Department of Justice and Community Safety

Full description

On 1 January 2019, the Department of Justice and Regulation (VA 5038) was renamed to Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) (VA 5252) by Order of the Governor-in-Council under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Victoria Government Gazette, S 552, 29 November 2018). It replaced the Department of Justice and Regulation. The name change was part of machinery of government changes made by the re-elected Labor Government under the leadership of Premier the Hon Daniel Andrews MP. 

Its primary functions were reform, administration and enforcement of the law in Victoria including all police and prosecution functions; administration of the Court system; provision of the prison system; administration of various tribunals established to protect citizens' rights; provision of emergency services; drafting of legislation; business and non-business licenses; births, deaths and marriages certificates; and provision of legal advice to Government.

At its establishment, the Department supported the Attorney-General; Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation; Minister for Corrections; Minister for Crime Prevention; Minister for Police and Emergency Services; Minister for Victim Support; Minister for Workplace Safety; and Minister for Youth Justice.

DJCS had thirteen divisions: Aboriginal Justice; Community Safety Building Authority; Consumer Affairs, Liquor, Gaming and Dispute Services; Corporate Governance and Support; Corrections and Justice Services; Emergency Management Victoria; Fines, Registration and Crime Prevention; Justice Policy and Data Reform; Legal and Integrity; People and Workplace Services; Police, Community Safety and Communications; Service Delivery Reform, Coordination and Workplace Safety; and Youth Justice.

DJCS’s authorities included the Business Licensing Authority, Country Fire Authority, Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority, Residential Tenancies Bond Authority and Victorian State Emergency Service Authority. DJCS also held partnerships with over 40 statutory entities.

DJCS operated over seven areas, comprising the Northern Metropolitan, South East Metropolitan, Barwon South West, Gippsland, Grampians, Hume and Loddon Mallee regions.

From 1 January 2023, DJCS gained and lost some responsibilities as part of machinery of government changes that occurred following the re-election of the Labor Andrews Government in November 2022. DJCS gained the Racing portfolio from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (VA 5251). Responsibility for Consumers Affairs Victoria and Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages was transferred from DJCS to the newly established Department of Government Services (VA 5282). Responsibility for Workplace Safety was transferred from DJCS to the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) with them assuming additional responsibilities of WorkSafe.  (Victorian Government Gazette S717, 19 December 2022).

As of 1 January 2023, the Department supported the following ministerial portfolios:
•    Attorney-General
•    Emergency Services
•    Police
•    Crime Prevention
•    Racing
•    Corrections
•    Victim Support
•    Youth Justice
•    Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation

As of January 2023, the Department comprised of the following divisions:
•    Aboriginal Justice
•    Corporate Governance and Support
•    Corrections and Justice Services
•    Emergency Management
•    Integrity, Legal and Law Reform
•    Community Safety Building Authority
•    People, Safety and Culture
•    Police, Fines, Crime Prevention and Racing
•    Service Delivery Reform, Coordination and Regulation
•    Youth Justice

As at January 2023, the Department administratively supported numerous agencies and entities. They included:

Attorney General
Statutory offices:
•    Chief Examiner and Examiner (jointly administered with the Minister for Police)
•    Commissioner for Uniform Legal Services Regulation (jointly administered with the Attorney-General of New South Wales)
•    Crown Counsel
•    Crown Prosecutors
•    Director of Public Prosecutions
•    Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC)
•    Public Advocate
•    Public Interest Monitor
•    Solicitor-General
•    Victims of Crime Commissioner
•    Victorian Legal Services Commissioner
•    Victorian Inspectorate
•    Victorian Ombudsman
Administrative offices:
•    Local Government Inspectorate
•    Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office
Statutory offices:
•    Appeals Costs Board
•    Coronial Council of Victoria
•    Court Services Victoria
•    Judicial College of Victoria
•    Judicial Commission of Victoria Board
•    Judicial Entitlements Panel
•    Law Institute of Victoria
•    Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee
•    Legal Services Council (Uniform Legal Services Regulation) (jointly administered with the Attorney-General of New South Wales)
•    Forensic Leave Panel
•    Office of Public Prosecutions
•    Office of the Special Investigator
•    Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
•    Sentencing Advisory Council
•    Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Rules Committee
•    Victims of Crime Consultative Committee
•    Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
•    Victoria Law Foundation
•    Victoria Legal Aid
•    Victoria Legal Aid Panel of Independent Reviews
•    Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine
•    Victorian Law Reform Commission
•    Victorian Legal Services Board
•    Victorian Legal Admissions Board
•    Victorian Professional Standards Council
•    Victorian Traditional Owners Trust
Judicial and quasi-judicial bodies:
•    Supreme Court of Victoria
•    County Court of Victoria
•    Magistrates Court of Victoria
•    Children’s Court of Victoria
•    Coroners Court of Victoria
•    Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
•    Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal

Gaming and Liquor Regulation
Statutory offices:
•    Special Manager for Melbourne Casino Operator
Statutory authorities and advisory bodies:
•    Liquor Control Advisory Council
•    Victorian Liquor Commission
•    Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council
•    Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation
•    Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation

Corrections
Statutory authorities:
•    Adult Parole Board
•    Post Sentence Authority

Emergency Services
Statutory offices:
•    Emergency Management Commissioner
•    Fire Services Implementation Monitor
•    Fire Rescue Commissioner and Deputy Fire Rescue Commissioners
•    Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Administrative offices:
•    Bushfire Recovery Victoria
Statutory authorities
•    Country Fire Authority
•    Country Fire Authority Appeals Commission
•    Emergency Management Victoria
•    Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority
•    Fire District Review Panel
•    Fire Rescue Victoria
•    Fire Rescue Victoria Appeals Commission
•    Fire Rescue Victoria Strategic Advisory Committee
•    Presumptive Rights Advisory Committee
•    Victoria State Emergency Service Authority

Police
Statutory offices:
•    Chief Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners of Police
•    Chief Examiner and Examiner (jointly administered with the Attorney-General)
Statutory authorities:
•    Firearms Appeals Committee
•    Police Regulation and Services Board
•    Road Safety Camera Commissioner
•    Road Safety Camera Commissioner Reference Group
Portfolio agencies:
•    Victoria Police

Racing
•    Greyhound Racing Victoria
•    Harness Racing Victoria
•    Office of the Racing Integrity 
•    Racing Victoria
•    Victorian Racing Tribunal
•    Victoria Racing Integrity Board

Victim Support
•    Victims of Crime Commissioner
•    Victims of Crime Consultative Committee

Youth Justice
•    Youth Parole Board