We recognise that our people are our greatest asset, and invest in supporting and empowering our workforce to continually strengthen regulatory capability and deliver on our mission.
Operational staff undertake patrols and monitoring activities, with a strong focus on education and compliance. This includes Authorised Officers, who receive specialised training and are empowered to enforce relevant laws and regulations to protect Victoria’s environment and wildlife.
Changes to the Regulator
Government reforms announced in late 2025 – including the Victorian Government Response to the Silver Review and to the Great Outdoors Taskforce report commitments, the transfer of certain regulatory responsibilities from Parks Victoria, and the establishment of an EPA‑led Illegal Dumping Taskforce – will expand our role in 2026–2027 and on‑ground presence across Victoria. These changes will result in more coordinated enforcement, increased patrols in high‑use areas, and stronger compliance outcomes. We are actively managing this period of change to integrate new responsibilities smoothly, support staff, and ensure regulatory activity remains consistent, effective and focused on protecting public land and the environment.
Our organisational structure
Our organisation is led by the Chief Conservation Regulator and comprises 3 key business areas.
Regulatory Operations
Our Regulatory Operations Branch leads and coordinates state-wide regulatory service delivery. Branch staff are responsible for conducting complex risk assessments, harm prevention campaigns, audits, inspections, investigations, and intelligence functions.
The branch delivers strategic and effective risk based and intelligence-led approaches to compliance for biodiversity, fire prevention, and use of public land through implementation of best practice frameworks, policies and supporting procedures and guidelines.
The branch builds community confidence in regulatory practices by implementing an open and transparent approach to information sharing and decision-making, and by engaging with communities to inform how and where regulatory effort is targeted to address the greatest risks of environmental harm.
Regulatory Strategy and Permissions
Our Regulatory Strategy and Permissions Branch leads the provision of regulatory strategy, information and guidance, and capability development. It undertakes reform and delivery of regulatory permissions (licences, permits and authorities).
The branch works with the Regulatory Operations branch to ensure its work can be effectively implemented and to support efficient, effective, and transparent regulatory service delivery.
Office of the Chief
Our Office of the Chief leads and delivers strategic projects, issues management, reporting, media and communications, stakeholder engagement and partnerships, as well as coordinating business planning.
The Office of the Chief works with other branches, the Office of the Deputy Secretary, DEECA’s regional and corporate media and communications units, and co‑regulators to support our mission and regulatory obligations.
Our organisational structure
Chief Conservation Regulator
- Independent Regulation Advisory Panel
- Stakeholder Reference Group
Director Regulatory Operations
- Regulatory Operations Barwon South West
- Regulatory Operations Gippsland
- Regulatory Operations Grampians
- Regulatory Operations Hume
- Regulatory Operations Loddon Mallee
- Regulatory Operations Port Phillip
- Wildlife Crime and Intelligence
- Public Land Compliance
Director Regulatory Strategy and Permissions
- Regulatory Strategy and Guidance
- Wildlife Licensing
- Forests and Research Permissions
- Regulatory Capability
Head of the Office of the Chief
- Media and Communications
- Regulatory Education and Engagement
- Project Coordination and Advice
Our people
Location
- Metro: 24%
- Regional: 76%
Gender
- Female: 50%
- Male: 50%
To protect individual privacy, figures for staff with declared gender of Self-described are not reported separately.
Employment status
- Part-time: 16%
- Full-time: 84%
VPS grade
- VPS 2: 4
- VPS 3: 37
- VPS 4: 39
- VPS 5: 24
- VPS 6: 15
- Executive: 4
Advisory groups
Independent Regulation Advisory Panel
Our Independent Regulation Advisory Panel is chaired by the Chief Conservation Regulator, supported by 3 experts in the field of environmental regulation who work together to provide us with independent advice on best practice approaches to regulation.
The panel members include Jane Brockington, Dariel De Sousa, and Adam Beaumont. In 2025–2026, they met 3 times and provided advice on:
- the progress to date and future direction of Taskforce Ironbark
- our strategic planning process and actions
- the replacement of the wildlife licensing system
- How we would respond to the commitments in response to Great Outdoors Taskforce Report commitments, the transfer of certain regulatory responsibilities from Parks Victoria, and the establishment of an EPA‑led Illegal Dumping Taskforce
- addressing the complex issue of displaced persons on public land through a humanity-led, multi-agency approach to coordinate an effective and lawful response to homelessness on public land.
Stakeholder Reference Group
Our Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) provides advice and support to assist our mission of being an effective, trusted, best practice regulator for the Victorian community and environment. Our members are representatives from environmental non-government organisations, industry, local government and community organisations.
During 2025–2026, they met as a group 3 times, in addition to individual meetings held with members to engage on issues of interest. In the past year, they have provided feedback and advice on:
- utilising different compliance tools for improved environmental outcomes
- development of regulatory priorities
- our media, communications and engagement projects
- implementation of major campaigns and taskforces
- communicating structural organisation changes to the public.
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