- Date:
- 24 Sep 2025
About the department
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge and respect Victorian Traditional Owners as the original custodians of our state’s land and waters, their unique ability to care for Country and deep spiritual connection to it.
We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of culture and traditional practices.
We also pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are part of our workforce.
Reconciliation is at the heart of our path toward building a diverse and inclusive working environment at our department. We are committed to genuinely partnering with Traditional Owners and Victoria’s First Nations community to progress their aspirations.
Secretary’s Foreword
The Department of Government Services’ Corporate Plan 2025-29 outlines how we will deliver on the government’s priorities and commitments across our portfolios over the next 4 years.
DGS has a unique opportunity to improve the experience of people interacting with and within government by driving the modernisation of government services and regulatory functions through new technologies, including the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
This plan builds on the extraordinary commitment of our staff to making real and impactful progress towards our objectives while continuing to build the foundations of our new department.
I look forward to the collaboration between our teams and our partner departments and agencies as we continue to deliver the important work of the department in 2025-26 and beyond.
Jo de Morton
Secretary
Purpose
Improve how Victorians and businesses engage with government, and to accelerate digital transformation and corporate services reform across the VPS.
Mission
Department of Government Services (DGS) brings together government services to continuously improve how government serves Victorians – and public servants – and be an effective custodian of service ecosystems.
DGS pairs a strong culture of customer service with a deep understanding of digital public services and the capabilities to translate policy intent into efficiently scaled services.
Values
We uphold the public sector values as enshrined in the Public Administration Act 2004:
- Accountability: working to clear objectives in a transparent manner, accepting responsibility for our decisions and actions, seeking to achieve best use of resources and submitting ourselves to appropriate scrutiny.
- Human Rights: making decisions and providing advice consistent with the human rights set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006, and actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights.
- Impartiality: making decisions and providing advice on merit without bias, caprice, favouritism or self-interest, acting fairly by objectively considering all relevant facts and applying fair criteria, implementing government policies and programs equitably.
- Integrity: being honest, open and transparent in our dealings, using powers responsibly, reporting improper conduct, and avoiding real or apparent conflicts of interest, striving to earn and sustain public trust of a high level.
- Leadership: actively implementing, promoting and supporting these values.
- Respect: treating others fairly and objectively, ensuring freedom from discrimination, harassment and bullying, using views to improve outcomes on an ongoing basis.
- Responsiveness: providing frank, impartial and timely advice to the government, providing high-quality services to the Victorian community, identifying and promoting best practice.
Our ministers
The Hon Natalie Hutchins MP
Minister for Government Services
The Hon Nick Staikos MP
Minister for Consumer Affairs
Minister for Local Government
Our portfolio entities
Administrative offices
DGS is responsible for the following administrative offices, incorporating key initiatives in this Corporate Plan:
- Public Record Office Victoria
Public entities and special bodies
DGS supports its portfolio ministers in their responsibilities for the following public entities and bodies:
- Cenitex
- Motor Car Traders Claims Committee
- Residential Tenancies Bond Authority
- Business Licensing Authority
- Victorian Government Purchasing Board
- Victorian Local Government Grants Commission.
Department of Government Services organisational chart
Our groups
Digital and Government Services
The Digital and Government Services Group is responsible for setting the strategic direction and reform agenda for government services across the Victorian Public Sector. The Group provides policy leadership, coordinates VPS partnerships and stakeholder engagement, and oversees whole-of-government digital strategy aligned with the responsibilities of the Minister for Government Services.
Consumer Affairs and Local Government
The Consumer Affairs and Local Government group is responsible for policy development, regulatory design and administration, system and program design, and the delivery of services in the best interest of Victorians. Spanning both the Consumer Affairs and Local Government portfolios, the group identifies strategic priorities, drives system and regulatory reform and coordinates DGS’ emergency management responsibilities to improve practical outcomes for the community.
Organisational Strategy, Governance and Performance
The Organisational Strategy, Governance and Performance group brings together leadership of customer, product and core corporate functions to define and shape DGS and our priorities. The group contributes to the sustainability and stewardship of DGS by further developing the department’s organisational strategy, design and governance, and creating a product-led service culture that blends the best of commercial innovation, policy and public service.
Operations
The Operations Group is responsible for building a sustainable and efficient shared service organisation, adopting industry-leading delivery principles for shared services. The Group delivers frontline customer services to Victorians and the public service and maintains the foundational digital infrastructure and platforms required to support efficient, secure and reliable service delivery.
The environment we operate in
Operating context
The increasing digitisation of economies has highlighted the importance of digital transformation for government and how it can help improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility of government services.
Digital services are the face of modern government, and great digital services can build trust with citizens. Citizens and businesses now expect government information and services to be readily available online, easy to find and understand, and at low or no cost.
Cost of living challenges are also seeing more people engage with services offered by the department. For example, Consumer Affairs Victoria is providing more support to more people to help them understand and enforce their consumer rights.
Following the local government elections in 2024, there have been increased requests for support for councillor induction and training, and support for statutory council documents that are required to be delivered in the first year of new council terms.
Increasing productivity within government remains a strong driver for the department, with improvements to corporate services a priority.
Key challenges and risks
Our operating context gives rise to challenges and strategic risks that must be managed effectively to achieve our objectives.
We adhere to the Victorian Government Risk Management Framework which requires all departments to have formal risk management processes. Our framework supports activities including the management of strategic and shared risks, engagement in state significant risk activities, risk mitigation plans and risk appetite initiatives.
Accelerating customer expectations and technology change
Leading product and services businesses succeed because they give their customers fast, frictionless service across every channel. They use data, analytics and insights to see where things break down, what customers value and what drives unnecessary cost. This helps them to fix pain points and streamline operations.
Advances in technology and GenAI are rapidly accelerating the effectiveness of customer insights and performance of products, systems and service channels leading to fewer surprises, faster responses, and better use of limited resources.
DGS must meet these rapidly evolving service expectations to ensure the continued adoption of services and digital technologies.
Increasing cyber security threats
The rapid advancement of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing has implications for privacy and cybersecurity.
The evolving nature of cyber threats and several wide-spread IT and telecommunications outages have highlighted risks to the resilience of government services in the digital age. Further work is happening with the Federal Government and other jurisdictions to enhance our national digital resilience.
DGS also needs smart policy responses, as well as expertise to develop and implement enabling technology to deliver high quality digital services and mitigate the risk of service delivery disruptions or breaches of privacy, security or integrity.
Barriers to digital inclusion
The social challenges faced by the most vulnerable in our society – such as accessing services and obtaining higher value jobs – are magnified by the increasing use of digital.
We need to identify and address common challenges and inhibitors to service access to ensure government services are accessible to everyone.
Organisational capacity and capability
DGS was established in January 2023, through the transfer of functions from other departments. As the DGS operating model evolves, continued organisational development is needed to create the capabilities and capacity required to deliver our objectives and ensure that we fulfil our legal, policy and regulatory obligations.
Achieving our objectives
Our 2025-29 Corporate Plan outlines three departmental objectives that contribute to the Government’s priorities. Indicators measure progress in delivering these objectives. The key priorities and initiatives the department will implement to achieve its objectives and address its challenges and risks are also included.
More detailed information on the departmental performance statement (i.e. the measures and targets that are used to help evaluate performance) is published in the 2025-26 Department Performance Statement, available on our website.
Objective 1: Make it easier for citizens and businesses to engage with government
This objective contributes to the digital delivery of information and services to Victorian citizens and businesses; supports empowering consumers and businesses to know their rights and responsibilities; supports protection of Victorians’ identity through life event registrations and protection of children and people with disability through risk assessments of those working with or caring for them; and supports local councils to provide responsive and accountable services to the community.
Indicators
- Victorians have access to timely, high-quality information in relation to government services.
- Victorians are protected by consumer rights and have access to high quality consumer advice and services.
- Victorians have access to high quality dispute resolution services.
- Victorians have access to high quality services relating to births, deaths and marriages registrations.
- Victorians have access to timely high-quality Working with Children and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) check services.
- Councils are well supported to provide responsive and accountable services.
- Physical and digital records are securely preserved and are accessible for use by Victorians.
Key priorities and initiatives
Customer services to the community
- Supporting the community and businesses in accessing information and services online via Victorian Government websites and the Service Victoria mobile app, and with assistance through the Victorian Government Contact Centre.
BP3 output initiatives with funding in 2025-26
Delivering digital services – Service Victoria and Websites
Service Victoria is the modern and convenient way to access government services online. Service Victoria improves access to government services and simplifies daily transactions with the Victorian Government.
Making Victorian Government information easier for the community to access and navigate on a single digital platform, creating a consistent and accessible user experience across more than 170 government websites.
Management of Victoria’s public records
- Providing direction to government on the management of public records and ensuring the historical memory of the Victorian Government endures, is secure and accessible.
BP3 output initiatives with funding in 2025-26
Maintaining Victorian Archives Centre operations Support operations of the Victorian Archives Centre and ensure compliance with legislative requirements and obligations under the Public Records Act 1973.
Regulation of the Victorian consumer marketplace
- Ensuring that the market operates effectively by detecting and addressing non-compliance with the law.
- Advising consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities under the law, engaging with business to ensure compliance.
- Registration and occupational licensing for individuals and organisations, and regulation of the residential tenancies market.
- Providing Victorians with high-quality dispute resolution services.
BP3 output initiatives with funding in 2025-26
Mortgage Stress Victoria
Funding Mortgage Stress Victoria to support Victorians in mortgage stress.
Financial counselling support for victim survivors of family violence
Funding is provided to organisations delivering financial counselling services to family violence victim survivors facing financial stress.
This initiative is linked to the Early Intervention Investment Framework.
Rental Stress Support Package
Funding is provided to organisations delivering support for renters in the private market so that Victorian households facing rental stress can gain access to information and advice, advocacy and legal assistance.
Professional Engineers Registration Scheme
Continued administration of the professional engineers registration scheme under the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019. The scheme ensures that Victoria’s registered engineers are appropriately qualified and experienced.
Supporting community sector jobs
Together with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, provide funding to community service organisations that deliver social services on behalf of the Government to assist with cost pressures.
Identity and worker screening services
- Supporting the protection of children by providing screening of persons who work with or care for children, and screening of persons engaged in risk assessed roles for the purposes of the NDIS.
- Protecting personal identity through the registration of significant life events by the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).
BP3 output initiatives with funding in 2025-26
Maintain identity and worker screening services
Funding is provided for the Victorian registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to continue the registration of life events.
Funding is also provided to continue worker screening checks, including working with children and NDIS screening checks.
Local Government
- Delivering activities in partnership with the local government sector to support effective and efficient local governance, leadership, infrastructure and service provision.
- Administering programs to support local councils to increase accountability and provide support to the Victorian Local Government Grants Commission.
- Working with councils and the emergency management sector to enhance the emergency management capability and capacity of local government.
BP3 output initiatives with funding in 2025-26
Doing what matters for Local Government workers
Funding local councils to create traineeships and apprenticeships in the local government sector. The Government will also create a tailored Fair Jobs Code for local governments.
Local government community infrastructure loan scheme
Funding low-interest community infrastructure loans to Victorian councils to build vital community infrastructure that supports social and economic participation.
Public Libraries Funding Program
Funding public libraries to maintain the quality of resources and services, and ensure these facilities continue to deliver free and universal access to education, resources and other programs to Victorian communities. The Premiers’ Reading Challenge book fund will continue to ensure all public libraries can purchase new books and reading material to allow participation in the Reading Challenge.
Living Libraries Infrastructure Program
This program co-funds local governments for capital works to improve public libraries.
Municipal Emergency Resourcing Planning program
Funding local government authorities’ emergency preparedness, mitigation and recovery activities. This will boost emergency management capacity and capability, including in rural and regional Victorian local government areas, to ensure communities are better prepared and more resilient and embed emergency management as a core component of local government.
Roadside weeds and pests
Providing grants to assist rural and regional councils to manage the spread of weeds and pests along roadsides, protecting Victoria’s agricultural production and environmental assets.
Objective 2: Accelerate digital transformation for government
This objective supports the effective delivery of government services through digital platforms, pursues service excellence and reform, and supports delivery of policy and projects that enable increased productivity and improved social outcomes in Victoria.
Indicators
- Effective use of technology to support Victorian Government priorities and service delivery.
- Government decision making is informed by high quality data and data analytics.
- Government systems and data are protected from cyber threats.
Key priorities and initiatives
Digital strategy and transformation
- Continued innovation in digital technology to improve whole of government service delivery and business processes.
BP3 output initiatives with funding in 2025-26
Cyber Safe Victoria 2026+ and Open Data
Continue Victoria’s program of cyber security activities to Victorian Public Sector organisations. These include identifying threats, protecting against attacks and responding to incidents.
Continue Victoria’s Open Data program which facilitates greater public access to data to support research and education, promote innovation, improve productivity and stimulate Victoria’s economy.
Cyber Defence Centre
Delivering cyber incident response capabilities and enhancing data security.
Improved data capability to support early intervention investment
Working with Department of Health to strengthen the Victorian Social Investment Integrated Data Resource, a linked data asset to improve social policy outcomes and lower costs for acute service delivery. Funding for this initiative is linked to the Early Intervention and Investment Framework.
Victoria’s Digital Future Now
Funding the delivery of business-grade broadband across suburbs and regional towns to enable businesses, employees and job seekers to fully participate in the emerging digital economy.
Also funding the eradication of mobile blackspots and improved connectivity in regional Victoria, which will support public safety, improve digital connectivity, boost jobs and regional economic growth.
Free public access to Wi-Fi in Melbourne
Funding to keep the public Wi-Fi access free and available in Melbourne’s CBD.
Objective 3: Deliver corporate services that enable efficiency, productivity and high-quality service delivery
This objective aims to accelerate common corporate services to deliver integrated and customer-centred shared services to government agencies. Areas include procurement, office accommodation management, carpool and government library services and shared central agency corporate services.
Indicators
- Benefits delivered as a percentage of expenditure under managed state purchasing contracts, including reduced and avoided costs.
- Optimise accommodation footprint and costs to meet business and workforce requirements.
- High-quality whole of government common services are provided to government agencies.
Key priorities and initiatives
Services to government
- Developing and maintaining a framework of whole of government policies, strategies, standards and guidelines which promote the efficient and effective use of common services including procurement, office accommodation management, carpool and government library services.
- Managing a program of whole of government procurement contracts to ensure optimum benefit to government.
- Providing strategic and fit-for-purpose shared services advisory to customers to deliver value to the Victorian Government.
- Providing whole of government office accommodation and accommodation management services.
- Providing VicFleet, carpool, government library services and shared corporate services.
- Providing high quality corporate shared services to government clients for finance, HR, ICT, procurement, risk and reporting services.
BP3 Output initiatives providing funding for 2025-26
Common Corporate Platforms program
Implement the Vic Gov People project (within the Common Corporate Platforms program), which will deliver a standardised human resources and payroll platform along with a centralised shared services capability for the Department of Government Services, the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and the Department of Treasury and Finance.
Social procurement support
Continue the partnership with Kinaway Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and Social Traders to support Government’s social procurement framework.
Providing corporate transportation services
Funding is provided to continue corporate transportation services to eligible passengers.
Centralised management of government accommodation
Centralised funding for government accommodation management to drive efficiencies through optimisation of the overall accommodation portfolio.
Our people and partnerships
Our people
Our people are critical to achieving our objectives. We value our people and continue to build strong foundations to ensure we remain capable, responsive and agile.
DGS is committed to attracting and retaining talented people who share our commitment to digital transformation, customer services and accessible government.
Developing the capability of our people to support a high-performing, service-oriented organisation that will position the Department to meet current and future community needs is important to us. We aim to build innovative thinking, a strong sense of customer service and problem solving. And so our people must have a digital mindset and be competent in digital ways of working.
Our frontline staff allow us to engage with customers and respond to their changing needs. Our staff also engage with community organisations, local government, service delivery agencies and other departments and agencies.
DGS will continue to implement its operating model which is designed with an emphasis on teams providing standardised, shared services to multiple customers. We use customer feedback to improve and transform services, and we will work with our partners across state and local government to remove the silos that affect accessibility of services.
Building an inclusive culture must be central to how we operate. Inclusion and accessibility will be at the heart of all we do to ensure that our services reflect the needs of our diverse community. We value diversity of perspectives and thoughts which is why we are strongly committed to ensuing we attract and celebrate a diverse and inclusive workplace. To encourage this DGS offers traineeships for cyber security, internships and graduate programs that attract candidates from diverse backgrounds.
As stewards of the public sector, we are committed to nurturing a culture of integrity and we demonstrate integrity in our daily work. We are committed to ensuring a strong integrity culture and ensuring integrity discussions are embedded in our day-to-day work and decision making, and that staff have avenues to raise integrity matters anonymously and safely.
We are committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment with an intentional focus on the wellbeing of our people. We are preparing to meet the requirements of the Psychological Health Compliance Code, which will take effect from December 2025 by developing resources and support mechanisms to help identify and manage psychosocial hazards across the department.
We will continue to monitor and respond to staff feedback through the People Matter Survey to ensure DGS provides a workplace for its people to thrive.
Our partnerships
We allocate more than $900 million in funding to agencies, councils and community service organisations for service delivery each year and monitor over 100 service agreements.
We oversee complex systems, services and programs, working closely with partners that include:
- customers
- government departments, agencies and state-owned entities
- councils
- Commonwealth, state and territory governments
- community service organisations
- advocates, experts and service partners
- industry bodies and unions.
Financial and asset outlook
The operating statement provides an estimate for the period from 2025–26 to 2028–29, with the estimates below representing the allocation of resources that support the delivery of DGS’ key priorities and outputs.
Comprehensive operating statement ($ million)
| 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 | |
| Net result from continuing operations | ||||
| Income from transactions | ||||
| Output appropriations | 616.1 | 467.3 | 442.8 | 445.6 |
| Interest | 112.7 | 112.7 | 112.8 | 93.0 |
| Sales of goods and services | 561.0 | 568.5 | 571.8 | 555.0 |
| Grants | 5.9 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.9 |
| Fair value of assets and services received free of charge or for nominal consideration | 20.1 | 19.9 | 19.8 | 19.8 |
| Other income | 29.6 | 44.9 | 44.9 | 44.9 |
| Total income from transactions | 1,345.3 | 1,215.9 | 1,194.7 | 1,159.2 |
| Expenses from transactions | ||||
| Employee benefits | 351.2 | 293.3 | 293.0 | 295.1 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 353.2 | 345.6 | 342.6 | 337.9 |
| Interest expense | 59.0 | 57.1 | 56.7 | 56.7 |
| Grants and other transfers | 181.9 | 105.3 | 101.8 | 101.8 |
| Other operating expenses | 402.8 | 416.3 | 409.6 | 406.8 |
| Total expenses from transactions | 1,348.0 | 1,217.7 | 1,203.7 | 1,198.3 |
| Net result from transactions (net operating balance) | (2.8) | (1.8) | (9.0) | (39.0) |
Source: Department of Government Services.
Note: Figures in this table are subject to rounding to the nearest million dollars and may not add up to totals.
Existing projects ($ million)
| Total estimated investment | Estimated expenditure to 30 June 2025 | Estimated expenditure 2025-26 | Remaining expenditure | Estimated completion date | |
| Addressing the security and workplace requirements of government buildings (East Melbourne) | 32.7 | 2.9 | 20.0 | 9.8 | Qtr 4 2026‑27 |
| Centralised Accommodation Management (Melbourne) | 9.8 | 1.5 | 8.3 | Qtr 4 2026‑27 | |
| Total existing projects | 42.5 | 4.4 | 28.3 | 9.8 | |
| Other capital expenditure | 107.4 | ||||
| Other capital expenditure includes offsets by factors such as funding held in contingency pending confirmation of project implementation planning and funding from other sources. | |||||
| Total 2025-26 capital expenditure | 135.7 | ||||
Source: Department of Government Services.