Dear Victorian Ombudsman,

With regard your ref: FOI/25/5
Attached Below

I would like to request under Victorian Freedom of Information Law information regarding the 278 complaints lodged with the VO with regard the Country Fire Authority 2010 to 2024.

I would like the full details of how the VO resolved these complaints and any complaints that remained unresolved, the VO details of when these companies were processed and how recorded the closure of the complaint.

I would like the details of how the VO recorded my complaints and how the VO recorded the outcome of my complaints. (Douglas Richard Steley of 16 Burrnett Ct Heyfield. Please let me know if I need to confirm my identity)

a) the complaint was informally resolved, how was this resolved?
b) the complainant was referred back to the initial agency as it had been
prematurely lodged with VO. what was the reason for this and what was the final outcome?
c) further action required by VO. What was the action required and what was the outcome?
what were the numbers for these resolutions how many of these resolutions were made for each example? What were the reasons for the decisions ?

When you say VO records complaint outcomes in a number of ways

What were the different ways, how many complaints where resolved in different ways outcomes were recorded and what were these outcomes for the 278 complaints.

Also what action was taken by the VO to ensure the issues that caused the original complaints did not recur?

I would also like redacted copies of the 278 complaints with any and all identifying information removed so privacy is protected but so I can see if there are any recurrent themes or type of complaint.

NOTE

I am a disabled ex service veteran
I have PTSD Depression and anxiety from my service to Australia and I am also badly dyslexic

Please be considerate enough to respect my disabilities and if there are any questions please call to discuss them as I often have problems understanding official written communications.

Doug Steley

0408754250

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Level 2, 570 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel 03 9613 6222 Fax 03 9602 4761
Toll free 1800 806 314
16 September 2025

Our ref: FOI/25/5

Douglas Steley
Email: [email address]

Dear Douglas

Notice of decision – Request for documents under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982

We refer to your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act) lodged with the Victorian Ombudsman (VO) on 17 August 2025.

You have requested access to the following:

1. The number of complaints received by VO about the Country Fire Authority
(CFA) for the calendar years 2010 to 2024.

2. The number of complaints received by VO about the CFA for the calendar
years 2010 to 2024 that were found to be valid and the number of
complaints that were dismissed.

Notice of decision

1. The number of complaints received by VO about the Country Fire
Authority (CFA) for the calendar years 2010 to 2024.

The information you have requested does not exist in a discrete form. However,
pursuant to section 19 of the FOI Act the VO has prepared a table which
contains the number of complaints received by VO about the CFA for the
calendar years 2010 to 2024. Please see table below.

Email [email address]
1
Website ombudsman.vic.gov.au
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Calendar
Total
Year
Complaints
2010
16
2011
11
2012
18
2013
20
2014
25
2015
9
2016
19
2017
20
2018
25
2019
30
2020
24
2021
24
2022
17
2023
15
2024
5
Grand Total
278

2. The number of complaints received by VO about the CFA for the
calendar years 2010 to 2024 that were found to be valid and the
number of complaints that were dismissed.

As we advised you in our previous decision dated 6 August 2025, VO publishes
information about how it handles complaints in its Annual Reports. You can
access these via the following link - Annual reports | Victorian Ombudsman.

VO records complaint outcomes in a number of ways. Some examples include:

a) the complaint was informally resolved
b) the complainant was referred back to the initial agency as it had been
prematurely lodged with VO
c) further action required by VO.

VO does not record a complaint as ‘valid’ or ‘dismissed’. Therefore, we have
declined to provide access to these documents as they do not exist.

Complaint information relating to outcomes including those matters identified
above is subject to section 29A of the Ombudsman Act 1973 (Ombudsman
Act), which provides that the FOI Act does not apply to documents that disclose
information that relates to:

a) a complaint, a referred complaint, a referred matter or a matter referred
to the Ombudsman under section 16 of the Ombudsman Act; or

Yours faithfully,

Doug Steley