Is your agency covered by Victorian FOI and privacy laws?
Are you new to FOI or privacy in Victoria or would like a refresher at your own pace and timing?
Can you determine the “public interest” in FOI?
Could you do with an update on FOI deposits, charges and fees?
Would you like some easy practical tips on how to deal with FOI requests more easily?

If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, our summer series training sessions are for you.

This summer, catch up on your training at your own pace and while sitting in the cool of the office. FOI Solutions is again offering its summer series with a select bundle of core training sessions offered at a massive 50% discount through to the end of January 2026.

We are offering access to our pre-recorded 1-hour training sessions including:

our ever-popular FOI basics and intermediate program
streamlined privacy officer sessions
the public interest in FOI
professional standards in FOI
FOI and model litigant guidelines
top 11 tips to streamline your FOI practice
how to use s 35(1) of the Vic FOI Act.

The table below sets out a summary of these sessions.

Session	Content outline
Basic 1	Right of access and how it is exercised, validity of requests, partial access, refusing to process: s 25A(1); s 25A(5)
Basic 2	Deposits and access charges generally, time limits & extensions, practical processing tips in early stages, search for documents, form of access, reviews & appeals
Intermediate – Exemptions 1	s 33(1) – personal affairs information, consulting, s 30(1) – internal working documents, s 35(1)(b) – information communicated confidentially, consulting
Intermediate – Exemptions 2	s 34(1)(b) – unreasonable exposure to disadvantage, consultation, s 34(4)(a)(ii) – agency unreasonably exposed commercially, s 33(6) – neither confirm nor deny personal information, s 33(4), (5) – health information about the applicant
Privacy (Refresher) 1	Session one is a Privacy Refresher, designed to renew your knowledge of the Victorian privacy laws: Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and the Health Records Act 2001.
Privacy (Internal Roles) 2	Session two considers the Privacy Internal Role. Session two is designed to clarify your internal obligations, including staff education, sharing information and auditing your workplace.
Privacy (External Roles) 3	Session three outlines the Privacy External Role and will equip you to deal with complaints and liaise with external bodies such as the OVIC or the VCAT.
Public Interest	what is the “public interest” in s 30(1)(b)? what is not relevant to determining the “public interest”? what is the balancing exercise applied in determining the question about public interest? what are the types of factors which VCAT has in the last 5 years considered relevant in determining whether disclosure would be “contrary to the public interest”? how have recent decided VCAT cases determined the matter?
Professional Standards	Outline Standards and how they impact on FOI processing. Set out broader organisational implications for your agency. Identify who is responsible for compliance with Professional Standards. Outline risks of non-compliance. Identify potential practical problems. Suggest solutions and practical steps you can take towards compliance.
Model Litigant Guidelines and FOI	It will assist you: Understand content of model litigant guidelines; Obligations when dealing with the public; What model litigant guidelines do not mean; and Application to FOI matters
Top 11 Tips for Streamlining FOI Processing	It will help you: save time save processing effort and resources reduce paperwork reduce your risk of releasing information not sought.
Section 35(1) – misunderstood and underutilised	when is information “communicated in confidence” and how to work that out? does the information have to be communicated to your agency? who can it be communicated by? does s 35(1)(a) apply to communications between government agencies when would disclosure be “reasonably likely” to have a particular effect? does “impair” mean to stop the agency’s ability to obtain information in future in s 35(1)(b) or can it be something different? when does consultation have to occur (or not)?

For more information about our summer series or to take advantage of the 50% discount in purchasing the pre-recorded session(s) of your choice, email us at marketing@foisolutions.com.au We will then send details about each session and how you can get access.

Important Update

Issue 6/2025 · 17 Dec 2025

In this issue