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                    Freedom of information

                    The Freedom of Information Act 1982 allows you to ask for access to documents created by the City of Melbourne and those supplied to us by external organisations and individuals.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, you can ask to see or get copies of:

                    • documents about your personal affairs regardless of the age of the documents
                    • any other documents which were created on/after 1 January 1989.

                    Freedom of Information (FOI) Part II Statement

                    The Freedom of Information Part II Statement prov​ides a snapshot of our powers and functions, the documents and information we keep and the ways you can access them. Providing easily accessible information reduces the need to submit FOI requests under the Act.

                    If you cannot locate the information you are seeking after reviewing the Part II Statement and conducting a search on our website, we encourage you to contact the Senior Council Business Officer or Coordinator Council Business via email foi@melbourne.vic.gov.au before making a formal FOI request. In some instances we will be able to provide you with the information you are seeking without going through a formal process.

                    Frequently asked questions

                    How do I make an FOI request?

                    You can make a request or authorise someone such as a solicitor to make a request on your behalf.

                    It’s important to provide an accurate description of the documents you are seeking access to with the request. Requests must be for specific documents or groups of documents not 'all documents' in a broad category. Try to identify a relevant timeframe and the type/s of documents you seek access to.

                    For example, 'correspondence between X and Y from 1 January to 30 March 2005'. Avoid phrases like 'all documents in relation to' and ‘including but not limited to’. If the terms of your request are quite broad, you could end up receiving and being charged for, a large volume of documents which you did not really require.

                    Your application must include:

                    • a clear description of the documents which you seek access to
                    • an application fee of $31.80​ or evidence that you qualify to have the application fee waived such as a current pension card or health care card in your name
                    • evidence of your identity such as drivers licence if the documents are about your personal affairs
                    • your written authorisation if a legal firm is submitting the request on your behalf
                    • your contact details including your telephone number and email address if you have one so we can contact you if we have any queries about your application.

                    Please refer to our Freedom of Information fact sheet for further details:

                    Freedom of Information fact sheet (PDF 214 KB)
                    Freedom of Information fact sheet (DOC 63 KB)

                    How do I submit an FOI application?

                    Online

                    If you wish to lodge your FOI application online, please go to City of Melbourne's online service portal and select ‘Applications’. You will need a valid credit card to pay your application fee online. Alternatively, you can attach a scanned copy of your pension card / healthcare card.

                    The online process is the quickest way to lodge a FOI application. It will also enable you to pay your deposit (if required) and/or final access charges online.

                    Post

                    Please complete the FOI application form and send it to:

                    City of Melbourne
                    Council Business (FOI)
                    GPO Box 1603
                    MELBOURNE VIC 3001

                    Your cheque/money order must be payable to the City of Melbourne. Please do not send cash.

                    In person

                    You can submit your FOI application form and application fee (cash, cheque, money order or credit/debit card), at the Customer Service Centre at Melbourne Town Hall, 120 Swanston Street, Melbourne (open 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays). Cheque/money orders must be payable to the City of Melbourne.

                    Freedom of Information application form (PDF 64 KB)
                    Freedom of Information application form (DOC 69 KB)

                    How much will it cost?

                    As well as an application fee of $31.80​, there are costs to access documents – the charges are made under the Freedom of Information (Access Charges) Regulations 2014.

                    Search charges

                    $23.85 per hour or part thereof.

                    Inspection Supervision charges

                    $23.85 per hour to be calculated per quarter hour or part thereof.

                    Miscellaneous charge

                    • Photocopying charges – 20 cents per black and white A4 page.
                    • Access in a form other than photocopying – the reasonable costs incurred by the agency in providing the copy.
                    • Charge for providing written document – the reasonable costs incurred by the agency in providing the written document.
                    • Charge for making a written transcript of a tape – the reasonable costs incurred by the agency in providing the written transcript.

                    We will advise you of any charges as soon as possible.

                    What happens once I make a request?

                    Once we receive your request, an authorised FOI Officer will review it to make sure all the necessary information has been included and the documents you’re requesting have been clearly identified. The FOI Officer will contact you if they need more information.

                    After receiving a valid request, we will:

                    • write to you to confirm the parameters of your request and the statutory due date
                    • liaise with the relevant work areas to ascertain the scope of your request
                    • request documents from the relevant work areas
                    • conduct searches of Council’s electronic record management system
                    • review the documents received to see if any additional documents are required
                    • remove irrelevant documents or sections of documents
                    • consider whether any exemptions could prevent the disclosure of the documents
                    • consult with external organisations and individuals
                    • process the relevant documents
                    • compile a determination letter which lists the:
                      • documents, or parts thereof, which are to be released
                      • documents that couldn’t be located
                      • any exemptions that have been applied.

                    How long does it take to process my request?

                    We must make and communicate to you a decision on your request within 30 days of receiving it unless that statutory period has been extended in accordance with the Act. The period starts when:

                    • your request is viewed as sufficiently clear for us to process, and
                    • your application fee has been paid or evidence has been provided to waive the fee.

                    If we estimate the cost of your request is likely to exceed $50, we’ll write and ask for a deposit. We’ll also suggest practical alternatives to reduce the charges. The 30 days allowed for processing a request starts when we receive your deposit payment.

                    Are there documents that I can't request?

                    The Act allows us to refuse access to certain documents or information. These documents are often called exempt documents.

                    We assess each requested document and decide whether the information can be released. In some cases you may be refused access to an entire document or you may be given access to a document with exempt information deleted.

                    Exempt documents include:

                    • some internal working documents
                    • law enforcement documents
                    • documents covered by legal professional privilege such as legal advice
                    • documents containing personal information about other people
                    • documents containing information provided to an agency in confidence
                    • documents containing information provided to an agency by a business
                    • documents which are covered by secrecy provisions in other legislation.

                    Can I appeal a decision about my request?

                    If you are not satisfied with our decision on access, you can ask for a review within 28 days of receiving your determination letter by writing to the:

                    Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
                    PO Box 24274
                    Melbourne Victoria 3001

                    Phone: 1300 006 842
                    Email: enquiries@ovic.vic.gov.au
                    Website: www.ovic.vic.gov.au

                    Did you know?
                    The term 'document' includes: written documents – either printed or electronic, photographs, letters, maps, film, reports and audio and video recordings.

                    Contact us

                    Contact name
                    Senior Council Business Officer (FOI)
                    Address
                    City of Melbourne
                    GPO Box 1603
                    Melbourne VIC 3001
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