What public boards do

Public boards and committees help shape and influence government decisions and services.

They're made up of people who oversee the management of a public entity. We refer to these people as board members. Positions may be either paid or unpaid. They’re not part of the Victorian Public Service.

Joining a board is great for your career and can be personally rewarding.

Public boards in Victoria

In Victoria, there are over 32,000 board members serving on over 3,400 public entity boards. Many board members are volunteers and a lot of them reside in regional and rural Victoria.

Public boards are established by legislation, the Governor in Council or by a Minister.

Public entities do things like:

• manage essential services like hospitals, schools and transit networks
• do research and advise ministers
• manage public assets like parks and state forests
• monitor the actions and decisions of public officials
• impose regulations on people or businesses

Read about board numbers and demographics in Victoria.