Victorian regulators looking to modernise their systems have a new set of resources at their disposal. But unlike most digital transformation tools, these focus less on software and more on the everyday practice and processes that define good regulation.
The Better Practice Playbooks and accompanying toolkits, developed by Better Regulation Victoria (BRV), offer something deceptively simple: a shared framework to help regulators improve inspections, permissions, and compliance activities before they go digital.
The risk is clear: When regulatory processes are inconsistent, outdated, or poorly documented, digitisation can lock in dysfunction rather than correct it. According to Helena Worthington, a manager at BRV who helped develop the materials, the aim was to prevent technology projects from entrenching bad habits.
“We wanted to avoid digitising bad processes,” she says. “And we wanted to reduce the risk of systems across regulators that can’t talk to each other or share information, especially where timely decisions really matter.”
From reform vision to practical guide
The playbooks support Victoria’s broader digital strategy, which encourages agencies to become “digitally ready.” BRV, an independent unit within the Department of Treasury and Finance, saw an opportunity to define what readiness means in the regulatory context.
In their view, digital readiness isn’t just a matter of buying new tools. Instead, it starts with process maturity, clear objectives, and well-documented decision-making. The playbooks outline how regulators can streamline licensing, inspections, and compliance monitoring – not for their own sake, but to create a better foundation for future digitisation.
In sum, it is guidance on digital reform that is made up of two main components:
- The Permissions Playbook, which focuses on licensing, approvals and registrations
- The Inspections Playbook, which focuses on strategic inspection programs and maps out five key inspection stages.
Each document combines high-level guidance with practical, operational advice. Executives are encouraged to align activities to regulatory objectives. Staff have access to process maps and detailed recommendations on how to implement them.
“We wanted to avoid digitising bad processes.”
Codifying common sense
The goal of the guidance is not to overhaul regulation with a new theory of change. It is to help regulators do their jobs better.
According to Worthington, regulators were deeply involved in shaping the resources from the outset. The result is a set of tools that are immediately useful – reducing time and effort for regulators.
“We worked with regulators right from the start,” says Worthington. “When you genuinely collaborate – when you’re solving real problems – you get real buy-in. And they start promoting the work themselves.”
While regulators can vary in form and face different challenges, common practices underpin the delivery of effective and efficient regulation. A shared framework supports regulators of all different shapes and sizes. The five-stage inspection model in the playbook, for example, was not designed to correct specific failings. Rather, it offers a standardised approach that any regulator can adapt.
Worthington likens it to a common reference point: not a strict mandate, but something closer to an informal benchmark or default setting.
“If you’re setting up inspection processes, this gives you a tested, standardised framework to work from. And you can have confidence that other Victorian regulators are using it too.”
Readiness, not perfection
That sense of pragmatism runs through the entire initiative. BRV avoided defining best practice as a rigid ideal and instead frames it as a direction of travel: what regulators should be working toward, without requiring perfection before progress.
“A regulator doesn’t need to get everything perfect to digitise,” says Worthington. “You just need to reach a standard where you’re confident your processes won’t cause problems later on.”
This more measured view of readiness includes both introspection and planning. Regulators are encouraged to map their current processes, identify pain points, and build a case for targeted reforms. Then – and only then – should digital solutions be considered.
“It’s about having practices in good shape,” she adds. “But it’s also about knowing where you’re at, what needs to change, and being able to explain that to a digital service provider.”
Uptake and what comes next
The resources are still relatively new. But early signs of engagement have been encouraging. BRV is tracking uptake and working with individual regulators who want more tailored support. Over time, the goal is to build a picture of how widely the materials are being used, and how effectively they support digital implementation.
Worthington is careful not to overstate the impact. The work is still evolving, and each regulator operates in a different context. But she remains focused on one thing: implementation.
“Policy is important, but how regulators carry it out – that’s what matters,” she says. “Regulators should be effective and efficient. That means protecting people from harm, but also showing value for money and avoiding unnecessary burden. These tools are meant to help with both.”
