Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme

Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008, gives effect to Recommendation 5 of the Royal Commission into Family Violence ie; to create a specific family violence information sharing regime. Part 5A prescribes a number of organisations, which include courts, Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria, specialist men’s and women’s family violence workers and sexual assault service providers as information sharing entities (ISEs). These ISEs will be required to share information for the purpose of family violence risk assessment and protection either voluntarily or upon request.

Part 5A removes current complex privacy laws, which prohibit the free-flow of information that may be shared between the ISEs for the purpose of family violence risk assessment and protection.

If you are a prescribed ISE and wish to make a request for information under Part 5A, please email your enquiry to the Family Violence Programs and Initiatives Unit (FVPIU) at the Magistrate’s Court of Victoria at informationsharing@courts.vic.gov.au.

Please include the following information in your request:

• your name and job title

• if you are a Risk Assessment Entity (RAE) or a general ISE as prescribed in the Family Violence Protection Amendment (Information Sharing) Regulations 2018

• if you are a RAE, whether you are seeking information for a risk assessment or protection purpose

• The name of the person subject to the request and whether they are the victim survivor, perpetrator, alleged perpetrator, third party or a child. 

• Any other names of the parties related to the request

• If the matter is urgent 

If you have any questions about Information Sharing or about making a request please do not hesitate to contact the FVPIU on (03) 9032 0334 on b email at informationsharing@courts.vic.gov.au.

For more information about the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme please visit the Family Safety Victoria Website