Please visit Liquor Control Victoria’s website for liquor licensing, compliance, and regulatory information.
A summary of how the commission makes decisions and the role of Commissioners.
The objective of the Commission's decision-making structure is to deliver balanced and consistent regulatory decision-making for gambling and liquor matters.
The Commission conducts meetings and inquiries and must publish a notice advising of upcoming public inquiries. Unless confidentiality considerations apply, the Commission generally holds public hearings on matters such as:
A person whose interests are affected by a decision of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) may appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal or the Supreme Court on a question of law. The appeal body will be determined by the nature of the decision.
A Commissioner is a statutory office in the VGCCC appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation to act as the VGCCC's statutory officers.
Commissioners are accountable for statutory decision-making and are the equivalent of directors of a public sector board responsible for strategy, governance and risk management. Their statutory decisions relate to a range of matters including the grant, variation and transfer of licences and permits, disciplinary actions against licensees and permittees and reviews of the decisions made under delegation by individual Commissioners or members of staff .
The Chair convenes and presides at VGCCC Commission meetings. The Chairperson contributes to decision-making through a casting vote on matters where there are equal votes, as well as a deliberative vote. The Chairperson is a public service body head for the purposes of the Public Administration Act 2004 with respect to employment matters. In conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairperson and other Commissioners determine and oversee arrangements for the internal governance of the VGCCC to ensure clear lines of accountability and reporting, a consistent approach to decision-making, disciplined performance and ethical, transparent relationships with stakeholders.
Fran Thorn is a former senior public servant with the Victorian government and a former Partner of Deloitte Consulting Australia. She has worked extensively as a consultant to governments around Australia (Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and West Australia), as well as in Hong Kong and New Zealand, in areas of social service delivery (education, health and human services) and central policy making in state governments.
Fran’s 27-year career with the Victorian public sector included three roles as Secretary (Department of Innovation, Industry & Regional Development, Department of Human Services and Department of Health), and four years as Deputy Secretary, Policy in the Department of Premier & Cabinet, where she was responsible for policy and governance.
Deirdre has extensive experience in executive roles in the public and not-for-profit sectors. She holds degrees in the arts and education, with an MBA and a Masters in Commercial Law from the University of Melbourne. Deirdre was State Ombudsman in Western Australia, Ombudsman for the Telecommunications Industry and the inaugural New South Wales Information Commissioner.
In 2008, Deirdre was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service as the State Ombudsman for Western Australia.
Danielle has over 25 years of experience as a barrister. She is also a member of the National Sports Tribunal and a nationally accredited and advanced mediator at the Victorian Bar. She has also been a director of the Skin Health Institute and chair of their governance committee. Prior to this she was a panel member of the Liquor Licence Panel, sat on the Federal Government’s National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council, was the Vice-chair of the Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia (Vic) and the Deputy Chair of the ADR Committee of the Victorian Bar.
Andrew has practised as a lawyer in the private sector for over forty years as a business law specialist and a sports law expert. He is a past president of the Law Institute of Victoria and, in the public sector, has served as a board member of the Victorian Legal Services Board and Chair of the Liquor Licensing Panel. He is currently a director of Swimming Victoria and YMCA Victoria, where he chairs various sub-committees including YMCA’s Risk Sub-Committee.