The Victorian Freedom of Information Act 1982 (External link) gives you the right to request documents held by the department.
The Act gives you the right to:
- request documents about your personal affairs and the activities of the department
- request that incorrect or misleading information held by the department about you be amended.
To request access to documents held by the Department of Justice and Community Safety, contact the department's Freedom of Information Unit or make a request online.
Statutory agencies within the department's portfolio – for example the Office of Public Prosecutions, Victoria Legal Aid and Victoria Police – process their own requests. To request access to documents held by these agencies, contact them directly. Contact details are available on the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner's website (External link)
Not all statutory agencies are covered by freedom of information law. The department's agencies that do accept FOI requests are listed below.
Statutory agencies that accept FOI requests
- Accident Compensation Conciliation Service
- Appeal Costs Board
- Business Licensing Authority
- Commissioner for Privacy and Data Protection
- Country Fire Authority
- Court Services Victoria
- Estate Agents Council
- Firearms Appeals Committee
- Fire Rescue Victoria
- Judicial College of Victoria
- Legal Practitioners' Liability Committee
- Local Government Inspectorate
- Office of Public Prosecutions
- Office of the Road Safety Camera Commissioner
- Post Sentence Authority
- Residential Tenancies Bond Authority
- Sentencing Advisory Council
- Victoria Legal Aid
- Victoria Police
- Victoria State Emergency Service
- Victorian Asbestos Eradication Agency
- Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission
- Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
- Victorian Government Solicitor
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine
- Victorian Law Reform Commission
- Victorian Legal Admissions Board
- Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner
- Victorian Professional Standards Council
- Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation
- Victorian WorkCover Authority (trading as WorkSafe).
Victoria's Information Commissioner is an independent officer who reviews FOI decisions, handles FOI complaints, monitors compliance with the Act, and provides advice and education to the public and agencies. To find out more about FOI reviews and complaints, visit the Commissioner's website (External link)