Victorian Current Acts

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART I--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Short title and commencement  
   3.      Object of Act  
   4.      Act binds the Crown  
   5.      Definitions  
   6.      Act not to apply to courts etc.  
   6AA.    Act not to apply to access to certain documents of Office of Victorian Information Commissioner  
   6A.     Relationship with other laws  

   PART IA--OFFICE OF THE VICTORIAN INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

   6B.     Establishment of the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner  
   6C.     Appointment of the Information Commissioner  
   6D.     Appointment of Public Access Deputy Commissioner  
   6E.     Terms and conditions of appointment of Information Commissioner  
   6F.     Terms and conditions of appointment of Public Access Deputy Commissioner  
   6G.     Functions of the Information Commissioner  
   6H.     Functions of the Public Access Deputy Commissioner  
   6I.     Freedom of information functions  
   6J.     Performance of concurrent functions  
   6K.     General powers of Information Commissioner and Public Access Deputy Commissioner  
   6L.     Remuneration  
   6M.     Vacancy and resignation of Information Commissioner or Public Access Deputy Commissioner  
   6N.     Suspension of Information Commissioner and removal from office  
   6O.     Suspension of Public Access Deputy Commissioner and removal from office  
   6P.     Acting Information Commissioner and Public Access Deputy Commissioner  
   6Q.     Staff  
   6R.     Delegation  
   6S.     Directions  
   6T.     Validity of acts and decisions  

   PART IB--PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

   6U.     Development of professional standards  
   6V.     Publication of professional standards  
   6W.     Compliance with professional standards  
   6X.     Review and amendment of professional standards  
   6Y.     Ministerial professional standards  
   6Z.     Compliance with Ministerial professional standards  

   PART II--PUBLICATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION

   7.      Publication of information concerning functions etc. of agencies  
   8.      Certain documents to be available for inspection and purchase  
   9.      Unpublished documents not to prejudice public  
   10.     Cabinet register  
   11.     Statement of certain documents in possession of agencies to be published  
   12.     Notices to require specification of documents in statements  

   PART III--ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS

   13.     Right of access  
   14.     Part not to apply to certain documents  
   15.     Documents in the Public Record Office  
   16.     Access to documents apart from Act  
   17.     Requests for access  
   18.     Transfer of requests  
   19.     Requests involving use of computers etc.  
   20.     Access to documents to be given on request  
   21.     Time within which formal requests to be decided  
   22.     Charges for access to documents  
   23.     Forms of access  
   24.     Deferment of access  
   24A.    Repeated requests  
   25.     Deletion of exempt matter or irrelevant material  
   25A.    Requests may be refused in certain cases  
   26.     Decision to be made by authorized person  
   27.     Reasons etc. to be given  

   PART IV--EXEMPT DOCUMENTS

   27A.    Interpretation  
   28.     Cabinet documents  
   29.     Documents containing matter communicated by any other State  
   29A.    Documents affecting national security, defence or international relations  
   29B.    Documents of Court Services Victoria  
   30.     Internal working documents  
   31.     Law enforcement documents  
   31A.    Documents relating to IBAC  
   32.     Documents affecting legal proceedings  
   33.     Document affecting personal privacy  
   33A.    Notice requirement where person is a child—document affecting personal privacy or information communicated in confidence  
   34.     Documents relating to trade secrets etc.  
   35.     Documents containing material obtained in confidence  
   36.     Disclosure contrary to public interest  
   37.     Certain documents arising out of companies and securities legislation  
   38.     Documents to which secrecy provisions of enactments apply  

   PART V--AMENDMENT OF PERSONAL RECORDS

   39.     Person may request amendment of record  
   40.     Form of request for amendment of record  
   41.     Agency or Minister may amend record  
   42.     Notation on record  
   43.     Time within which agency or Minister must notify claimant  
   44.     When section 26 to apply  
   45.     When section 27 to apply  
   46.     Where request refused  
   47.     Notice to be added to the record  
   48.     Notice may be given to persons who received the information prior to commencement of section  
   49.      How corrections or amendments are made  

   PART VI--REVIEW OF DECISIONS

           Division 1--Review by Information Commissioner

   49A.    Applications to Information Commissioner for review  
   49B.    Time for applying for review  
   49C.    Form of application  
   49D.    Notice and copies of application for review  
   49E.    Parties to review  
   49F.    Review of decision  
   49G.    Information Commissioner may determine not to accept application or may dismiss review  
   49H.    Procedure on review  
   49I.    Agency or Minister must assist Information Commissioner  
   49J.    Effect of delay by Information Commissioner in relation to requests  
   49K.    Preliminary inquiries  
   49KA.   Power to require a further search for documents  
   49KB.   Information Commissioner may issue notice to produce or attend  
   49L.    Referral back to agency or Minister for reconsideration  
   49M.    Reconsideration at agency's or Minister's own initiative  
   49MA.   Procedure after reconsideration under section 49L or 49M  
   49N.    Informal resolution of review  
   49O.    Referral of matter to a relevant authority  
   49OA.   Review of decisions under section 25A(5)  
   49P.    Decision on review  

           Division 2--Conciliation by Health Complaints Commissioner

   49Q.    Conciliation by Health Complaints Commissioner  

           Division 3--Review by the Tribunal

   50.     Applications for review by the Tribunal  
   51.     Information Commissioner may be called on to assist Tribunal  
   52.     Time for applying for review  
   53.     Reviews where decisions delayed  
   53AA.   Procedure where Tribunal determines that there do not exist reasonable grounds for claim under section 29A  
   53A.    Notification of reviews regarding documents affecting personal privacy  
   54.     Parties  
   55.     Onus  
   56.     Inspection of exempt documents by Tribunal  
   59.     Tribunal may reduce or waive charges  
   61.     Disciplinary action  

   PART VIA--COMPLAINTS

   61A.    Complaints  
   61B.    Information Commissioner may accept or decline to deal with complaint  
   61C.    Referral of complaint to another body  
   61D.    Notice of decision to investigate complaint  
   61E.    Agency or Minister to co-operate with Information Commissioner  
   61F.    Complaint must be dealt with in private  
   61G.    Preliminary inquiries and consultation  
   61GA.   Power to require a further search for documents  
   61GB.   Informal resolution  
   61H.    Conciliation of complaint  
   61I.    Procedure for dealing with complaint if conciliation fails  
   61L.    Outcome of complaint  
   61M.    Complaints notified or referred by other bodies  

   PART VIB--INVESTIGATIONS

           Division 1--Investigations

   61O.    Information Commissioner may conduct investigation  
   61P.    Conduct of investigation  

           Division 2--Reporting of investigation

   61Q.    Investigation report  
   61R.    Content of investigation report  
   61S.    Legal advice and representation—investigation report  
   61T.    Tabling of report in Parliament  

           Division 3--Investigations of public interest complaints

   61TA.   Information Commissioner must investigate public interest complaints  
   61TB.   Information Commissioner must refuse to investigate certain public interest complaints  
   61TC.   Information Commissioner may refuse to investigate certain public interest complaints  
   61TD.   Notification of refusal to conduct investigation on public interest complaint  
   61TE.   Notification of corrupt conduct  
   61TF.   Procedure on completion of investigation of public interest complaint  
   61TG.   Person who made public interest disclosure to be informed of result of investigation  
   61TH.   Information Commissioner must not disclose certain information  
   61TI.   Disclosure of information by Information Commissioner  
   61TJ.   Confidentiality notice  
   61TK.   Extension of confidentiality notice  
   61TL.   Information Commissioner to provide the Victorian Inspectorate with copies  
   61TM.   Disclosure subject to confidentiality notice  

   PART VIC--COERCIVE POWERS

   61U.    Notice to produce or attend  
   61V.    Variation or revocation of a notice to produce or attend  
   61W.    Service of notice to produce or notice to attend  
   61X.    Failure to comply with notice to produce or attend  
   61Y.    Reasonable excuse—self incrimination  
   61Z.    Reasonable excuse—documents affecting national security, defence or international relations  
   61ZA.   Reasonable excuse—cabinet documents and legal professional privilege  
   61ZB.   Production under notice of document claimed to be exempt under section 28, 31 or 31A  
   61ZC.   Statutory secrecy not a reasonable excuse  
   61ZD.   Office of the Information Commissioner to report to the Victorian Inspectorate on issue of notice to produce or attend  
   61ZE.   Power to take evidence on oath or affirmation  
   61ZF.   Legal advice and representation  
   61ZG.   Protection of legal practitioners and persons—notice to produce or attend  
   61ZH.   Audio or video recording of examination  
   61ZI.   Act applies equally to attendance in person or by audio or audio visual link  

   PART VII--MISCELLANEOUS

           Division 1--Protections in relation to legal action

   62.     Protection against actions for defamation or breach of confidence  
   63.     Protection in respect of offences  
   63A.    Information Commissioner and certain other persons not compellable to produce documents in legal proceedings  
   63B.    Protection of person making complaint  
   63BA.   Application to Supreme Court  

           Division 2--Production of documents to Information Commissioner

   63C.    Application of Division  
   63D.    Special requirements for production of documents claimed to be exempt under section 28, 29A, 31 or 31A  
   63E.    Use of documents claimed to be exempt  

           Division 2A--Offences

   63F.    Offence to obstruct, mislead or provide false information  
   63G.    Prosecutions  

           Division 3--Reporting

   64.     Reporting by Information Commissioner  
   64A.    Reports to Integrity and Oversight Committee  
   64B.    Duty of agency or Minister to comply with requirements of Information Commissioner  
   65AB.   Report to Parliament by Minister  

           Division 4--Regulations

   66.     Regulations  

           Division 5--Transitional and saving provisions

   67.     Retrospective operation of law  
   68.     Transitional  
   69.     Transitional provisions—Freedom of Information Amendment (Freedom of Information Commissioner) Act 2012  
   70.     Transitional provisions—Freedom of Information and Victorian Inspectorate Acts Amendment Act 2014  
   71.     Transitional provision—Inquiries Act 2014  
   72.     Transitional provisions—Freedom of Information Amendment (Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner) Act 2017  
           SCHEDULE 1
           ENDNOTES