The State Services Authority is responsible for providing advice and promoting appropriate governance arrangements for public entities that serve the Victorian community. Information on public sector governance and executive remuneration and conditions is available on this website.

Victoria has a long tradition of using public entities to perform functions, or provide services, on behalf of government. These entities have been created over the years, in a response to particular needs of the government of the day.

Public entities are the statutory authorities, state-owned corporations, school councils, boards, trusts and advisory committees, established by government legislation to undertake a public purpose. Victoria's public entities include school councils as well as professional registration boards, advisory organisations, service providers and industry regulators.

Major public entities include the Royal Children's Hospital, Parks Victoria, Victoria Police, VicRoads, VicUrban, government schools, William Angliss Institute of TAFE, and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. Public entities cover a diverse range of services, professions and organisations. Examples include the Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria, Federation Square Management, Greyhound Racing Victoria, Dairy Food Safety Victoria, and the Victorian Institute of Sport.

reference materials

A priority for the Authority has been the production of reference material for potential, new and existing board members of public sector entities. The Good practice guide on governance for Victorian public sector entities (the Guide) is a web-based resource aimed at helping to raise standards of governance in public entities. A 24 page booklet, Welcome to the Board - your introduction to the good practice guide on governance for Victorian public sector entities (PDF 619KB), introduces this web-based resource.

The Guide also includes the Directors' Code of Conduct. This new code of conduct, issued by the Public Sector Standards Commissioner, is binding on all members of public entity Boards. The Directors' Code of Conduct & Guidance Notes (PDF 227KB) is available separately in printed form.

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