Appendix A

Commit to consistently applying 10 enhanced financial management rules, across 4 distinct phases each year, to deliver on the fiscal strategy:

1. Strengthen and embed an annual budget plan that aligns with longer-term planning at the start of the annual budget cycle.
2. Limit all new resource allocation decisions to the annual budget decision window.
3. Reinforce current practice that decisions on funding must be supported by robust information and business cases that meet DTF’s Investment Life Cycle guidelines.
4. Embed a planning and review window in the annual budget cycle.
5. Expand systematic expenditure evaluations in the annual budget cycle.
6. Hold Secretaries and CEOs to account for their departmental and entity financial performance as part of the annual budget cycle.
7. Replace the General Efficiency Dividend (GED) in the savings framework by embedding more systematic evaluation and discrete savings targets in each budget.
8. Reduce the number of fixed term funded programs.
9. Mandate and deliver public sector financial training for executives.
10. Embed systematic job rotation for financial officers between DTF and other departments.

Require Secretaries, in implementing staff and salary reductions, to:

• Restructure departments with a view to removing layers and widening spans of control, consistent with principles of good organisational design, including removal of any non-standard roles not aligned to a level in the classification structure.
• Adopt new ways of working and delegating that remove excessive layers of clearance.

Task and equip the VPSC, supported by DPC, to play a stronger VPS workforce strategy development role, including:

• Designing and leading the implementation of a capability review program
• Issuing new guidance on organisational design
• Disseminating advice on work value and re-sizing roles
• Monitoring departments’ implementation (in partnership with DTF) of the structural changes recommended by the Review.

Reduce the number of public sector entities by 78 through a process of consolidation and removal, including:

• Regulatory system reform
• Water and land management reform
• Policy advice and research
• Funds and investment management
• Abolishing some entities and ceasing their functions
• Absorbing the functions of entities into departments or other bodies
• Merging entities with overlapping functions.

Improve the ongoing oversight and administration of public entities, and embed best practice governance, by:

1. Strengthening and publishing refreshed guidelines for the establishment of public sector entities to prevent further unnecessary proliferation.
2. Defaulting to a single executive governance model, and where boards are needed, streamline them over time to a smaller number of members.
3. Improving entity data collection and reporting, ensuring consistent data capture across all entities, and fit-for-purpose reporting requirements.
4. Enforcing public sector entity review and sunset by default after 5 years.
5. Extending reviews to other forms of public sector entities (including branded divisions within departments and statutory roles).

Consolidate LaunchVic’s grant and facilitation and capacity uplift program activity into Invest Victoria and abolish LaunchVic as a standalone entity.

[see also 6.1.18]

As part of the government’s current Commercialisation and Innovation Review:

• consolidate the management of existing equity investments currently with LaunchVic and DTF into one entity - Breakthrough Victoria
• reduce overall investment and the level of risk exposure from equity funds investment by government.

Create a Consumer Protection Regulator.

Brings together Consumer Affairs Victoria (DGS), Business Licensing Authority, Commissioner for Residential Tenancies (DGS), Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board (DEECA) and Working with Children Check into a new regulatory entity.

Create a new Built Environment Regulator.

Merges the new Building and Plumbing Commission (that is bringing together the Victorian Building Authority, Domestic Building Disputes Resolution Victoria and the Domestic Building Insurance function of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority) with the Surveyors Registration Board and Architects Registration Board (DTP) and Energy Safety Victoria.

Create a Racing Integrity and Welfare Regulator.

Merges the regulatory and integrity responsibilities of Racing Victoria, Greyhound Racing Victoria (DJCS), Harness Racing Victoria (DJCS), the Office of the Racing Integrity Commissioner and Board to create a new regulatory entity.

Establish a new Food Safety Regulator.

Consolidates PrimeSafe (DEECA) (meat, poultry, and seafood), Dairy Food Safety Victoria (DEECA) (dairy), and the Department of Health (licensing, food safety).

Establish a new Workplace Regulator.

Consolidates Wage Inspectorate Victoria (DTF), Portable Long Service Authority (DTF) and Labour Hire Authority (DTF) into a single body.

Create a new Outdoor Regulator.

Merges the Victorian Fisheries Authority (DJSIR) and Game Management Authority (DJSIR) to form a unified regulatory body for wildlife management.

Merge human rights offices and commissioners within the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC).

Brings together the Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector, Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP), the Victorian Multicultural Commission and the Office of the Public Advocate within VEOHRC.