The Victorian Disability Worker Commission (VDWC) aims to give you easy access to information and documents. This statement explains the functions of the VDWC and provides a list of the types of information and documents we hold in relation to our functions.
Organisation and functions
The VDWC is an independent government agency established under the Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018 (Vic) (DSS Act) to regulate disability workers and disability students who provide disability services in Victoria, including receiving and dealing with complaints and notifications about them. The VDWC supports the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria and the Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner, and handles all freedom of information requests, referred to as FOI.
More information about the Victorian Disability Worker Regulation Scheme, the DSS Act, and the functions and powers of the VDWC, Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner and the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria can be found on our website at: http://www.vdwc.vic.gov.au/about
Categories of documents
The VDWC creates and stores a broad range of documents electronically and in hard copy. These documents include:
- Policies and procedures
- Correspondence
- Reports
- Briefings
- Employee records
- Financial records
- Training and educational material
- Images and videos
- Registers
Documents are organised under the following categories:
- Administrative
- Business
- Training and education
- Policy
- Legal
- Human resources
Publications
The VDWC produces a number of publications which can be accessed and downloaded from our website at: Resource Hub | Victorian Disability Worker Commission (vdwc.vic.gov.au)
Rules, policies and procedures
The VDWC has a range of policies and procedures to manage its daily operations and support its administrative functions, including policies and procedures around:
- Conflict of interest
- Regulatory processes
- Complaints about the VDWC
- Privacy
- FOI requests
- Safety and risk
The VDWC applies policies of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing to the extent they apply.
Reports
The VDWC publishes an annual report each year. These reports can be viewed and downloaded at: Resource Hub | Victorian Disability Worker Commission (vdwc.vic.gov.au)
Freedom of Information arrangements
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) members of the public have the right to request access to documents held by Victorian government agencies like the VDWC.
The object of the FOI Act is to extend as far as possible the right of the community to access information in the possession of the Victorian Government.
You have a legal right to request access or correction of your personal information held by us under the FOI Act.
We value FOI and welcome requests. In many instances, we will be able to provide you with the information you are seeking without the need to make a formal request for access. Please contact us first about your request, you can contact us here or email us at foi@vdwc.vic.gov.au. This may help us to consider whether we can informally release the documents to you without the need for a formal FOI request.
How to make a request
Your request must be made in writing and clearly describe the documents you are seeking access to. We do not require you to use a specific application form, but if you would like to use a form, you can download this FOI request form from the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC). If you use this form, you must send it directly to us via email to make a request. But you don’t need to use any form if you don’t want to. You just need to tell us in writing what you want access to.
Once we understand what documents you want, we will provide you with a decision within 30 days of your request, or up to 45 days if we need to contact other people.
Is there a fee for making an FOI request?
Yes. The current application fee is $31.80.
The application fee increases each year on 1 July. You need to include the application fee at the time you make the request, or a request for us to waive or reduce the fee.
Before making your request, it is a good idea to confirm how much the application fee is, either by contacting us directly, or checking the OVIC website at ovic.vic.gov.au.
What if you can't pay the application fee?
You can ask us to waive or reduce the application fee if paying it would cause you financial hardship. You should provide us with some reasons or evidence of financial hardship. This could be a Centrelink concession or health care card, a bank statement, or statutory declaration explaining why payment would cause you hardship. We may ask you to pay further charges before we can provide the requested documents under the FOI Act, unless this would also cause you hardship.
Requests under the FOI Act should?
- be emailed to foi@vdwc.vic.gov.au; or
- mailed or hand delivered during business hours and marked for the attention of the 'FOI Officer', Victorian Disability Worker Commission, Level 20, 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
- include a cheque or money order made out to the 'Victorian Disability Worker Commission' for the application fee
- include copies of supporting documents, if a fee waiver or reduction is sought for hardship.
Please describe what documents you are requesting access to, and please try to be clear and specific. If you are requesting access to your personal information, you should provide evidence of your identity (e.g. certified copy of you current drivers licence or other photographic identification).
For further information about making an FOI request, visit the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner.
Changing personal information we hold about you
We do our best to make sure our records are accurate, but sometimes there may be mistakes in the documents or information we hold about you. You can request that we correct information if it is wrong, incomplete, out of date, or would give a misleading impression.
You must still apply in writing to change your personal information, but you do not have to pay a fee.