Policy and Guidelines

In August 2015, the government released the Victorian Government Landholding Policy and Guidelines (PDF, 537.6 KB) that

• ensure that land is only purchased or retained by Victorian Government agencies where State ownership of land:

  i) contributes directly to current or future service delivery outcomes expected by Government

  ii) is central to the core business of agencies as explained in agency corporate plans;

  iii) is financially beneficial to the State when compared to alternative investment of State funds; or

  iv) in the case of Crown land, is appropriate on the basis that the protection of public land values make the land unsuitable for divestment;

• promote the highest and best use of land by providing the opportunity for the private and community sectors and other government agencies to further unlock the value inherent in the State’s land estate; and
• require active management of land portfolios across Victorian Government agencies which is essential to the good management of the State’s balance sheet.

In April 2022, the revised Victorian Government Land Transactions Policy (PDF, 11.0 MB) was released to:

• provide a framework to achieve integrity, impartiality, accountability and transparency in land transactions; and
• ensure that land transactions are conducted in accordance with the highest standards of probity, relevant legislation and Victorian Government policy.

In April 2016, the government released the Victorian Government Strategic Crown Land Assessment Policy and Guidelines (PDF, 235.5 KB) to:

• ensure that assessments are undertaken for all Crown land that has been declared surplus to the requirements of a Victorian Government agency by the responsible landholding Minister;
• inform decision making by relevant landholding Ministers and the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water on:
  • A. public land values of Crown land; and
  • B. the protection of public land values;
• determine the status of traditional owner and / or native title rights for Crown land declared surplus to the requirements of a Victorian Government agency.

In 2017, the government released the Victorian Government Land Use Policy and Guidelines (PDF, 1.4 MB) to establish a framework that enables a strategic, whole-of-government approach to government land use decision making, in order to maximise public value for Victorian communities. It seeks to achieve this through:

• ensuring public value is the overarching objective of government land use;
• delivering strategic, whole-of-government advice to maximise public value;
• accessing accurate information about government land; and
• defining clear government land policies, procedures and roles.

The Policy supports and supplements other government land policies, provides overarching direction for government land use and articulates Land Use Victoria’s role in promoting a wholeof-government, public value approach.