Government services
Births, Deaths and Marriages
The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) is involved in some of the most significant moments in Victorians' lives. BDM works hard to provide a helpful and empathetic service and take pride in the records we keep for the Victorian community.
BDM is responsible for recording all births, adoptions, marriages and deaths in Victoria. Registering domestic and caring relationships in Victoria. Registering name changes for people born or living in Victoria. Registering changes of record of sex for people born or living in Victoria. Issuing certificates for all the above. Offering a civil marriage service through the Victorian Marriage Registry. BDM also offers some of our records to people looking to trace their family history. BDM also provides data to the government, universities, and medical institutions for research and planning.
Cenitex
Cenitex is a State-Owned Enterprise that provides shared information and communications technology services to the Victorian Government. Cenitex supports a modern, agile, and productive public sector, and is driven by a commitment to efficient digital services. Its services include access and network management, security, user workspace, remote working applications, and cloud services.
Public Record Office Victoria
Public Record Office Victoria is an administrative office of DGS. PROV maintains the archives of the State Government of Victoria, holding the official public records dating from the mid-1830s to today. If all of the records held in storage were placed end-to-end they would stretch for more than 100 kilometres. The Public Record Office of Victoria manages these records for use by the government and people of Victoria for now and future generations. The collection contains records of decisions, events, people, and places that have shaped the history of Victoria.
Public Records Advisory Council
The Public Records Advisory Council is appointed by the Minister for Government Services under the Public Records Act 1973. The Public Records Advisory Council provides advice to the Minister on the administration of the Public Records Act and to promote cooperation between Public Record Office Victoria and government agencies.
Victorian Government Purchasing Board
The Victorian Government Purchasing Board (VGPB) is established under the Financial Management Act 1994. The VGPB sets the policies that govern procurement of non-construction goods and services across all Victorian government departments and some specified entities.
Consumer affairs
Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria
The Director of Consumer Affairs is the statutory office created under the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 as Victoria’s consumer marketplace regulator. Under Sections 109 and 110 of this Act, the Director has significant powers and functions, with regulatory activities supported by Consumer Affairs Victoria. These activities include operational matters covering education, funded assistance and advocacy, and compliance monitoring and enforcement, administered across over 30 legislative schemes in Victoria.
Commissioner for Residential Tenancies and Social Housing
The Commissioner for Residential Tenancies and Social Housing provides independent advice to the Victorian Government to recommend changes to renting laws, programs, and services to improve the renting rights, practices, and tenant experiences across Victoria.
Motor Car Traders Claims Committee
The Motor Car Traders Claims Committee is a statutory committee established under section 57 of the Motor Car Traders Act 1986. Anyone (except a motor car trader, a motor car manufacturer, finance broker or public statutory authority) who has suffered a loss after purchasing a car, can make a claim for compensation from the Motor Car Traders Guarantee Fund. The Committee consider and determine these claims.
Residential Tenancies Bond Authority
The Residential Tenancies Bond Authority is a statutory authority established by the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 to hold all Victorian residential tenancy bonds including those applying to residents of long-term caravans and rooming houses.
Business Licensing Authority
The Business Licensing Authority is an independent regulator, operating under the Business Licensing Authority Act 1998 . The Authority administers licensing and registration schemes for certain industries such as real estate agents and professional engineers. These schemes protect consumers, provide quality safeguards, and mitigate against criminal conduct by establishing minimum standards for industry entrants.
Local government
Councillor conduct framework
The Local Government Act 2020 establishes a councillor conduct framework to manage councillor conduct and behaviour.
Entities within the councillor conduct framework are:
Principal Councillor Conduct Registrar
The principal councillor conduct registrar is appointed by the Secretary under section 148 of the Local Government Act 2020. The registrar administers councillor conduct panel processes under the councillor conduct framework. The registrar is also responsible for appointing an arbiter to a council where an application alleging misconduct is made under the council’s internal arbitration process.
Councillor Conduct Panel List
The Councillor Conduct Panel List is established under section 153 of the Local Government Act 2020 by the Minister for Local Government. The panel list comprises the following legal and non-legal members.
Following an application by a council, councillor, or group of councillors to the principal councillor conduct registrar, a councillor conduct panel may be formed to make a finding in relation to actions or activities that may be considered as misconduct or serious misconduct.
Arbiter Panel List
The arbiter panel list is established under section 142 of the Local Government Act 2020 by the Secretary.
Following an application by a council, councillor, or group of councillors to the principal councillor conduct registrar, an arbiter may be engaged to make a finding in relation to a councillor’s actions or activities that may be considered as misconduct due to breaching prescribed standards of conduct.
Independent reviews and reports
Under the Local Government Act 2020, the Minister for Local Government may appoint independent entities to provide advice to councils and report back on council structures, operations and governance.
Commissions of Inquiry
The Minister for Local Government can, under section 209 of the Local Government Act 1989 and section 200 of the Local Government Act 2020, appoint a commissioner or commissioners to establish an inquiry into a council’s affairs. This is in cases where serious governance failures by council have been identified. Following the Commissioner/s inquiry a report on findings and recommendations is provided to the Minister.
Municipal Monitors
The Minister for Local Government can appoint, under s 190 of the Local Government Act 2020, a municipal monitor to councils that have experienced governance issues. The role of a monitor is to: observe governance processes and report back on issues; provide advice to councils that are experiencing governance issues; make recommendations to the Minister for further action
At the end of their appointment, the monitor provides a final report to the Minister.
Local Government Mayoral Advisory Panel
Each year the Minister for Local Government may appoint and chair a Local Government Mayoral Advisory Panel (LGMAP) under s 24 of the Local Government Act 2020. The panel advises the minister on a range of legislative, regulatory, strategic and policy decisions which impact the local government sector.
Victorian Local Government Grants Commission
The Victorian Local Government Grants Commission recommends financial assistance grants from the Commonwealth Government to local councils in Victoria. The commission functions according to the Commonwealth Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995 and a set of national distribution principles.
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