Thursday, 30 November 2023

Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:21): (386) My question today is to the Attorney-General. The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner, OVIC, has suffered budget cuts and been forced to make redundancies. The Freedom of Information Act obliges OVIC to conduct an independent review of professional standards for FOI at least every four years. These standards apply to all Victorian agencies subject to the FOI act and aim to ensure the act is administered by agencies in a way consistent with the objects of the act. The professional standards review was due to be completed this week, but because of budget cuts OVIC does not have enough funding to comply with the act. Attorney, will you provide more funding to OVIC to ensure it can meet its statutory obligations, including independent FOI professional standards reviews consistent with the recommendation of the report into the performance of Victoria’s integrity agencies?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:22): I thank Ms Copsey for her question, and of course it is my responsibility to support agencies to fulfil their statutory obligations. I am happy to have a conversation in relation to OVIC’s priorities and in relation to that matter. I can assure you in relation to freedom of information it is a matter that has been discussed with me and the former information commissioner, and it led to the request for the IOC to undertake a review of freedom-of-information laws in Victoria to ensure that they are modern and fit for purpose, and we look forward to the findings of that report in relation to any future changes that we need to make. It is incumbent upon the department of justice to work with OVIC in relation to their budget and to ensure that they are supported to perform their duties whilst also meeting savings targets and ensuring that government is focusing its resources as the public would expect it to do.

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:23): Thank you, Attorney, for your answer, and I look forward to continuing that conversation. The report into the performance of Victoria’s integrity agencies was clear that there are concerns about OVIC’s ability to fulfil its statutory obligations and to meet expectations around timeliness and performance in relation to FOI should funding not be available. Do you accept that if we do not properly fund OVIC the performance of Victoria’s freedom-of-information regime will continue to worsen?

The PRESIDENT: I think that might be asking for an opinion. I will call the minister, and she can answer as she sees fit.

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:24): Ms Copsey, I guess I can just give you an assurance that I am always happy to work with agencies in relation to their duties, their challenges, their priorities and their requests for legislative reform as well as budget.