Victoria's DHHS secretary Kym Peake resigns ahead of hotel quarantine report

Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kym Peake has resigned ahead of the Hotel Quarantine Inquiry's final report being handed down.

The Victorian Government confirmed her resignation in a statement this afternoon, with Professor Euan Wallace AM to take her place in the role from November 17.

Ms Peake, who served as secretary for the past five years and was in charge of the state's COVID-19 response, decided to step down from the position to "pursue other opportunities".

"Ms Peake has led significant reform that has touched the lives of many Victorians including the relief and recovery from recent bushfires, the establishment of the Mental Health Royal Commission, and the delivery of many of the recommendations from the Family Violence Royal Commission," the statement read.

"We thank Ms Peake for her dedicated service to Victoria and for her tireless commitment throughout the pandemic and her time with DHHS.

"We wish her well for the future."

Ms Peake's resignation comes after she told the inquiry into the state's bungled hotel quarantine system in September that she had not done any planning for the use of hotels on a mass scale.

"I know that it would be more straightforward to be able to say there is a single point of accountability for everything to do with COVID-19," she said.

"The hotels, security, cleaning, food and the helpline were the responsibility of the Department of Jobs."

It also follows the resignations of Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles and Health Minister Jenny Mikakos earlier this year.

Professor Wallace, who will take on the role of secretary next week, has been serving as deputy secretary at DHHS, jointly responsible for case management, contact tracing and outbreak management.

"Professor Wallace is a widely respected leader in the health sector and is well placed to lead the department through its next phase of pandemic response and recovery," the statement read.

The inquiry's findings into Victoria's botched hotel quarantine program will be released in a report in December.