Return to normal view

Freedom of Information

The Victorian Freedom of Information Act 1982 gives you the right to access your personal and non-personal information held by government agencies. Under the Act you can request such information from:

• Ministers
• State Government departments
• local councils
• most semi-government agencies and statutory authorities
• public hospitals and community health centres
• universities, TAFE colleges and schools.

The Act lets you access documents about your personal affairs and the activities of government agencies. You can also request that agencies amend or remove incorrect or misleading information they hold about you.

Contacting an agency with a request

Each year the Department of Justice's Freedom of Information (FOI) Unit handles almost 300 requests from members of the public for access to documents held by the department's various business units.

The department's key statutory agencies process their own requests. If you want to access documents held by one of the following agencies, contact them directly:

• Victoria Police
• Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board
• Country Fire Authority
• Victorian Electoral Commission.

The Act does not apply to privately owned businesses. This site contains information about Victorian Government agencies only. Commonwealth Government agencies and each state and territory have their own freedom of information laws.

Improved accountability guidelines

The Victorian Government is committed to improving access to government information and to the timely release of documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982. You can find more information on this in our publication Improved Accountability Guidelines for Freedom of Information.