About us

The Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission (the commission) is an independent body responsible for managing allegations of parliamentary misconduct involving members of parliament, ministers, and parliamentary secretaries.

The commission can receive, manage, and resolve allegations of parliamentary misconduct and inappropriate parliamentary workplace behaviour. This includes receiving complaints of bullying, harassment, discrimination, victimisation and occupational violence and aggression.

The establishment of the commission reflects the recommendations of detailed reviews, the best aspects of existing integrity frameworks in other jurisdictions and accepted contemporary workplace standards. It represents an important step to strengthen Victoria’s parliamentary standards and to bolster the integrity regime within the Victorian government.

The Commission will support the integrity of the Parliament and promote a respectful and safe parliamentary workplace.

Our responsibilities

We fulfil our responsibilities by:

• receiving and resolving reports of parliamentary misconduct
• conducting appropriate dispute resolution processes
• investigating allegations of misconduct
• recommending or imposing sanctions where appropriate.

We operate independently of the government and are overseen by the Victorian Inspectorate and the Victorian Parliament. In performing their functions, commissioners are not subject to the direction or control of any minister or the Premier.

What we do

Established under the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Act 2024, the commission’s key functions include:

• receiving and investigating allegations of parliamentary misconduct involving members of parliament, ministers, and parliamentary secretaries,
• dealing with reports of parliamentary misconduct including through dispute resolution, investigation, and imposition of sanctions where appropriate, while supporting the people who make referrals.
• conducting education and training and issuing guidance for the purpose of preventing parliamentary misconduct
• supporting the Parliamentary Integrity Adviser in providing guidance and training on integrity and ethical issues to members of parliament, ministers, and parliamentary secretaries
• assisting the Parliamentary Ethics Committee in preparing guidance on integrity and ethical issues and reviewing the Members Statement of Values and Members Code of Conduct Membership.

Our principles

Our principles, embedded in legislation, guide all aspects of our work:

• Integrity: Support the integrity of the parliament so that it meets community expectations.
• Independence: Act free from influence or political bias.
• Effectiveness: Maintain an effective parliamentary standards and integrity regime.
• Accountability: Ensure fair, proportionate and consistent processes for holding elected representatives accountable for their conduct.
• Fairness: Support involvement of all participants in processes, consider all relevant facts impartially and make decisions based on the available information.
• Transparency: be open to public scrutiny.
• Respect and Safety: Promote a safe and respectful parliamentary workplace.

Careers

We are a growing agency committed to fostering integrity. If we have any open positions, they will be listed on Careers.vic.gov.au.