In accordance with section 16A and 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994 a copy of this report, or relevant extracts from the report, was provided to the Department of Treasury and Finance, the Department of Health & Human Services—including the audited regulators within the department—and the Victorian Pharmacy Authority with a request for submissions or comments.
This Appendix is a copy of the former Department of Health's response to the Minister for Health's Statement of Expectations for the administration and enforcement of regulation. It identifies the expectations, the initiatives committed to by regulators, and the associated performance measures.
The Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) plays a key role in furthering government's objectives of providing more efficient, effective and less burdensome regulation. DTF advises government on how to best achieve these goals, guides and supports program implementation and reports on progress and outcomes.
We examined how well DTF had done this for reforms affecting regulators in the health portfolio—the application of Stage 2 Statements of Expectation (SOE).
This part of the report examines whether the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) has effectively overseen the regulators in its portfolio, supported them in addressing government's policy goals and advised the Minister for Health on regulator performance.
Regulators in the health portfolio have diverse areas of responsibility. We looked at whether Drugs and Poisons Regulation, Pest Control, Radiation Safety and the Victorian Pharmacy Authority are efficiently achieving their intended outcomes while reducing the red tape they impose.
Regulations have a significant role in the Victorian economy. They are a key instrument used by government to achieve its social, economic and environmental goals by directly influencing how private firms and not-for-profit organisations do business. Regulation is meant to effectively protect the community and the environment while allowing individuals and businesses to prosper.
 John Doyle Auditor-General |
Audit team Ray Winn and Kate Kuring—Engagement Leaders Nerillee Miller—Team Leader Louise Gelling, Ronan McCabe and Celinda Estallo—Analysts |
Ordered to be published
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER March 2015
PP No 23, Session 2014–15