The agencies of the Government of Victoria in Australia are collectively described as the Victorian public sector. By convention, and similarly to other jurisdictions with Westminster systems of government, the public sector is organised into the public service and public entities. The public sector is also collectively known as the machinery of government. In Victoria, the public sector is defined by the Public Administration Act 2004.
The Victorian public service is composed of ten departments, the head of each being a secretary. Each department can consist of a number of portfolios, each of which is the direct responsibility of a minister, who collectively form the ministry. A number of other bodies perform specific roles within the public service. For example, the Victorian Public Sector Commission oversees and reports on the public sector as a whole; Administrative Offices are established in relation to departments and undertake clearly defined tasks while reporting directly to the secretary and the responsible Minister; and various other bodies which are described in legislation as public service employers.
Public entities are formed in various ways: they may be statutory authorities, formed by legislative instruments which define their role and purpose; state-owned enterprises with a commercial purpose; or other advisory bodies performing a public function. Public entities are granted varying degrees of autonomy but are ultimately responsible to the relevant minister. For that purpose, each is assigned to the portfolio of the department supporting the minister. Departments, therefore, are responsible for both the public service bodies and public entities which fall within their purview.
Transfers of responsibility between public sector bodies, and the creation or abolition of these bodies, are known as machinery of government changes. The Public Administration Act provides the mechanisms by which such changes are made.
Education
Public entities
Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Public service
- Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability
- Sustainability Victoria
- VicGrid
Public entities
Families, Fairness and Housing
Public service
- Commission for Children and Young People
- Family Safety Victoria
- Victorian Disability Worker Commission
Public entities
- Family Violence Prevention Agency (Respect Victoria)
- Office of the Social Services Regulator
- Queen Victoria Women's Centre Trust
- Shrine of Remembrance Trust
Government Services
Public service
Public entities
Health
Public service
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
- Safer Care Victoria
- Victorian Agency for Health Information
Public entities
All public hospitals in Victoria are operated by boards responsible to the Department of Health. For a list of hospitals, see
- Ambulance Victoria
- Ballarat General Cemeteries Trust
- BreastScreen Victoria
- Geelong Cemeteries Trust
- Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust
- Health Purchasing Victoria
- Remembrance Park Central Victoria
- Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust
- Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority
- Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health
- Victorian Pharmacy Authority
Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
Public service
- Victorian Skills Authority
Public entities
Justice and Community Safety
Public service
- Births, Deaths and Marriages (Victorian Registry of)
- Court Services Victoria
- Local Government Inspectorate
- Office of Public Prosecutions
- Office of the Legal Services Commissioner
- Office of the Road Safety Camera Commissioner
- Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
- Victoria Police (support staff only)
- Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (excluding Commissioner)
- Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (excluding CEO)
- Victorian Government Solicitor's Office
- Victorian Liqour Commission (Liquor Control Victoria)
Public entities
Premier and Cabinet
Public service
Public entities
Transport and Planning
Public service
Public entities
Treasury and Finance
Public service
- Commission for Better Regulation
- Emergency Services Superannuation Board
- Essential Services Commission
- Infrastructure Victoria
- Labour Hire Licensing Authority
- Portable Long Service Benefits Authority
- Office of Projects Victoria
- State Revenue Office
- Wage Inspectorate Victoria
Public entities
Non-executive agencies
A small number of agencies are constitutionally or statutorily independent of the government and are directly responsible to the Parliament of Victoria and its officers.
References