Victorian Integrity and Oversight Committee Inquiry into the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)

Victorian Integrity and Oversight Committee Inquiry into the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)

Terms of reference

That, under section 33 of the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, the Integrity and Oversight Committee consider and report no later than 29 March 2024 on the operation of the following matters relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act):

1. the effectiveness of the Act’s current policy model, which is based on formal requests for information, and other options available, including options utilised in other jurisdictions;
2. mechanisms for proactive and informal release of information, including the effectiveness of information publication schemes;
3. efficient and timely mechanisms for persons to access their own personal and health information;
4. the information management practices and procedures required across government to facilitate access to information;
5. opportunities to increase the disclosure of information relating to government services using technology;
6. the purposes and principles of access to information and whether the Act meets those purposes and principles, including:
   • the object of the Act as set out in section 3;
   • the definition of document in section 5; and
   • the operation of exemptions and exceptions in Part III and Part IV;
7. the effectiveness of processes under the Act and how those processes could be streamlined and made more effective and efficient; and
8. the time and costs involved in providing access to information.