The Commission is a statutory authority accountable to the Minister for Government Services. Our integrity functions are independent from ministerial direction or control.
For administrative arrangements, the Commission is supported by the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Our work is complementary, and we align in pursuit of providing central coordination, leadership and stewardship of the public sector.
Advisory Board
On 6 June 2022, the Minister for Government Services appointed Tasneem Chopra OAM, Professor Janine O’Flynn and Greg Smith AM to the Victorian Public Sector Commission Advisory Board. They joined existing Chair, Jeremi Moule, Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The role of the Advisory Board is to provide to the Commission:
- advice in relation to the preparation of the annual plan and strategic plan of the Commission; and
- strategic advice in relation to matters relevant to the objectives and functions of the Commission.
The Advisory Board meets quarterly.
Audit and Risk Management Committee
The Commission has an Audit and Risk Management Committee. The Committee consists of the following members:
- Cynthia Lahiff, Chair (independent member)
- Shaun Condron (independent member)
- Annie Tinney (non-executive member)
Greg Wilson was Chair of the ARMC from July to October of the 2022-23 reporting period. We welcomed Cynthia Lahiff in March 2023.
The committee provides independent assurance and advice to the Commissioner on the Commission’s audit risk, control and compliance framework, and its statutory financial reporting obligations.
The committee is responsible for:
- improving the Commission’s effectiveness and efficiency
- ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- coordinating audits, considering recommendations and implementing actions
- overseeing operation of the risk management framework
- reviewing the annual report and financial information.
In 2022-23, internal auditors performed a Monitoring Code of Conduct & Employment Standards Review. The audit concluded that the Commission should develop a framework to proactively monitor compliance to the public sector values, codes of conduct, employment principles and standards across the VPS. It recommended approaches for using the framework to undertake this monitoring, recognising that this may need to be managed within existing resources.
A review of Compliance with Legislation at the Commission was also completed within the reporting period. The audit concluded that the Commission has systems, processes and controls in place to govern its legislative compliance management related activities. However, an improvement opportunity was noted whereby the Commission does not have a formally documented and centralised compliance register in place.