INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

Audience:Applicants applying for a position on a board, committee or panel (“Board”) ofan agencythat is overseen by the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning (“DELWP”) on behalf of the responsible Ministers. An “agency”is a corporation, committee, panel, council, authority or management group.

Purpose: To guide applicants with completing forms and other information required by DELWP as part of its board application process and tosummarise some of the government policies relevant to applicants.

DELWP’s appointment process is consistent with the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s ‘Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines for Victorian Government Boards Statutory Bodies and Advisory Committees’ (“DPC’s Guidelines” - see 3. below).

1.INFORMATION & FORMS TO BE PROVIDED BY APPLICANTS

All applicants mustprovide the documents numbered (1). to(4). in the table below as part of your initial expression of interest (EoI).All documents must be posted to Leo Martin, Manager – Secretariat, Heritage Council of Victoria, GPO Box 2392, Melbourne 3001.

1 / your Curriculum Vitae (CV) / Refer to 1.1
2 / Expression of Interestletter / Refer to 1.2
3 / Diversity Information & Privacy Consent form / Refer to 1.3
4 / Declaration of Private Interests form / Refer to 1.4

DPC’s Guidelines also require all candidates to provide documentation (5). in the table below.

The timing of when you are required to provide this documentation will be advised.

5 /
  • National Police Check Application/Consent Form
  • your 100 points of personal identification documentation
/ Refer to 1.5.1

You will usually be asked to re-submit documentation if the information requested is incorrect, incomplete or not provided. However failure to provide the requested information within the requested time period, or in the manner requested, may affect your application.

1.1Curriculum Vitae

Applicants must provide a full and detailed CV, which should be current, typed and dated. Your CVmustinclude the following information:

  • your current employment and your employment history, including information about what you did and what you were responsible for in each role;
  • your qualifications; and
  • your current memberships of Commonwealth and Victorian government bodies and non-government bodies (i.e. board memberships, committees, council memberships, community groups).

Refer to the notice on DELWP’s website advertising the EoI for details of any additional information that must be included in your CV.

1.2Expression of Interest (EoI)

Most applicants will be required to submit an EoIletter.

1.3Diversity Information & Privacy Consent form

Please complete both Parts A and B of this form,sign, date and witnessit, and return the original toDELWP.

1.4Declaration of Private Interests (DoPI)

The main purpose of the DoPI form is to ensure that prior to appointing an applicant to a Board, the Minister is awareif the candidate has any pecuniary or other interest that could conflict with the proper performance of their duties as a Board member, or could reasonably give rise to an expectation of a conflict of interest. Declaring a conflict of interest maynot necessarily make you ineligible for appointment. (Also see sections 2.2 & 2.3 (below)).

Notes on completing the DoPI form:

  • The return period is from the start of the last full financial year to the date of the declaration.
  • Qn A1: Where information about income is sought only the source of income is required, not the amount received.
  • Qn A3: Where information about shares or other securities is sought no information about the value or number or shares held needs to be declared, only the name of the body for which the shares/securities are held.
  • Qns A3-A8: If you answer “Yes” to questions A3 – A8, you are only required to provide additional details of your interest if that interest couldreasonably give rise to an expectation of a conflict of interest or a material interference with your public duties.

1.5Probity Checks

DPC’s Guidelines require thatall applicants undergo the following probity checks to the satisfaction of the Minister, prior to their appointment to a Board:

  • a National Police Record Check; and
  • Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC)Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) checks.

DELWP utilises the services of Mercury Search and Selection Pty Ltd (trading as fit2work) for these probity checks.

1.5.1National Police Record Check/Consent Form

To enable DELWP to undertake your national police record check, you must:

  • completeand submit the online fit2work National Police Checking Service Application/Consent Form (Police Check Application)
  • providecertified copies of your personal identification documents (“ID documents”) that amounts to a minimum of 100 points.

The Police check Application must be signed and dated by you and the person certifying personal identification documents.

OR

  • a DELWP Officer can sight your original personal identification documents (“ID documents”) that amounts to a minimum of 100 points. Photocopies of youruncertifiedpersonal identification documents are still required to be attached to the Police Check Application.

The Police check Application must be signed and dated by you and the DELWP Officer sighting your original documents.

1.5.2ASIC and AFSA checks

DELWP uses the personal information you provide to undertake ASIC and AFSA checks. This involves comparing your name, current address and date of birth against the names of people listed in AFSA’s ‘National Personal Insolvency Index’ and ASIC’s registers (e.g.ASIC’s ‘Banned & disqualified persons’ register). Due to the limitations of the information contained in these databases, your check may produce a potential match with someone listed in those databases. If this is the case, you will be contacted for clarification. DELWP may request that you complete a statutory declaration confirming thatyou are not the person listed in those databases.

1.6Remuneration & Public Sector Employees (“PSEs”) - Employer Consent

Appointees that are public sector employees (“PSEs”) are only eligible for remuneration in limited circumstances.DELWP will determine if you are a PSEand are eligible for remuneration.If you are a PSE, DELWPmay request that you providewritten confirmation from your employer that you have their approval to perform the duties on the Board, and that those duties will be performed in your own time.

2INFORMATION ON GOVERNMENT POLICIES – FOR APPLICANTS

2.1Obligations – Board members

Board members of DELWP agencies may have a range of legal obligations.

All Board members of Victorian government agencies are required to comply with:

  • common law directors’ duties; and
  • the public sector values(s.7Public Administration Act 2004 (“PAA”)) and the public sector employment principles (s.8 PAA).

Board members of a DELWP agency may also be required, or expected, to comply with:

  • specific statutory duties and obligations set out in the agency’s establishing legislation.
  • additional obligations in the PAA that apply to a director of a “public entity”, such as the requirement to comply with theDirector’s Code of Conduct.
  • additional obligations in the PAA that apply to a director of a “public entity”that is subject to Parts II and III of Division 5 of the PAA, such as the requirement to comply with the duties of directors (s.79 PAA).
  • legal obligations and duties under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the State Owned Enterprises Act 1992 (Vic), if the agency is a corporation or a state owned enterprise; and
  • obligations under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic), if the agency is a “public authority”.

The notice on DELWP’s website advertising the EoI will summarise the obligations that are likely to apply to you, if you are appointed to a DELWP Board. These obligations are explained in more detail in your induction training and in ‘DELWP’s Guide to Good Governance – Board members’.

2.2Conflicts of Interest

Board members are expected to avoid actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest.This obligation may be contained in an agency’s establishing Act, a Board’s conflict of interest policy, and/or the Directors’ Code of Conduct (see VPSC’s website, in 3. below). For further details, refer to ‘DELWP’s Guide to Good Governance – Board Members’ and DELWP’s On Board website (see 3. below).

2.3DoPI form

If you are appointed to a Board, you will be requiredto complete another DoPI form, which will be used by the chair to manage conflicts of interest. You willberequired to update this form annually or if your circumstances change.

2.4Time Commitment

Appointees are generally expected to attend at least 75% of the Board’s meetings.If applicants are appointed to other Boards, they are expected to manage their time appropriately. Applicants should give careful consideration to any existing and anticipated demands on their time.

3BACKGROUND READING

  • DELWP’s OnBoard website( contains information ongovernance resources, board appointmentprocesses, and links to current expressions of interest for vacancies on DELWPBoards.
  • ‘DELWP’s Guide to Good Governance – Board Members’: may bedownloaded from DELWP’s OnBoard website, obtained by emailing (NB address to change from DEPI to DELWP soon) or phoning DELWP’s Customer Service Centre on 136186.
  • The Victorian Public Sector Commission’s (VPSC’s) websiteat provides further governance and policy information for applicants and Board members.
  • DPC’sGuidelinesareavailable fromDPC’s website(
  • The Public Board Appointments Victoria (“PBAV”) database ( lists the current members of most DELWP major agencies.

15 January 2015 Page 1 of 3