I’m proud to present the Victorian State of the public sector report 2025.
This report details our sector’s size and composition. It shows what we’re doing well and highlights where we need to continue improving.
It’s important our Victorian community can see this information given the sector’s critical role in supporting the Government through frank and impartial advice, implementing its decisions, and stewarding Victoria’s democratic institutions.
This report also shares stories from our sector showcasing innovation, leadership, empathetic design and community impact, which I encourage you to read.
Again in 2025 public sector employees navigated change.
We responded to internal and external shifts including the Independent Review of the Victorian Public Service (“the Silver Review”), AI’s impact and the signing of Australia’s first Treaty.
Through it all, the data shows a resilient, adaptable sector that remains committed to working with integrity and serving Victorians.
I’m always impressed by the depth and breadth of the sector’s work and how our people collaborate. Whether a role is frontline or non-public facing, we work together to deliver the best-possible services.
Looking ahead our priorities are remaining focused on delivery, putting Treaty into practice, continuing to implement the Government’s response to the Silver Review, and innovating to strengthen our productivity.
Victoria’s public sector continues to be its biggest employer, making up 9.9% of the state’s labour force on a headcount basis or 8.1% FTE. There are 259 public sector employers including public health services, TAFEs, and police and emergency services.
In 2025, the Victorian public sector grew by 2.3% (7,390 FTE). At June 2025, 393,663 people were employed in the overall Victorian public sector (the equivalent of 322,266 full-time employees).
Like 2024, growth was driven by increases in health services and government schools. In 2025, we saw an increase in carers and aides (7.7% increase), medical practitioners (5.3% increase); health therapy and promotion professionals (3.1% increase), midwifery and nursing professionals (2.3% increase) and teachers (2.4% increase).
The Victorian Public Service (VPS) is a subset of the public sector. The VPS includes the ten departments, Victoria Police, the VPSC and 42 other VPS authorities and offices. At June 2025, 58,169 people were employed in the VPS, an increase of 1.5% on June 2024.
While just under half of VPS organisations (25) saw a reduction in employment compared to 2024, frontline workforces saw rises in custodial officers (up 5.3%), youth justice workers (up 11.5%), and forestry field staff (up 14.4%).
However, growth is lower than the year to June 2024 and the VPS continues to shrink as a proportion of the public sector. VPS employees make up 14.8% of the public sector compared to 16.9% in 2021.
In late 2023, my colleagues on the Victorian Secretaries’ Board and I committed to strengthen integrity in the VPS.
I’m pleased employees report steady improvement in their perceptions of integrity:
There is still room for improvement, however, as 67% feel their organisation demonstrates integrity (unchanged compared to 2024), and less than half of public sector respondents to the People matter survey believe recruitment and promotion processes are fair.
We can also boost professional development and capability. Only 6 in 10 of public sector employees are satisfied with the way their learning needs were addressed in the last 12 months and less than half were satisfied with progression opportunities.
Treaty’s arrival is historic. Amendments to the Public Administration Act require that VPS leaders need to support the development of a culturally capable workforce.
An estimated 1.41% of public sector employees are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, an increase from 1.15% in 2024. While the proportion of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employers in the VPS is growing, there is more the sector needs to do to make our workplaces a safe and supportive place for First Peoples.
The 2025 People matter survey and workforce data shows:
Public sector careers should be rewarding and open to anyone. Our employees should be safe at work and supported to be their whole selves. There are indications we are achieving this.
Of all public sector employees, 78% agreed they feel culturally safe, they belong and can be themselves at work and 71.3% feel safe to challenge inappropriate behaviour.
In 2025, we saw continued growth in representation of employees with a disability (up from 9.4% of the VPS in 2024 to 10.3% in 2025, and from 7% to 7.7% of the public sector overall).
Women make up 67.5% of all public sector employees (67.7% in 2024). The gender pay gap is narrowing, but progress is uneven by industry.
The public sector’s median gender pay gap has reduced to 8.3% (10.1% in 2024). But we see higher pay gaps in regulators (17.3% vs 17.4% in 2024) and finance organisations (13.9% up from 11% in 2024). The VPS median pay gap is 1.7% (0% in 2024).
Over the past 10 years, experiences of negative behaviours in the VPS have significantly reduced except for violence and aggression, which has a flatter trend.
Bullying has fallen 9.4 pp (from 20.3% in 2016 to 10.9% in 2025), discrimination 5 pp (from 9.6% in 2016 to 4.6% in 2025), sexual harassment 7.8 pp (from 11.2% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2025), and violence and aggression 0.9 pp (from 10.7% in 2019, when the question was added to 9.8% in 2025).
Despite improvements, rates of these unacceptable negative behaviours remain too high. More than one in 4 (27.8%) public sector employees experienced at least one of these behaviours in 2025.
I’m heartened our data shows a more representative and inclusive sector working with integrity.
I look forward to continuing to foster the culture of reflection and improvement required to serve Victorians now and in the future.
Brigid Monagle
Victorian Public Sector Commissioner