Principal Public Interest Monitor

About this rolePrincipal Public Interest Monitor, Office of the Public Interest MonitorThe Victorian Government seeks to appoint an outstanding leader to the position of Principal Public Interest Monitor at the Office of the Public Interest Monitor (PIM).The PIM is an independent agency in the Victorian integrity and accountability system. The primary function of the PIM is to respond to applications by law enforcement and integrity agencies to use certain covert and coercive investigative powers in Victoria under the Major Crime (Investigative Powers) Act 2004, the Surveillance Devices Act 1999, the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (Cth), the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act 2003, the Witness Protection Act 1991, and the Human Source Management Act 2023.The PIM also engages with Government and stakeholders on issues relating to the use of covert or coercive investigative powers and oversight, as well as justice issues more broadly.The Principal Public Interest Monitor oversees the PIM, including the activity of two Deputy Public Interest Monitors.Public Interest Monitors statutory functions include:

• appearing at any hearing of a relevant application to test the content and sufficiency of the information relied on and the circumstances of the application, and
• asking questions of any person giving information in relation to a relevant application and making submissions as to the appropriateness of granting the application.

The successful candidate must be an Australian lawyer within the meaning of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 and have demonstrated experience in criminal law and criminal investigative processes and, preferably, experience in applications for telephone intercept and surveillance device warrants. They must not be:

• a member of an Australian parliament
• the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Solicitor for Public Prosecutions, a person appointed under the Public Prosecutions Act 1994 or a person who is employed in or seconded to the Office of Public Prosecutions, or
• a person who is eligible to make a relevant application under the Public Interest Monitor Act 2011 or employed in or by or seconded to a body that is eligible to make a relevant application.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake relevant security clearances and may be appointed on a full-time basis for up to three years. Appointment at 0.8 FTE will be considered.This is a senior appointment made by the Governor in Council.Enquiries should be made to Mr Michael Strong AM, Principal Public Interest Monitor on
9032 0666.