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VIC
Statutory Authority
Justice and Law Enforcement

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

Portfolio: Justice

https://www.vifm.org/

Annual Budget

$65M

2025-26 Budget
Flat vs prior year
Staff

350

Headcount (2024-25)
Key Documents & Links
Ideas relevant to this department

12 tagged

Reform proposals on YourGov that name this department as a delivery partner — drawn from citizen voice, government strategy, research, international examples and gap analysis.

STRATEGY SUMMARY

Our statutory responsibilities are to provide independent forensic medical and scientific expertise to the justice system, tissue for transplantation, and to both teach and undertake research that will benefit the community. [CP p.5]

VISION

We will embrace innovation to strengthen and enhance our position as a trusted leader in forensic medicine and science. [CP p.5]

PURPOSE

Our statutory responsibilities are to provide independent forensic medical and scientific expertise to the justice system, tissue for transplantation, and to both teach and undertake research that will benefit the community. [CP p.5]

Strategic priorities

· 3

1

Consolidation of CFM New Model

2

Partnership with Victoria Police

3

Drug Harm Minimisation Initiatives – collaboration with the Department of Health, Victoria

Outcomes

· 4

Service Excellence

The VIFM provides independent quality-assured forensic medical and scientific services that support families, the community, and the justice system. The Institute also contributes to the field through internationally relevant research and teaching. These services are delivered by our valued staff who are recognised experts in their fields, and through partnerships with police, the courts, universities, hospitals, humanitarian organisations, and other agencies. [CP p.31]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Service reliability
  • Targeted recruitment
  • Structured training

Partnerships

The VIFM strives to be a workplace that is committed to integrity, service and excellence. We encourage our people to fully engage with their community, engage with colleagues, share ideas and embrace collective success. [CP p.32]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Performance-monitoring dashboard
  • CFM-Victoria Police training video
  • Drug Harm Minimisation Initiatives

Valued People

The VIFM continues to invest in its people and cultural capability, reinforcing our commitment to modernising human resource management and achieving our strategic goal of ‘Valued People’. [CP p.33]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee
  • Staff Engagement Activities
  • Nursing Community of Practice

Leading Edge in Forensic Medicine

Our staff continue to be recognised nationally and internationally for their expertise and research contributions to forensic medicine and science. [CP p.35]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Capital Works Program
  • Upgraded mortuary and body storage facilities
  • New family-friendly facilities

Values

· 5

RESPECT

OPENNESS

SERVICE

INTEGRITY

INNOVATION

Performance measures

· 2

CodeMeasureTarget 2025-26Latest resultStatus

CCE01

Drug-related deaths at Australian music festivals

Reduction in drug-related deaths

Reduction achieved

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.172
Achieved

CCE02

Novel synthetic drug overdoses in Australia

Reduction in novel synthetic drug overdoses

Reduction achieved

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.173
Achieved

Ideas distilled from this entity's strategy & evidence

· 12

Risk & Assurance

Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries

Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system

Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Citizen Services

Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates

Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM_AnnualReport_2022-23_Final-Report-20231117.pdf)

Citizen Services

Single front door for life-event based services

Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM_AnnualReport_2022-23_Final-Report-20231117.pdf)

Data & Performance

KPI evidence register with named owners

Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Data & Performance

Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact

Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents

Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform

Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting

Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops

Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Procurement lessons library for repeat purchases

Capture reusable procurement clauses, market lessons, supplier performance notes, and common evaluation criteria.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Portfolio delivery office for major investments

Stand up a portfolio delivery office that tracks benefits, risks, dependencies, procurement, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries

Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system

Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Citizen Services

Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates

Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM_AnnualReport_2022-23_Final-Report-20231117.pdf)

Citizen Services

Single front door for life-event based services

Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM_AnnualReport_2022-23_Final-Report-20231117.pdf)

Data & Performance

KPI evidence register with named owners

Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Data & Performance

Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact

Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents

Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform

Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2024-2025.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting

Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops

Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Procurement lessons library for repeat purchases

Capture reusable procurement clauses, market lessons, supplier performance notes, and common evaluation criteria.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Portfolio delivery office for major investments

Stand up a portfolio delivery office that tracks benefits, risks, dependencies, procurement, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

VIFM-Annual-Report-2023-24.web-Report-202411291.pdf)

Want the full analysis?

Download this month's report covering Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine