Local jobs first
The Local Jobs First Act 2003 (Vic), amended in August 2018, brings together the Victorian Industry Participation Policy and Major Project Skills Guarantee, which were previously administered separately.
The Authority is required to apply the Local Jobs First policy to all metropolitan Melbourne or state-wide projects valued at $3 million or more, or any regional Victoria projects valued at $1 million or more.
The Authority undertook no projects subject to the Act during the 2023-24 reporting period.
Government advertising expenditure
In 2023-24 there were no government advertising campaigns of $100,000 or greater (exclusive of GST).
Consultancy expenditure
Details of consultancies (valued at $10,000 or greater)
In 2023-24, there were four consultancies where the total fees payable to the consultants were $10,000 or greater. The total expenditure incurred during 2023-24 in relation to these consultancies is $0.13 million (excluding GST). Details of individual consultancies are outlined below.
| Consultant | Purpose of consultancy | Start date | End date | Total approved project fee (excl. GST) $'000 | Expenditure 2023-24 (excl. GST) $'000 | Future Expenditure (excl. GST) $'000 |
| Deloitte Consulting Pty Ltd | Advisory Services | 18 May 2024 | 31 Jul 2024 | $55 | $6 | $49 |
| Emma Savage Consulting | Advisory Services | 11 Jan 2023 | 30 Jun 2024 | $25 | $11 | $3 |
| Inform Strategic Consulting | Advisory Services | 03 Nov 2023 | 30 Jun 2024 | $25 | $25 | $ - |
| Brooke Institute Pty Ltd | Advisory Services | 24 Apr 2024 | 30 Sep 2024 | $256 | $87 | $169 |
Details of consultancies under $10,000
In 2023-24 there was no consultancy engaged during the year, where the total fees payable to the individual consultancy was less than $10,000 (exclusive of GST).
Review and studies expenditure
Details of reviews and studies
During 2023-24 one review was undertaken with the total cost of $0.23 million. Details of the review is outlined below.
| Name of the review | Reasons for review/study | Terms of reference/ scope | Anticipated outcomes | Estimated cost for the year (excl. GST) $'000 | Final cost if completed (excl. GST) $'000 | Publicly available (Y/N) and URL $'000 |
| Actuarial 3 Year Levy Review | To determine if the levy rate is still appropriate | Valuation of Accrued Portable Long Service Benefits and Levy Calculation | No change to the levy rate | 226 | 226 | No |
Information and communication technology expenditure
For the 2023-24 reporting period, the Authority had a total information and communication technology (ICT) expenditure of $1.06 million, with details shown below.
| All operational ICT expenditure | ICT expenditure related to projects to create or enhance ICT capabilities | ||
| Business as Usual (BAU) ICT expenditure $'000 | Non-Business as Usual (non-BAU) ICT expenditure $'000 | Operational expenditure $'000 | Capital expenditure $'000 |
| (Total) | (Total = Operational expenditure and capital expenditure) | ||
| 1,057 | - | 1,057 | - |
ICT expenditure refers to the Authority’s costs in providing business enabling ICT services within the current reporting period. It comprises Business as Usual (BAU) ICT expenditure and Non-Business as Usual (Non-BAU) ICT expenditure. Non-BAU ICT expenditure relates to extending or enhancing the Authority’s current ICT capabilities. BAU ICT expenditure is all remaining ICT expenditure that primarily relates to ongoing activities to operate and maintain the current ICT capability.
Disclosure of major contracts
The Authority did not award any major contracts valued above $10 million or more during 2023-24.
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) (the FOI Act) allows the public a right of access to documents held by the Authority.
Information about the type of material produced by the Authority is available on its website under the Part II Information Statement.
During the 2023-24 financial year, the Authority received no Freedom of Information requests.
During the 2023-24 financial year, no requests were subject to a complaint/internal review by Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner or were progressed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Making a request
Access to documents can be made by a written request to the Authority’s Freedom of Information Officer as detailed in section 17 of the FOI Act. The 2023-24 application fee was $31.80.
When making a Freedom of Information request, applicants should ensure requests are in writing and clearly identify the documents being sought.
Requests for documents in possession of the Authority can be made via email to foi@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window) or by mail to:
Attention: Freedom of Information Officer
Portable Long Service Authority
PO Box 443
Bendigo VIC 3552
Further Information
Access charges may also apply once documents have been processed and a decision on access is made, such as but not limited to photocopying, search and retrieval charges. Further information regarding Freedom of Information can be found at ovic.vic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/(opens in a new window).
Compliance with the Building Act 1993 (Vic)
The Authority does not own or control any government buildings and consequently is exempt from notifying its compliance with the building and maintenance provisions of the Building Act 1993 (Vic).
The Authority met all relevant compliance provisions of the Building Act 1993 (Vic) in our building and maintenance activities during the year.
Competitive neutrality policy
The Authority does not provide services that compete with the private sector and is therefore not subject to the requirements of the National Competitive Policy (NCP) including compliance with the requirements of the Neutrality Policy Victoria or any subsequent reforms.
Public Interest Disclosures
The Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (Vic) (the PID Act) encourages and assists people in making disclosures of improper conduct by public officers and public bodies. The PID Act provides protection to people who make disclosures in accordance with the PID and establishes a system for the matters disclosed to be investigated.
The Authority encourages its officers and members of the public to report known or suspected incidences of improper conduct and detrimental action.
Disclosures of improper conduct or detrimental action by the Authority or any of its employees and/or officers must be made directly to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission:
Level 1, North Tower, 459 Collins Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Phone: 1300 735 135
www.ibac.vic.gov.au
Disclosures under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (Vic)
| 2023-24 number | |
| The number of disclosures made by an individual to the authority and notified to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission | - |
| Assessable disclosures | - |
Compliance with the Carers Recognition Act 2012 (Vic)
To the extent applicable, the Authority has taken all practical measures to comply with obligations under the Carers Recognition Act 2012 (Vic) (the CR Act). These include:
- ensuring our staff have an awareness and understanding of the care relationship principles set out in the CR Act.
- considering the care relationships principles set out in the CR Act when setting policies and providing services.
- promoting the availability of flexible work arrangements and providing resources to effectively support this.
- providing support to all staff through the Employee Assistance Program.
Compliance with the Disability Act 2006 (Vic)
The Authority acknowledges the importance of strengthening the rights of people with a disability. We are committed to creating and maintaining an accessible and inclusive environment for all people with a disability who come into contact with the Authority, whether as employees, stakeholders or members of the public more generally.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet developed a comprehensive Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2021-25 which informs the Authority’s policies ensuring we remain responsive to the needs of people with a disability.
Procurement complaints
Under the Governance Policy of the Victorian Government Purchasing Board, the Authority must disclose any formal complaints relating to the procurement of goods and services received through its procurement complaints management system.
The Authority received no formal complaints through its procurement complaints management system in 2023-24.
Transportation
The Authority’s fleet is comprised of 2 passenger vehicles. These vehicles are essential to the operation of the Authority, for example, travel relating to the Authority’s compliance and enforcement activities.
Sustainable buildings and infrastructure
The Authority’s two offices, in Bendigo and Melbourne, maximise natural light, with electronics, lighting, heating and cooling switched off each evening.
The Galkangu Bendigo GovHub is Victoria's largest timber frame office. Its environmentally sustainable design contains efficient indoor air quality systems, solar panels, water and energy monitoring systems.
The Victorian Government’s Digital First principles are applied with staff encouraged to avoid printing where possible. Senior staff members have been provided with portable devices to assist with this initiative. In addition, the Authority utilises “Follow Me” printing which enables usage reporting, application of print policies organisation-wide and mobile printing solutions to reduce waste, saving on average 30% of wasted print jobs sent in error.
All office waste systems across our two locations are segregated, reducing the amount of recyclable material directed to landfill. Authority staff are strongly encouraged to adopt “green commuting” through active or public transport when undertaking business activities, particularly when travelling between our Bendigo and Melbourne locations. Meetings are also conducted via video conferencing where possible to reduce unnecessary or excessive travel.
The Authority has phased out single-use plastics in its offices. This is in line with the Authority’s recognition of the importance of reducing our environmental footprint.
Agency Specific Legislative Disclosures
Subsequent events
There are no post balance date events that materially affect the Authority’s 2023-24 financial statements.
Additional information
The Authority’s published reports and documents are available online at plsa.vic.gov.au.
Any relevant information in relation to the financial year is retained by the Accountable Officer and is available on request subject to the provisions of the FOI Act.
What’s next?
As we turn our attention to next year, our focus will also shift to include additional milestones and priorities:
- Awareness and education campaigns including worker engagement
- Strategic and risk-based compliance and enforcement activity
- Continue to refine better practice systems and processes
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