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Freedom of information policy

This page explains how to make a ‘freedom of information’ request to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

What is freedom of information?

You can make a freedom of information request to:

  • access documents the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission holds
  • change personal information we have about you, if you think it is wrong.

The Freedom of Information Act gives you a right to request any documents held by public bodies in Victoria, including the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. ‘Documents’ has a very wide definition. For example, it includes emails, file notes, post-it notes, sound files and videos. In some cases, statistics are included.

You can also view our freedom of information statement here which outlines the Commission’s functions in relation to freedom of information requests.

Can I make an informal request?

Before making a freedom of information request, we encourage you to just ask us for the information you want. If it is straightforward to access and not private or confidential, we will give it to you. If we consider more work or consideration will be involved, we will help you to make a formal freedom of information request.

To request information informally ask any Commission staff member or contact our freedom of information officer.

How do I make a formal request?

Requests must:

  1. be in writing
  2. explain clearly documents you want
  3. include:

OR

    • a request to waive or reduce the fee on hardship grounds.

Email your request to foi@veohrc.vic.gov.au or post it to:

The Freedom of Information Officer
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
Level 3, 204 Lygon Street
Carlton 3053 VICTORIA

We can help you complete these steps.

How will the Commission handle my request?

Our freedom of information officer will assess your request. If we need more information, we will contact you.

When handling your request we must comply with the Freedom of Information Act. This means we must:

  • provide a response within 30 days, or 45 days if we need to consult with a third party about your request.
  • only refuse your request for certain reasons. For example we may do this if:
    • we think the document is ‘exempt’ (for example, you are seeking another person’s personal information)
    • we consider the amount of work involved would be unreasonable

In some cases we may charge you to access the documents you request. We will tell you before we do this so you can decide whether to proceed.

How do I change my personal records?

We do our best to make sure our records are accurate, but sometimes we make mistakes. You can ask to have information about you corrected if it is wrong, incomplete, out of date, or misleading.

To change your personal information you must still apply in writing, but you do not have to pay a fee.

What if I am unhappy with the response?

If you are unhappy with how we handle your request, you can contact us. We will try to resolve your concerns. If this does not help, the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner can help you complain or request a review of our decision.

What if I need to help to make a request?

For help making a request and more information contact:

Freedom of information officer
Email: foi@veohrc.vic.gov.au
Call: 1300 891 848
TTY: 1300 289 621
Interpreter service: 1300 1252 494.

Updated June 2020

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