Our Board and Committees

The Authority is overseen by a Governing Board appointed by the Minister for Industrial Relations. This Board includes individuals with a range of expertise, qualifications, and experience, representing employers and workers in the three covered industries – community services, contract cleaning and security.

Board members adhere to the standards of the Code of Conduct for Directors of Victorian Public Entities and the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic).

As mandated by s38 of the Long Service Benefits Portability Act 2018 (Vic), the Governing Board:

• Sets the levy to be paid by employers and contract workers
• Manages the Authority’s governance, strategic planning, and risk management
• Advises the Minister on agreements for corresponding schemes across Australia
• Performs functions and exercises powers of the Authority as appropriate.

Our Governing Board

Julius Roe, Chair

Julius Roe’s career spans 40 years in industrial relations, including as a Fair Work Commissioner from 2010 to 2017.

He is a member of the Police Registration and Services Board. Since 2017, Julius has been working as a consultant, handling mediation in a diverse range of workplace disputes in the public and private sectors. Julius has been a leader in vocational education and training policy, including various boards at both state and national level. He was National President of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union from 2000-2010.

Claire Filson, Deputy Chair

Claire Filson has worked extensively in the financial services sector, with more than 20 years’ boardroom experience in superannuation and infrastructure businesses.

Before taking a break to travel in 2010, Claire was a Director on the Board of Emergency Services and State Superannuation, a 150,000-member public sector superannuation fund managing $15 billion.

Claire has a mix of skills spanning law, governance and risk management and is currently a director of Greater Western Water and Redundancy Payment Central Fund Limited and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation.

Tim Piper AM, Member

Tim Piper is the Head of the Australian Industry Group’s Victorian branch, advocating for more than 12,000 businesses in Victoria and over 60,000 across Australia.

He has had significant engagement with government at all levels. He chairs the Industry Capability Network, is Deputy Chair of the Rail Industry Advisory Council and sits on several Ministerial Committees and government bodies. During the financial year he was also on the Board and a Director at Global Systems Institute.

A lawyer in private practice in Australia and the UK, Tim was previously Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association in Victoria. Tim was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List for significant service to industry and manufacturing, to skills training and to multicultural youth.

Rachaell Saunders, Member

Rachaell Saunders is founder and CEO of National Protective Services, a leading national security organisation that specialises in both protective services and electronic security. Having founded the organisation in 1988 Rachaell has an extensive career within the security industry.

Rachaell has various qualifications in marketing, international business, risk management, security and business. As CEO of National Protective Services, she sets the strategic direction for the business with a focus on operations, finance, human resources, sales and marketing.

RachaelI has been on the board of the Australian Security Industry Association Limited the peak body for security employers for several years and is currently Vice President.

Elisa Brophy, Member

During this financial year, Elisa Brophy (nee Dickenson) was Senior Industrial Officer of the Health and Community Services Union (Health Services Union, Vic No. 2 Branch) and had been at the union since 2015.

She led the industrial team at the union and represented members working in disability and mental health.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts/Laws degree and has extensive legal and advocacy experience. Prior to working at the union, she was a Senior Criminal Solicitor at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and regularly appeared in the Magistrates’ Court across Victoria.

Subsequent to the end of the 2023-24 financial year, Elisa resigned from the PLSA Governing Board.

Julie Warren, Member

In addition to her work with the Authority, Julie Warren is also on the Board of the Victorian WorkCover Authority (WorkSafe Victoria).

Previously, Julie had worked for more than 20 years with the National Union of Workers and was president of the union’s Victorian branch for 13 years. In that role, she led a number of significant changes in strategic direction for the union.

Additionally, Julie was also a past Senior Vice President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council and as a result has considerable experience and understanding of the issues and concerns that are faced by workers in the relevant covered industries of the Scheme.

Emma King OAM, Member

During this financial year, Emma King was CEO and Company Secretary of the Victorian Council of Social Service. Emma is a strong voice on social justice, has a Masters in Industrial and Employee Relations and has worked as a policy adviser, teacher as well as in a range of other industrial and training roles.

Emma is also a member of the Victorian Skills Authority and the Chair of the Farnham Street Neighbourhood House Learning Centre. Emma received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List for services to the community through social welfare organisations.

Lisa Darmanin, Member

During this financial reporting year, Lisa Darmanin was the Secretary of the Australian Services Union (Victorian and Tasmanian Authorities and Services Branch). The union leads advocacy and campaigning across social and community services, local government, and the public sector.

In 2016, Lisa was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll for Women in recognition of her significant contribution to the Victorian community, specifically in achieving gender equity for women. Lisa has extensive board experience and is currently Chair of Vision Super, Board Director of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, and the Trust for Nature, as well as a Shareholder Representative of the IFM Shareholder Advisory Board.

Joseph Yeung, Non Voting Member

Joseph Yeung is an experienced government Senior Executive and was previously the Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Premier and Cabinet from 2017 to 2019.

Before joining the Victorian Government, Joseph was an Assistant Secretary in the Civil Justice and Corporate Services Division at the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department in Canberra. A chartered accountant and lawyer, Joseph is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and also holds an MBA (Executive).

As Registrar, Joseph is a non-voting member of the Governing Board. As Chief Executive Officer, Joseph is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Authority and its operations.

Table 1: Director attendance at Governing Board meetings

Vale and Retiring Board Members

Vale – Senator Linda White

Victorian Senator Linda White sadly passed away on 29 February 2024 following a health battle.

Ms White was an inaugural member of the Authority’s Governing Board from 2019 before retiring from the Board on 5 April 2022. She was elected as a Victorian Senator to the Commonwealth Parliament for a term commencing on 1 July 2022.

The Authority acknowledges Senator White’s valuable contribution during the establishment of the Authority and all her insights during the Authority’s critical start-up phase.

Retiring Board Members

The Authority would like to acknowledge and thank Lisa Darmanin, Emma King OAM and Elisa Brophy for their contributions to the Authority’s Governing Board.

Emma King OAM resigned from the Board on 24 November 2023. Lisa Darmanin resigned from the Board and the Audit and Risk Committee on 27 February 2024.

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC), established by the Governing Board under the Standing Directions for the Minister for Finance (Vic) (2018) and the Financial Management Act 1994 (Vic), provides individual assurance and advice on the Authority’s financial management, performance, compliance, and risk management.

Comprising four members, the Committee operates under a charter outlining its role and responsibilities in line with the Standing Directions and best practice corporate governance projects.

Audit and Risk Committee membership and roles

• Claire Filson, Deputy Governing Board Chair and ARC Chair
• Rachaell Saunders, Governing Board Member, ARC Member
• Lisa Darmanin (until February 2024) Governing Board Member, ARC Member
• Elisa Brophy (April to June 2024) Governing Board Member, ARC Member
• Peter Wyatt, ARC Independent Member

Peter Wyatt, Independent Member
Audit Risk Committee

The ARC’s independent member, Peter Wyatt, was previously the Chief Financial Officer of Treasury Corporation Victoria (TCV) with responsibility for TCV’s finance, reporting and settlements functions.

Prior to joining TCV in 2006, Peter was the Chief Financial Officer of the State Superannuation Fund, having formerly held senior management roles in life insurance and financial services organisations.

Peter has a Bachelor of Business and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance, is a Certified Practising Accountant, and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

The following table indicates committee member attendance at ARC meetings for the Authority.

Table 2: Attendance at ARC meetings

Conflicts of Interest

The Authority’s Conflict of Interest policies for the Governing Board and employees outlines obligations for managing conflicts of interest. These policies ensure a transparent and accountable process, aiding compliance with section 81 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) and section 45 of the Long Service Benefits Portability Act 2018 (Vic) regarding pecuniary interests.

Internal Audit

The Authority has appointed AFS Associates as its internal auditors to execute a comprehensive risk-based internal audit plan. Audits undertaken this year focused on information privacy, cyber risk management, stakeholder engagement and compliance with standing directions. All audit results and follow-up actions were reported to the ARC.

Occupational Health and Safety

The Authority is committed to providing and maintaining a healthy and safe working environment for staff and visitors in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and associated regulations.

Occupational Health and Safety Committee

The Authority’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee, comprising management and health and safety representatives, meets every two months to discuss workplace health, safety, and wellbeing.

Legislation and Operating Environment

Legislative environment

Under the Act, the Authority manages the Scheme for covered employers and workers in Victoria’s community services, contract cleaning, and security industries.

Employers in these sectors must register themselves and their workers with the Authority via our online portal. Each quarter, registered employers must submit a return detailing worker information, including workers’ service with that employer, and pay a levy. This levy funds future long service payments for covered workers.

The Scheme allows workers to accrue long service leave and take it with them if they change employers but stay in the same industry. Registered workers can check their balances or update their details online through the worker portal. After at least seven years of service, workers can apply for their portable long service benefit, which varies slightly across the three sectors.