Supporting safe and fair workplaces

Message from the Minister

Tim Pallas MP, Minister for Industrial Relations

All Victorians deserve to work in secure jobs with fair wages and to come home safely from work to their families every day.

Secure work is the key to prosperity, and a foundation for an inclusive society in which everyone can reach their full potential.

The Victorian Government is the biggest spender in the Victorian economy, supporting not just the people we employ directly, but also private industry through our investments in the infrastructure and services that are building the Victoria of tomorrow.

By mandating social procurement principles, we are also investing in a culture of safety and fairness in all Victorian workplaces.

The Victorian Government purchasing board's supplier code of conduct

The Victorian Government Purchasing Board’s Supplier Code of Conduct applies to all contracts, agreements and purchase orders from 1 July 2017. It outlines minimum ethical standards in behaviour, including in relation to labour and human rights, that suppliers will aspire to meet when conducting business with, or on behalf of, the Victorian Government.

The Victorian State Government is committed to ethical, sustainable and socially responsible procurement. All suppliers need to comply with their legal obligations under applicable legislation and regulations, industrial awards and agreements, court and tribunal decisions and contracts of employment.

Case study: new procurement initiatives support safe and fair workplaces

The no-less favourable mechanism in the current security services state purchase contract protects the pay and conditions of security staff employed on government contracts. Security staff can now be sure they will receive the same pay and conditions should their employer change. In the past, this was not guaranteed.

The cleaning accountability framework is a new industry-led initiative to protect and strengthen workplace integrity for cleaners at office buildings. It assesses buildings to ensure that cleaners are receiving legal rates of pay and entitlements, have safe working conditions and job security. It also aims to ensure that businesses involved in the supply chain are meeting their legal obligations.

The Victorian Government is running a cleaning accountability framework pilot program at two key office locations – 1 Macarthur Street and 1 Treasury Place in Melbourne. If the pilot is successful, these two sites will be the first Victorian Government buildings certified under the cleaning accountability framework.