Freedom of Information

Victoria's Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) gives members of the public the right to apply for access to information held by ministers, State Government departments, local councils, public hospitals, most semi-government agencies and statutory authorities.

The VFA complies with the FOI Act and has an identified Freedom of Information contact which can answer any questions you may have relating to FOI and the authority.

How do I lodge a FOI request?

It is important to first contact the authority’s FOI contact to confirm whether a formal request for information is required as it may already be available in the Annual Report or on this website.

To lodge an online Freedom of Information (FOI) request, visit the Victorian Government's Freedom of Information website which outlines the steps for making a request, from preparing an application to identifying where the request should be sent.

What is the cost of lodging a request?

All FOI requests are subject to a $28.90 application fee (as at 1 July 2018). This fee is subject to an increase on 1 July every year. The fee may be waived in cases where payment would cause an applicant financial hardship. Where an applicant seeks a waiver of this fee, the request should indicate the grounds on which a waiver is being sought (for example, low income or holder of Commonwealth Health Care Card).

Access charges may also apply once documents have been processed and a decision on access made for example, 20c per A4 page photocopying charge and a $20.675 per hour or part of an hour search and retrieval charge. It should be noted that, under certain circumstances, some of these charges can be waived.

Contact

To lodge a FOI request directly to the VFA in writing, or for information on completing and lodging a request under the FOI Act, contact:

Freedom of Information Officer

Victorian Fisheries Authority
Email: corporateservices@vfa.vic.gov.au

GPO Box 4509
Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia