Purpose

Improve how Victorians and business engage with government, and to accelerate digital transformation and corporate services reform across the VPS.

Mission

Department of Government Services (DGS) brings together government services to continuously improve how government serves Victorians – and public servants – and be an effective custodian of service ecosystems.

DGS pairs a strong culture of customer service with a deep understanding of digital public services and the capabilities to translate policy intent into efficiently scaled services.

Values

We uphold the public sector values as enshrined in the Public Administration Act 2004:

• Accountability: working to clear objectives in a transparent manner, accepting responsibility for our decisions and actions, seeking to achieve best use of resources and submitting ourselves to appropriate scrutiny.
• Human Rights: making decisions and providing advice consistent with the human rights set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006, and actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights.
• Impartiality: making decisions and providing advice on merit without bias, caprice, favouritism or self-interest, acting fairly by objectively considering all relevant facts and applying fair criteria, implementing government policies and programs equitably.
• Integrity: being honest, open and transparent in our dealings, using powers responsibly, reporting improper conduct, and avoiding real or apparent conflicts of interest, striving to earn and sustain public trust of a high level.
• Leadership: actively implementing, promoting and supporting these values.
• Respect: treating others fairly and objectively, ensuring freedom from discrimination, harassment and bullying, using views to improve outcomes on an ongoing basis.
• Responsiveness: providing frank, impartial and timely advice to the government, providing high-quality services to the Victorian community, identifying and promoting best practice.

Acknowledgement of Country

DGS acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Traditional Owners, and custodians of the land on which we work and live as Australia’s first peoples.

We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are part of our workforce. Reconciliation is at the heart of our path toward building a diverse and inclusive working environment at the Department.

Our ministers

Gabrielle Williams MP

Minister for Government Services

Minister for Consumer Affairs

The Hon. Melissa Horne MP

Minister for Local Government

Our portfolio entities

• CenITex
• Public Record Office Victoria
• Service Victoria
• Motor Car Traders Claims Committee
• Residential Tenancies Bond Authority
• Business Licensing Authority
• Victorian Local Government Grants Commission.

Our groups

Digital Transformation

Defines DGS’s strategic and reform agenda and drives service onboarding, customer centricity and transformation.

Makes available the foundational technology and digital platforms capability required.

Priorities:

• WOVG policies and projects that address the opportunities and risks of digital transformation .
• WOVG digital platforms and infrastructure that improve productivity and effectiveness.

Local Government & Regulatory Shared Services

Accountable for operational policy development, regulatory design and administration, system and program design and the delivery of services to – and in the best interests of – Victorians.

Corporate Shared Services

Accountable for operational policy development, corporate governance and administration, and the delivery of services to the Victorian public service.

These 2 groups share the same focus and priorities for different customer segments:

• Provide consistently great customer experiences in the delivery of scalable, efficient and effective services.
• Manage the delivery of services with a balance of expertise and speed, while driving the digital transformation of those services.

Priorities:

• Policy and regulation that supports responsive and accountable services.
• Customer and corporate services that improve satisfaction and productivity.

There are important challenges to overcome in order to achieve our objectives.

Our objectives

• Make it easier for citizens and businesses to engage with government.
• Accelerate digital transformation.
• Corporate services that enable better service delivery and drive productivity over time.

Challenges and barriers

Accelerating customer expectations and technology change

New technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing are rapidly advancing, with implications for privacy and cybersecurity. To keep pace, we need smart policy responses, as well as expertise to develop and implement enabling technology to deliver high quality digital services.

Barriers to digital inclusion

The social challenges faced by the most vulnerable in our society – such as accessing services and obtaining higher value jobs – are magnified by the increasing use of digital.

We need to identify and address common challenges and inhibitors to service access.

Organisational capacity and capability

DGS is a new department formed by the transfer of functions from others. Further organisational development is needed to create the capabilities and capacity needed to deliver our objectives, including:

• culture and structure
• resources, including the available technology and condition of assets
• service delivery channels
• performance data
• service, asset and operation plans.

Operating context

The increasing digitisation of economies has highlighted the importance of digital transformation for government and how it can help improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility of government services.

Digital services are the face of modern government, and great digital services can build trust with citizens. Citizens and businesses now expect government information and services to be readily available online, easy to find and understand, and at low or no cost.

However, the evolving nature of cyber threats and several wide-spread IT and telecommunications outages have highlighted risks to the resilience of government services in the digital age. Further work is happening with the Federal Government and other jurisdictions to enhance our national digital resilience.

Cost of living challenges are also seeing more people engage with services offered by the department. For example, Consumer Affairs Victoria is providing more support to more people to help them understand and enforce their consumer rights.

Local Government elections in 2024 have seen increased activity for the department in the governance and stewardship of the local government sector.

Increasing productivity within government remains a strong driver for the department, with improvements to corporate services a priority.

Objective 1: Make it easier for citizens and businesses to engage with government

This objective contributes to the digital delivery of information and services to Victorian citizens and businesses; supports empowering consumers and businesses to know their rights and responsibilities; supports protection of Victorians’ identity through life event registrations and protection of children and people with disability through risk assessments of those working with or caring for them; and supports local councils to provide responsive and accountable services to the community.

Indicators

• Victorians have access to timely, high-quality information in relation to government services .
• Victorians are protected by consumer rights and have access to high quality consumer advice and services .
• Victorians have access to high quality dispute resolution services.
• Victorians have access to high quality services relating to births, deaths and marriages registrations .
• Victorians have access to timely Working with Children and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) check services .
• Councils are well supported to provide responsive and accountable services.
• Physical and digital records are securely preserved and are accessible for use by Victorians.

Our functions

Customer services to the Community

• Supporting the community and businesses in accessing information and services online via Victorian Government websites and the Service Victoria mobile app, and with assistance through the Victorian Government Contact Centre.

Management of Victoria’s public records

• Provides direction to government on the management of public records and ensures the historical memory of the Victorian Government endures, is secure and accessible.

Regulation of the Victorian consumer marketplace

• Ensuring that the market operates effectively by detecting and addressing non-compliance with the law.
• Advising consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities under the law, engaging with business to ensure compliance.
• Registration and occupational licensing for individuals and organisations, and regulation of the residential tenancies market.
• Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria and Dispute Settlement Centre Victoria provide Victorians with high quality dispute resolution services.

Identity and worker screening services

• Supporting the protection of children by providing screening of persons who work with or care for children, and screening of persons engaged in risk assessed roles for the purposes of the NDIS.
• Protecting personal identity through the registration of significant life events by the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).

Local Government

• Delivering activities in partnership with the local government sector to support effective and efficient local governance, leadership, infrastructure and service provision.
• Administering programs to support local councils to increase accountability and provide support to the Victorian Local Government Grants Commission.
• Working with councils and the emergency management sector to enhance the emergency management capability and capacity of local government.

Key initiatives

Additional funding for Worker Screening Unit operations

• Funding is provided to support the operation of the Worker Screening Unit which provides working with children and NDIS screening checks.

Extension of payment scheme for the customers of liquidated builders

• Funding is provided for payments to customers of builders who declared insolvency from 1 July 2023 to 28 February 2024.

Financial counselling support for victim survivors of family violence

• Funding is provided to continue delivering financial counselling services to family violence victim survivors facing financial stress.
• Funding for this initiative is linked to the Early Intervention Investment Framework.

Rental Stress Support Package

• Funding is provided to organisations delivering support for renters in the private market so that Victorian households facing rental stress can gain access to information and advice, advocacy and legal assistance.

Objective 2: Accelerate digital transformation for government

This objective supports the effective and efficient delivery of government services through digital technology and platforms.

Indicators

• Effective use of technology to support Victorian Government priorities and service delivery.
• Government decision making is informed by high quality data and data analytics.
• Government systems and data are protected from cyber threats.

Our functions

Digital strategy and transformation

• Continued innovation in digital technology to improve whole of government service delivery and business processes.

Key initiatives

Cyber Defence Centre

• Funding is provided to the Cyber Defence Centre to deliver cyber incident response capabilities and enhance data security.
• Funding is also provided to the Chief Information Security Officer to support legislative functions.

Improved data capability to support early intervention investment

• Funding is provided for improved data capability to support early intervention investment.
• This investment will strengthen the Victorian Social Investment Integrated Data Resource, a linked data asset to improve social policy outcomes and lower cost for acute service delivery.

Objective 3: Corporate services that enable better service delivery and drive productivity over time

This objective aims to accelerate common corporate services to deliver integrated and customer-centred shared services to government agencies. Areas include procurement, office accommodation management, carpool and government library services and shared central agency corporate services.

Indicators

• Benefits delivered as a percentage of expenditure under managed state purchasing contracts, including reduced and avoided costs .
• Optimise accommodation footprint and costs to meet business and workforce requirements .
• High-quality whole of government common services are provided to government agencies.

Our functions

Services to government

• Developing and maintaining a framework of whole of government policies, strategies, standards and guidelines which promote the efficient and effective use of common services including procurement, office accommodation management, carpool and government library services .
• Managing a program of whole of government procurement contracts to ensure optimum benefit to government .
• Supporting the operations of the Victorian Government Purchasing Board .
• Providing strategic and fit-for-purpose shared services advisory to customers to deliver value to the Victorian Government.
• Providing whole of government office accommodation and accommodation management.
• Providing VicFleet, carpool, government library services and shared corporate services.
• Providing high quality corporate shared services to government clients for finance, HR, ICT, procurement, risk and reporting services.

Key initiatives

Common Corporate Platforms program

• Funding is provided to deliver efficiencies, and drive productivity gains with the Common Corporate Platforms program, which is implementing a standardised human resources and payroll platform for the Department of Government Services, the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and the Department of Treasury and Finance.

Social procurement support

• Funding is provided to continue the Government’s partnership with Kinaway Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and Social Traders to support Government’s social procurement framework.

Our people

Our people are critical to achieving our objectives. We value our people and continue to build strong foundations to ensure we remain capable, responsive and agile.

DGS is committed to attracting and retaining talented people that share our commitment to digital transformation, customer services and accessible government.

Developing the capability of our people to support a high-performing, service-oriented organisation that will position the Department to meet current and future community needs is important to us. We aim to build innovative thinking, a strong sense of customer service and problem solving. And so our people must have a digital mindset and be competent in digital ways of working.

Our frontline staff allow us to engage with customers and respond to their changing needs. Our staff also engage with community organisations, local government, service delivery agencies and other departments and agencies.

DGS will continue to implement its operating model which is designed with an emphasis on single teams providing standardised, shared services to multiple customers. We use customer feedback to improve and transform services and we will work with our partners across state and local government to remove the silos that affect accessibility of services.

Building an inclusive culture must be central to how we operate. Inclusion and accessibility will be at the heart of all we do to ensure that our services reflect the needs of our diverse community. We value diversity of perspectives and thoughts which is why we are strongly committed to ensuing we attract and celebrate a diverse and inclusive workplace. To encourage this DGS offers traineeships for cyber security, internships and graduate programs that attract candidates from diverse backgrounds.

As stewards of the public sector, we are committed to nurturing a culture of integrity and we demonstrate integrity in our daily work. We are committed to ensuring a strong integrity culture and ensuring integrity discussions are embedded in our day to day work and decision making, and that staff have avenues to raise integrity matters anonymously and safely.

DGS is committed to ensuring the psychological safety and wellbeing of all our people and will continue to monitor and respond to staff feedback through the People Matter Survey to ensure DGS provides a workplace for its people to thrive.

Our partnerships

We allocate more than $795 million in funding to agencies, local councils and community service organisations for service delivery each year and monitor over 100 service agreements.

We oversee complex systems, services and programs with partners that include:

• Customers
• Government departments, agencies and State Owned Entities
• Local councils
• Commonwealth, State and Territory governments
• Community service organisations
• Peak organisations
• Community groups
• Industry bodies and private sector providers.

Table 1: Comprehensive operating statement – estimates ($ million)

Table 2: Balance sheet ($ million)