Petition Review citizenship requirements for public sector employees

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that employment in the Victorian public sector involves the delivery of essential government services and the stewardship of public resources. Government should review its employment policies to ensure they appropriately prioritise the public interest, transparency and community confidence in public sector recruitment. Eligibility requirements for government employment should be clearly defined and consistently applied.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to review eligibility requirements for employment in Victorian Government departments, agencies and public sector bodies, consider whether Australian citizenship should be required for specified or all Victorian public sector positions, having regard to operational needs and applicable laws, review whether any legislative amendments, including to anti-discrimination laws where appropriate, are required to implement any changes, undertake public consultation before introducing any changes to public sector employment eligibility and table the findings and the Government's response in the Victorian Parliament and make them publicly available.