Media release

                                 From the Premier of Victoria

Wednesday, 12 August, 2009

PREMIER ANNOUNCES REFORMS TO HEALTH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Premier, John Brumby, today announced a major restructure of health, community services and local government functions to deliver better services to Victorian communities and families. 

Mr Brumby announced that a new Department of Health would oversee all health services, mental health, aged care and preventative health in Victoria, to deliver greater accountability in hospitals. 

“I firmly believe that these changes will help deliver better services to Victorian families and communities,” Mr Brumby said. 

“We are at a crucial juncture in health and hospital services in Victoria and Australia. Council of Australian Government reforms are lifting standards in our hospitals and reducing waiting times. 

“A new Department of Health – focusing on hospital performance, mental health and prevention – means that Victorians can derive greater benefits from these reforms.” 

Mr Brumby said the health and human services task had grown significantly since the 1990s, accounting for nearly $4 in every $10 that the State Government invests in services, employing around 13,000 staff and more than 80,000 through its agencies. 

“These reforms are designed to increase the accountability, performance and focus of our health system, our family and community services and social housing,” Mr Brumby said.  

Mr Brumby said the new Department of Health would also better address the needs of Victoria’s ageing population. 

“By 2030 there will be more than 1.4 million Victorians over the age of 65. The new Department of Health will focus on ensuring older Victorians can access the services they need,” he said. 

The Premier has appointed current DHS Secretary Fran Thorn as Secretary of the new Department of Health. The Minister for Health, Daniel Andrews, remains coordinating Minister for this Department. 

Mr Brumby also announced a new Department of Human Services would oversee services for children, youth and families, housing, disability, concessions and bushfire recovery. Gill Callister is the new Secretary of the Department of Human Services. The Minister for Community Services, Lisa Neville, is coordinating Minister for the new Department of Human Services. 

“The unfortunate reality is that cases of family breakdown are becoming more frequent and more complex. A stand-alone department is now needed to address rapidly growing demand on health and community services sector,” Mr Brumby said. 

“With a growing population and strong birth rates, it is a critical time for Government to ensure we can provide support to vulnerable families and children. Central to this will be addressing the workforce challenges and ensure we have the best and brightest case workers.”

“Across Australia, we are also facing a workforce challenge in recruiting enough case workers for vulnerable children. Addressing this recruitment issue and providing greater clarity around decision making will be key priorities for the new Department of Human Services.” 

In further reforms, Mr Brumby also announced the establishment of a new Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate as an administrative office, to be headed by a Chief Municipal Inspector. 

“This reform will strengthen the ability to prosecute any breaches of the Local Government Act and strengthen the independence of investigations,” Mr Brumby said. 

“It separates Local Government Victoria’s two roles of policy leadership and enforcement of the Local Government Act.” 

The functions of the new Inspectorate include:

·         Systematic spot audits of compliance with governance requirements in the Local Government Act;

·         Investigating breaches of the Local Government Act;

·         Monitoring corporate governance of councils;

·         Investigating alleged breaches of electoral provisions;

·         Undertaking prosecutions for breaches of the Local Government Act;

·         Elevating matters of gross misconduct of a councillor to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal;

·         Recommending to the Minister for Local Government that a council be suspended or dismissed for cases of serious failure in corporate governance.

 Mr Brumby has also charged the Essential Services Commission with the development of a performance assessment and benchmarking regime for local governments.  

Ministerial responsibilities remain unchanged under these new arrangements. There will be no job losses as a result of the reforms. 

The Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Helen Silver will chair the Transition Taskforce for implementing the restructure. 

GILL CALLISTER 

Gill Callister completed a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work with Honours at Monash University.

Between 1981 and 1991, Ms Callister worked in non-government services undertaking roles such as counselling and group work; management roles in foster care/residential care and early parenting support services. 

 Since 1991, Ms Callister has held a range of senior government roles including:  Manager Child Protection Program; Manager Service Policy and Legislation; and Manager Community Care. 

In May 2001, Ms Callister was appointed as the Executive Director, Community Care, and on the establishment of the Office for Children in March 2005, she became the inaugural Executive Director of this new Division.  Under her stewardship, the new Children, Youth and Families Act was developed which has been acknowledged nationally as cutting edge policy reform, shifting the focus of children’s services to the ‘best interests of the child.’   

Ms Callister then led the Mental Health and Drugs Division from 2007 to 2009 as Executive Director, and led the development of the new mental health 10 year reform strategy Because Mental Health Matters. 

 In 2009, Ms Callister was appointed Deputy Secretary, Skills Victoria. 

FRAN THORN

Fran Thorn was appointed Secretary of the Department of Human Services in March 2007.  As Secretary, Fran is responsible for a portfolio which encompasses health, community services, housing, aged care, disability and emergency management, with a total budget of $14.723 billion (as at 2009-10), representing 39 per cent of the Victorian State Government outlay, as well as portfolio assets of $21.5 billion. 

Between 2005 and early 2007, Fran was Secretary of the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. Immediately prior to this role she was with the Department of Sustainability and Environment as Under Secretary, Portfolio Performance.  From 2002 to mid 2004 she was a Deputy Secretary of the Policy and Cabinet Group in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. 

Between 1996 and 2001 Fran was a Director of KPMG Consulting Pty Ltd, in Australia and then Hong Kong. Whilst at KPMG, Fran primarily consulted to the education sector and Government, providing advice on policy implementation, program evaluation strategy, costing and refocusing service delivery and future directions at Government and the funded institution level.    

Prior to joining KPMG, Fran had 17 years experience in public sector administration, with approximately half of that in post compulsory education and training, where she held senior management roles with major policy development, budget, staffing, program management and strategic planning functions. She has been actively involved in managing implementation of reforms in government service delivery in education and training at a system-wide level and in the management of human resources at a public sector-wide level.

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