC’s Governance Branch unifies the department’s efforts to promote good governance and public administration. The branch fosters high-quality decision-making
and policy-making, government integrity and accountability, and trust in public institutions.

Key achievements in 2024–25 included:

administered whole-of-government guidelines, including the Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines, to support good governance in non-departmental entities
commenced a review of the Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines to strengthen the integrity of appointments and ensure a fair and consistent approach across non-departmental entities
supported the passage of the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Act 2024 through Parliament, which established in legislation the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission, the Parliamentary Integrity Adviser and the Parliamentary Ethics Committee
supported the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission to commence operations on 31 December 2024, including appointing two commissioners
supported ongoing administration of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, including quarterly publications of ministerial diaries.

Provided guidance and advice on public sector executive workforce policies to ensure consistent and transparent executive employment and remuneration practices across the public sector

DPC’s Governance Branch provides guidance and advice to ensure consistent and transparent executive employment and remuneration practices across the Victorian Public Service and public entities.

Key achievements in 2024–25 include:

published an updated Public Entity Executive Remuneration Policy, following consultation with stakeholders during 2023–24
led stakeholder consultation on a review of the standard public sector executive employment contract
convened the Executive Employment Community of Practice to share information across departments and discuss common issues and emerging trends in executive employment.

Output: Chief Parliamentary Counsel Services

Built capacity in legislative drafting, provided drafting and legislative services to implement the government’s legislative program, supported Parliament and provided public access to Victorian legislation

In 2024–25, the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel (OCPC) drafted a variety of legislation to implement major government policy initiatives and reforms. OCPC drafted 52 government bills in the reporting period. These included bail reforms, a statutory insurance scheme for building work, consumer and housing legislation amendments, including significant amendments to the Retirement Villages Act.

In addition, 132 statutory rules were made in the same period.

Throughout 2024–25, OCPC provided drafting services to parliament to facilitate the passage of Victorian Government legislation, the preparation of House amendments and the drafting and introduction of Private Members’ Bills. The demand for drafting services for House Amendments and Private Members’ Bills from opposition, non-government parties and independent members of parliament has increased during 2024–25.

OCPC has focussed on building the office's drafting capacity to ensure that it can continue to meet expectations and demands into the future.

Progress towards the objective

The objective indicator, associated data sets and descriptions below show how the following outputs contribute to DPC’s ‘Improved public administration and support for the Victorian Public Service’ departmental objective:

Executive government advice and services
Public sector administration advice and support
Chief Parliamentary Counsel services
State electoral roll and electoral events.

Objective indicator: Support for Cabinet, committee members and Executive Council is valued and informs decision making

Throughout 2024–25, DPC’s policy advice to the Premier, Cabinet and its committees, and Executive Council has supported decision-making through augmenting departmental submissions, identifying risks and their management, and linking related work.

DPC’s progress towards this objective indicator is also demonstrated through the following data:

Data set	Unit	2021–22	2022–23	2023–24	2024–25
Number of briefs supporting Cabinet and Cabinet committee decision making	number	1,430	913	1,149	1,176

Objective indicator: Agency compliance with government advertising and communication guidelines

Throughout 2024–25, DPC’s policy advice to the Premier, Cabinet, portfolio ministers and key governing boards and committees continued to shape the government’s agenda in the medium- to long-term by supporting the efficient development of campaign creative and media buying across government and providing strategic advice on communicating with all Victorians, including diverse and regional audiences.