Push for cultural change in Education Department STAFF moves and new leadership styles are part of the course of action the man leading a new review of the Education Department says can produce cultural change. Former Victorian Education chief executive Peter Allen yesterday started his review of the department's structures and policies, following the release of a report into the mishandling of child sex abuse within public schools. It came on the same day Opposition Deputy Leader Vickie Chapman called for the State Government to refer to public prosecutors the conduct of an education official investigated by the Debelle inquiry. Mr Allen said he planned to interview 10 to 20 staff, including all senior managers, to ensure grave mishandling of serious incidents could never happen again. (I will) look at the challenges he (former Supreme Court justice Bruce Debelle) raised in the report that he wasn't able to make recommendations on ... to ensure a similar chain of events never happens again. One of the issues I need to be attentive to is if discipline action is taken against staff I don't want to make that any more complicated than it already is. Education Minister Jennifer Rankine, who established the review, said she would seek advice as to whether details of the discipline of staff could be made public. Top expert to review Education Department "My task is about rebuilding confidence in the community in the public education system and I'm absolutely committed to doing that," she said. Ms Chapman said Education Department legal unit head Don Mackie may have breached the Legal Practitioners Act, which bars people from holding themselves out as legal experts. She said she believed he was providing, or giving the impression of providing, legal advice to families despite not being a trained lawyer. The Debelle report contained a chapter on a letter written by Mr Mackie to the western suburbs school governing council.The letter warned legal proceedings might follow if information of the assault became widespread. "The state Liberals are calling on Attorney General (John) Rau to refer the matter to the DPP for further investigation to determine whether there has been a breach of the Legal Practitioners Act," Ms Chapman said. Mr Mackie was unavailable for comment. A government spokesman said the Education Minister had made it clear disciplinary measures were currently being undertaken.