Government departments use contractors and consultants to help them achieve their priorities. But consistently outsourcing work that public servants have traditionally done can deskill the Victorian public service. Engaging external suppliers can also cost more than delivering this work in-house, and Victorians expect public spending to get value for money. 

This audit was conducted to assess if the Victorian public service gets value for money when it uses contractors and consultants. The report examined all 10 Victorian departments. Three departments were looked at in further detail: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action; Department of Families, Fairness and Housing; and Department of Justice and Community Safety. The report made three recommendations to address the findings.

Key findings

• Departments' procurement and reporting processes comply with requirements. But public transparency about spending could be improved.
• The three departments looked at in detail could not always demonstrate value for money from their professional services and labour hire engagements.