Victoria Police Faces Record FOI Delays

Victoria Police faces record delays on Freedom of Information requests, with average wait times surpassing nine months, far exceeding the legal thirty-day limit. The agency handled over four thousand requests last year, a significant increase from the previous year, making it the busiest in the state. Most requests are from individuals seeking personal incident reports, while media outlets account for five hundred eighty-two non-personal requests. The police send automated alerts about massive backlogs, often running thirty-six weeks overdue, due to increased volume and complex cases. The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner has flagged seventy-three non-compliant cases where decisions took an average of four hundred fifty-five days. Staffing shortages and recruitment issues are the main challenges, with concerns that this slows justice for those facing charges. Police assure commitment, emphasizing the need to consider legal, privacy, and safety risks before releasing sensitive information. A new records system is set to launch soon to improve efficiency. The commissioner is advocating for stricter rules, such as fines or enforced deadlines, to ensure agencies meet their obligations.

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