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Freedom of Information
What is ‘Freedom of Information’?
The Victorian Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) gives persons the general right, subject to specified exceptions, to access information held by the government, including government departments, authorities and agencies.
West Wimmera Health Service is an agency under the FOI Act
What information is available?
You have a right to apply for access to documents in the possession of West Wimmera Health Service, whether created by WWHS or supplied to it by an external organisation or individual.
Access can extend to:
- Documents about your personal affairs, regardless of the age of the documents.
- Documents of a non-personal nature, not older than 5 July 1978.
It is not only documents in paper form that are accessible. The word ‘document' covers a broad range of media, including plans, maps, drawings, photographs, films, emails, tape recordings, videotapes, computer printouts, computer discs and microfiche. It does not include library material maintained for reference purposes.
You may ask to be given a copy of the document or you may request access to the document, for example, to see a film or get a transcript of a tape recording.
What information is not available?
The FOI Act allows an agency to refuse access to documents or information in certain circumstances, in which case the document or information is considered to be ‘exempt'. In some cases access may be denied to the entire document or the document may be released with the exempt information deleted.
Examples of documents that may be exempt are:
- Documents that contain health information concerning the person making the request where the authorised person, who must be a registered medical practitioner, believes on reasonable grounds that the provision of the health information would pose a serious threat to the life or health of the person or any other person. In such a case, access must not be granted to the document so far as it contains that information and information about the existence or non-existence of that document need not be given.
- Documents containing personal information about other people.
- Internal working documents, i.e. for the purpose of the deliberative processes involved with the functions of an agency, Minister or government, where disclosure would be contrary to the public interest.
- Law enforcement documents.
- Documents covered by legal professional privilege, such as legal advice.
- Documents containing information provided to an agency in confidence.
- Documents containing information provided to an agency by a business relating to its trade secrets or other business, commercial or financial matters.
- Documents which are covered by secrecy provisions in other legislation.
- Decisions concerning the exemption of documents are made by the formally designated Freedom of Information Managers of WWHS
What should I do to make an application?
All formal requests for access to documents of WWHS or any of its facilities under the provisions of the FOI Act are to be made in writing to:
The Freedom of Information Officer
West Wimmera Health Service
PO Box 231
NHILL VIC 3418
All formal requests to West Wimmera Health Service for access to documents under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act must be made in writing. A Freedom of Information application form needs to be completed and submitted to the health service with an application fee of $22.00. Proof of your identity is also required i.e. a photocopy of a driver’s licence, passport or similar.
The service has 45 days to process the application, day one being the date of receipt of the fee. Other associated costs are photocopying costs of 20 cents per A4 page, and search fees of $20.00 per hour. These fees are mandated under the Act and an account will be submitted when the information is released. Cheques and money orders can be made payable to West Wimmera Health Services.
