The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) oversees the portfolios of housing, child protection, disability, ageing and carers, prevention of family violence, women, veterans, youth, multicultural affairs and LGBTIQ+ equality. In delivering across these portfolios, we work every day to achieve a fairer, safer and more inclusive Victoria.
We aim to make as much information publicly available as possible, reducing the need for members of the public to request access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) (the FOI Act).
The statements below are a statutory requirement under the FOI Act. The purposes of the statements are to:
- provide a snapshot of the types of information and documents that the department holds;
- outline how to access this information and locate publicly available information; and
- inform the public how to make a request for access under the FOI Act.
The statements below are not an exhaustive list of all the information that is publicly available.
Some information held by the department (such as client records) is not publicly available due its personal and sensitive nature. Personal information can be accessed directly from a program area or through Freedom of Information processes.
Details of how to make a request to the department can be found on the Making a Freedom of Information request webpage.
For more information about Freedom of Information in Victoria, visit the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner’s website.
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing is a Victorian Government department that plans, funds and delivers community and housing services in line with the government’s vision for making Victoria a stronger, more caring and innovative state. We also work across many areas of focus to create equal opportunities for all Victorians.
The department supports the following Ministerial portfolios:
- Child Protection and Family Services
- Disability, Ageing and Carers
- Equality
- Housing
- Multicultural Affairs
- Prevention of Family Violence
- Veterans
- Women
- Youth
Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Organisational Chart
Information regarding the structure of the department and the organisational chart can be viewed on the Our structure webpage.
Legislation
A number of legislative Acts are administered by, or relevant to, the department.
Victorian legislation and parliamentary documents are available on the Legislation website.
For further information
To request further information, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing creates, collects and publishes a range of documents and data as a result of its work. The department uses a number of electronic records management systems to classify and store a broad range of documents.
Under section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, an agency must publish a statement of the categories of documents it maintains. This statement broadly describes the documents held by the department.
The department produces many documents in the course of its work, including:
- policy, procedures and standards:
- administrative materials – corporate/operational, boards, committees
- compliance materials – reports, responses
- instructional materials – standards, policies, procedures, guidelines
- program materials – initiation, operations, evaluation
- project materials – initiation, governance, management
- training and educational material
- briefings and reports:
- for example, briefs to relevant Ministers, the Secretary and Deputy or Associate Secretaries
- case files
- registers:
- compliance and operational
- correspondence:
- corporate and Ministerial
- emails or letters
- meeting records:
- meeting minutes and agendas
- financial records:
- grants
- remuneration and salaries
- procurement materials – tenders, Expressions of Interest, contracts
- human resource management:
- recruitment, payroll, employee records, HR data/statistics
The documents are organised according to the department’s Business Classification Scheme and include:
- administration
- budget planning
- child protection
- housing
- disability services
- employee support and management
- financial management
- incident reports
- legal services
- policies and procedures
- service provision
- wardship
The above examples are not an exhaustive list and provide a snapshot of information available.
To find further information on a specific topic and search for documents and resources relating to the department, visit the Publications webpage.
For further information
To request further information, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, all members of the public have the right to request access to documents held and produced by Victorian government departments and agencies, subject to certain exceptions and exemptions.
How to make an FOI request to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
To make a valid request for access to documents held by the department the request must:
- be in writing
- describe the documents to which you are seeking access as clearly and specifically as possible (please note the categories of documents above; it may be useful to refer to the type of document being sought, to ensure accuracy and completeness of information)
- be accompanied an application fee of $30.10 or evidence that paying the application fee would cause you hardship (for example, a scanned copy of a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card)
Section 25A of the Act allows an agency to refuse access to documents on the grounds that fulfilling the request would be ‘too voluminous’. This arises where the work involved in processing the request would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the agency from its other operations. To avoid an agency invoking section 25A, it can be useful to include a date range, to specify the categories of documents (as discussed above) and to be as specific as possible.
If you are requesting documents about your personal affairs information, certified photo identification should be provided.
A request for access to information can be made online or via post to the following address:
Freedom of Information unit
Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
GPO Box 1774
Melbourne VIC 3001
Alternatively, a request can be made via email to: foi@dffh.vic.gov.au
Further information about making a request for access to documents is available on the Making a Freedom of Information request webpage.
Once the department’s Freedom of Information unit has received the request, it will be assessed for validity under section 17 of the FOI Act. In reaching a decision, the department is obliged to consider the relevant exemptions that may apply under the legislation. These are primarily located in Part IV of the Act in sections 28 to 38.
Access charges may apply for the search, photocopying, retrieval or creation of documents. The department’s Freedom of Information unit will inform you of any access charges that may apply to your request and can offer options for paying, waiving or reducing the charges.
Where the document requested is subject to an exemption, either in full or in part, an accompanying decision letter will be provided to explain the reason for exemption.
OVIC is an independent regulator with combined oversight of information access, information privacy, and data protection. If you wish to seek more information about Freedom of Information in Victoria, or wish to make a complaint, or seek a review of a Freedom of Information decision visit OVIC’s website.
Before you make a request for access
You are encouraged to check if the information or document you are seeking is already publicly available, such as in our annual report, on the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing website or via the Discover and access Victorian Government open data webpage.
If you cannot find the information or document you are seeking, please contact us and ask if the information or document is available or can be provided to you. In many instances we will be able to provide you with the information without requiring you to make a formal request for access.
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing produces a wide range of publications, many of which can be accessed on the department’s Publications webpage.
For further information
To request further information, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
There are rules, policies and procedures in place to govern the daily operations of the department, for example:
- procedure manuals
- policies, guidelines and protocols
- plans, programs and projects
- codes of conduct.
For information on our privacy policy, see the Privacy statement webpage.
For information about how to make a complaint about the department, see the Making a Freedom of Information request webpage.
Department of Families, Fairness and Housing links
- Child Protection Manual
- Public Housing Policy and Practice Manuals
- Gifts, benefits and hospitality register
- Frameworks
- Policies
- Standards and guidelines
- Strategies, plans and charters
For further information
To request further information, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing publishes final versions of reports and records of decisions relating to policy.
Annual reports
The department’s annual reports detail how the department has met its objectives and highlights key achievements for the reporting period. Each report is tabled in parliament, in accordance with the provisions for the Financial Management Act 1994.
Published annual reports for the department are available on the Annual report - Department of Families, Fairness and Housing webpage.
Reports, reviews and data
A list of reports, reviews and data commissioned for the department is available on the Reports, Reviews & Data webpage.
For further information
To request further information, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
For further information
To request further information, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing:
- 1300 475 170 (local calls free within Victoria, except mobile phones)
- (+613) 8601 5222 when calling from interstate or overseas.
Mobile phones are charged at standard mobile call rates.
Postal address:
Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
GPO Box 1774
Melbourne VIC 3001
Or contact the Freedom of Information unit: