Advice for public entities

Public entities

Public entities employ over 270,000 Victorians, cover a broad range of industries and operate in all parts of the state. From hospitals and museums to sporting and transport bodies, public entities are as diverse as they are vital for Victoria. With public entities working to progress gender equality under the Gender Equality Act 2020, our progress as a state is stronger.

We recognise that the diversity of public entities means that progress might look quite different for different organisations and industries. We also recognise that public entities already report a range of workforce data to the Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC) and participate in the VPSC’s annual People Matters Survey.

Here are some key things for public entities to consider.

From 31 March 2021, the Gender Equality Act requires a gender impact assessment to be conducted of policies, programs and services that are new or up for review and have a direct and significant impact on the public.

For public entities, the nature and focus of these policies, programs and services may vary widely.

For TAFEs, the ‘public’ includes the student body.

Examples of policies, programs and services that a gender impact assessment could be conducted for include:
- Public health care: Aboriginal health services, health education and promotion campaigns
- TAFEs: student support services, infrastructure development
- Water and land management: financial hardship policies, major facilities development
Read more about gender impact assessments.

Updated 4 March 2024