Robert Hortle was appointed to the position of Commissioner for a 5-year term on 17 June 2021.
Under the Wage Theft Act 2020, Robert is responsible for exercising the duties, functions and powers of the Wage Inspectorate under the legislation it enforces.
Robert was previously Director of Wage Inspectorate Victoria within the Department of Premier and Cabinet, prior to the organisation becoming a statutory authority on 1 July 2021.
Robert is an accomplished government executive with more than 20 years’ regulatory experience in the industrial relations field at state and federal levels.
In his former role of Wage Inspectorate Director, Robert oversaw the rollout of compliance functions relating to owner driver and forestry contractor laws, new long service leave legislation and the enforcement of Victoria’s child employment framework.
He also oversaw the implementation of Wage Inspectorate Victoria as a statutory authority and Victoria’s wage theft legislation, which commenced on 1 July 2021.
Robert has previously held senior executive and management positions at the Fair Work Ombudsman, the national workplace regulator, in compliance, education, policy and corporate services.
In 2024, Robert was named as an IPAA Victoria Fellow, one the most prestigious honours in the public purpose sector.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business (Human Resource Management), postgraduate qualifications in Public Sector Management, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Robert has also completed studies through the Governance Institute of Australia and Harvard Kennedy School in the United States.
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