This information has been prepared for candidates seeking appointment to the Scientific Advisory Committee
(the Committee), and is presented in four parts:
1.
contextual information about the Committee’s role
2.
information about the role;
3.
information about the recruitment process; and
4.
information on relevant Victorian Government policies.
The Committee is established under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) to advise on the listing of taxa or communities of flora and fauna and potentially threatening processes; on any other flora and fauna conservation matters and prepare and maintain a set of criteria by which the eligibility of taxa or communities of flora or fauna or processes for listing can be determined.
The role of the Committee is to make recommendations about the eligibility of taxa or communities of flora and fauna or processes that have been nominated for listing under the Act and also to advise on any other nature conservation matters.
The Act requires that all members of the Committee are knowledgeable and experienced in the sciences of flora or fauna conservation or ecology.
Further information on the Committee can be found at: http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/environment-andwildlife/threatened-species-and-communities/flora-and-fauna-guarantee-act-1988/scientific-advisorycommittee .
Given the nature of the Committees activities, member participation varies depending on the current work program. Members are expected to familiarise themselves with any nominations, supporting documents submissions, draft action statements, management plans and incoming correspondence to the Committee.
Members are also expected to prepare comments on submitted nominations for listing and writing recommendation reports as appropriate.
Prior to submitting Final Recommendations, the Committee must advertise its Preliminary
Recommendation and the reasons for it in the Government Gazette, a local newspaper in the area most likely to be affected and in a newspaper circulating generally throughout Victoria. The Committee must then consider public comments made within 30 days of the advertisement and then may make a Final
Recommendation to the Minister about whether the nominated taxon, community or process should or should not be listed under the Act.

Vacancies on the Scientific Advisory Committee
Upon receipt of a recommendation from the Committee and any comments from the Victorian Catchment
Management Council, the Minister must decide within 30 days whether or not to recommend to the
Governor in Council that the taxon or community of flora or fauna or potentially threatening process should be added to the Threatened List or the Processes List. The Minister must also publish reasons for the decision to accept or reject the recommendation from the Committee in the Government Gazette, a local newspaper in the area most likely to be affected and in a newspaper circulating generally throughout
Victoria.
The Committee also comments on late drafts of action statements prior to their finalisation.
S
The Committee consists of seven members, including a Convenor. Each member of the Committee must have expertise in one or more of the following categories and between them, the members of the
Committee must have expertise in all the following categories:
(a) vertebrate fauna;
(b) invertebrate fauna;
(c) vascular flora;
(d) non-vascular flora;
(e) communities of flora or fauna;
(f) aquatic taxa or communities of flora or fauna in marine environments;
(g) aquatic taxa or communities of flora or fauna in inland aquatic environments;
(h) taxa or communities of flora or fauna in terrestrial environments;
(i) potentially threatening processes
Applicants are particularly encouraged to apply if they can demonstrate experience and expertise in vertebrate fauna, invertebrate fauna and aquatic taxa or communities of flora or fauna in inland aquatic environments.
The Act requires that the Committee comprise:
(a) three senior government scientific officers;
(b) two scientists on the staff of any Victorian education institution; and
(c) two scientists who are not employed by the Government.
Members are appointed in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in sections 7, 8 and 9 of the
FFG Act and in Schedule 2 of the Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/LTObject_Store/LTObjSt6.nsf/DDE300B846E
ED9C7CA257616000A3571/50A09E0E4FCB31B5CA257A2900223103/$FILE/87-41aa082%20authorised.pdf.
Successful applicants will be appointed in mid December 2015 for a period of up to 5 years.
© The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2015

Vacancies on the Scientific Advisory Committee
The Committee meets approximately every three months and meetings are planned several months in advance. Members are expected to attend every meeting. Additional meetings may be called as circumstances require. Meetings are held in varying locations around Melbourne.
Members may be eligible to receive a sitting fee. Eligibility is determined in accordance with the
Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines for Victorian Government Boards, Statutory Bodies and Advisory
Committees (the Guiidelines). http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/index.php/policies/governance/appointment-andremuneration-guidelines
Public sector employees are eligible for remuneration for Council service in limited circumstances; please refer to the Department of Premier and Cabinet Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines for further information.
As directors of a public entity, all members are bound by section 79 of the Public Administration Act 2004
(PAA) in the exercise of the functions of their office.
Members are public officials under section 4 of the PAA. In performing their role, members are bound by the public sector values and employment principles (Part 2 of the PAA). Under section 63 of the PAA, members are bound by the Victorian Public Entity Directors’ Code of Conduct 2006.
This recruitment process will address three vacancies including the Convenor position. Current members are eligible for reappointment.
© The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2015

Vacancies on the Scientific Advisory Committee
Government expectations regarding recruitment are detailed in the Appointment and Remuneration
Guidelines for Victorian Government Boards Statutory Bodies and Advisory Committees (the Guidelines).
Candidates selected for short listing will be required to consent to background and probity checks that meet all the requirements of the Guidelines.
Expressions of interest open Monday 11 May and close 5pm, Sunday 31 st May 2015.
Should you wish to apply for a position on the Committee, please submit a completed Expression of Interest package, comprising:

Expression of Interest form;

Curriculum Vitae; and

Diversity Information & Privacy Consent form.
Please send these three forms to Dionne Eagleson by email at dionne.eagleson@delwp.vic.gov.au
. Additional enquiries or assistance with completing the Expression of Interest package, can be directed to Lilian Burton on
(03) 9637 8967 or via email at: lilian.burton@delwp.vic.gov.au
.
Applicants need to provide a full and detailed CV, which should be current, typed and dated with the following information:
• your current employment and your employment history, including information about what you did and what you were responsible for in each role, and
• your qualifications and your current memberships of Commonwealth and Victorian government bodies and non-government bodies (i.e. board memberships, committees, council memberships, community groups).
Please complete both Parts A and B of this form, sign, date and witness it, and return the original to DELWP.
© The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2015

Vacancies on the Scientific Advisory Committee
FOR NOTING: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS SHOULD AN APPLICANT BE SELECTED FOR
SHORT LISTING AND APPOINTMENT
The Government’s Guidelines require that all applicants undergo the following probity checks to the satisfaction of the Minister, prior to their appointment to the Committee:
To enable DELWP to undertake your national police record check, you will need to:
• complete and submit the online fit2work National Police Checking Service Application/Consent Form
(Police Check Application). DELWP will provide this form to you when appropriate.
• provide certified copies of your personal identification documents (“ID documents”) that amounts to a minimum of 100 points.
The Police check Application must be signed and dated by you and the person certifying personal identification documents OR a DELWP Officer can sight your original personal identification documents (“ID documents”) that amounts to a minimum of 100 points. Photocopies of your uncertified personal identification documents are still required to be attached to the Police Check Application.
DELWP uses the personal information you provide to undertake ASIC and AFSA checks. This involves comparing your name, current address and date of birth against the names of people listed in AFSA’s ‘National
Personal Insolvency Index’ and ASIC’s registers (e.g. ASIC’s ‘Banned & disqualified persons’ register). Due to the limitations of the information contained in these databases, your check may produce a potential match with someone listed in those databases. If this is the case, you will be contacted for clarification. DELWP may request that you complete a statutory declaration confirming that you are not the person listed in those databases.
The main purpose of the DoPI form is to ensure that prior to appointing an applicant to the Committee, the
Minister is aware if the candidate has any pecuniary or other interest that could conflict with the proper performance of their duties as a Board member, or could reasonably give rise to an expectation of a conflict of interest. Declaring a conflict of interest may not necessarily make you ineligible for appointment. If you are appointed you will be required to complete a DoPI form, which will be used by the Convenor to manage conflicts of interest. You will be required to update this form annually or if your circumstances change.
Appointees that are public sector employees (“PSEs”) are only eligible for remuneration in limited circumstances. DELWP will determine if you are a PSE and are eligible for remuneration. If you are a PSE,
DELWP may request that you provide written confirmation from your employer that you have their approval to perform the duties on the Committee, and that those duties will be performed in your own time.
© The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2015

Vacancies on the Scientific Advisory Committee
Board members of DELWP agencies may have a range of legal obligations. All Board members of Victorian government agencies are required to comply with:
• common law directors’ duties; and
• the public sector values (s.7 Public Administration Act 2004 (“PAA”)) and the public sector employment principles (s.8 PAA);
• Board members of a DELWP agency may also be required, or expected, to comply with;
• specific statutory duties and obligations set out in the agency’s establishing legislation;
• additional obligations in the PAA that apply to a director of a “public entity”, such as the requirement to comply with the Director’s Code of Conduct;
• additional obligations in the PAA that apply to a director of a “public entity” that is subject to Parts II and III of Division 5 of the PAA, such as the requirement to comply with the duties of directors (s.79
PAA);
• obligations under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic), if the agency is a
“public authority”.
The Government and its representatives cannot advise candidates on their personal liabilities and responsibilities, which are often complex. Individuals should seek independent legal advice and obtain more detailed information from other sources. More information can be found on http://vpsc.vic.gov.au/ .
• DELWP’s On Board website www.delwp.vic.gov.au/onboard contains information on governance resources, board appointment processes, and links to current expressions of interest for vacancies on
DELWP Boards.
• DELWP’s Guide to Good Governance – Board Members’: may be downloaded from DELWP’s On Board website,) or phoning DELWP’s Customer Service Centre on 136186.
• The Victorian Public Sector Commission’s (VPSC’s) website at http://vpsc.vic.gov.au
provides further governance and policy information for applicants and Board members.
• The Public Board Appointments Victoria (“PBAV”) database http://www.publicboards.vic.gov.au
lists the current members of most DELWP major agencies.
© The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2015