Automatic language translation
Our website uses an automatic service to translate our content into different languages. These translations should be used as a guide only. See our Accessibility page for further information.
First adopted: October 2020
Next scheduled review: 3rd Quarter, 2021
The Department of Communities and Justice’s (the department/DCJ) Agency Information Guide (AIG) promotes the objects of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 by providing you with an understanding of the following:
The Stronger Communities Cluster was created on 1 July 2019, bringing together and replacing the Family and Communities and Justice Clusters. This brings under one roof, NSW government services targeted at achieving safe, just, inclusive and resilient communities.
The department is the lead agency in the new Stronger Communities Cluster.
The department delivers a range of services, including but not limited to the following:
Working together in the Stronger Communities cluster means we can continue to deliver services with a more unified and collaborative approach. There is now a greater focus on prevention and early intervention, faster responses, more seamless operations, less duplication of effort and better outcomes.
The department is committed to improving outcomes for:
We are now focused on making a real and lasting difference to the lives of people across NSW and are responsible for delivering the Premier’s Priorities, including:
As an agency, DCJ’s purpose statement articulates what we are here to do:
“ Our purpose is to help create a safe, just, resilient and inclusive NSW in which everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential.”
Guiding us on how we deliver on our ‘Purpose’ is the DCJ Strategic Direction 2020-2024 (PDF, 2.3 MB). The Strategic Direction provides a foundation for our work in improving outcomes in the community. It guides us in how we build a community where the people of NSW flourish and are empowered to live their lives to the full.
A copy of our organisational structure (PDF, 135.1 KB).
The DCJ executive team consists of the following:
The department is responsible for managing all GIPA functions in relation to the statutory agencies, office holders and independent bodies outlined in the table below. You may find more information about each of them by clicking on the respective link, which will direct you to their website.
Name of office, statutory agency or independent body |
Description of functions |
---|---|
The CSO is the largest provider of legal services to state government agencies in NSW. |
|
The Registrar of Community Housing is responsible for registering, monitoring and regulating community-housing providers in New South Wales under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH) and the New South Wales Local Scheme (NSWLS). |
|
NSW Ageing and Disability Commission (including the Official Community Visitors scheme) |
The NSW Ageing and Disability Commission is an independent agency of the NSW government whose role it is to protect older people and adults with disability from abuse, neglect and exploitation from someone they know living in their home or community, and to promote their fundamental human rights. |
The Advocate works to improve the safety, welfare and well-being of all children and young people in NSW, and to speak up for children and young people to ensure that their rights are respected and their points of view heard by adult decision makers. |
|
The NSW Housing Appeals Committee (HAC) is an independent agency, which deals with appeals from people who are unhappy with a decision made by social housing providers. HAC was established to ensure that clients of government funded housing services have access to an independent system of review and redress. |
|
Victims Services provides support to victims of crime, and families and friends of missing persons. |
|
The State Parole Authority makes decisions about releasing inmates safely on parole and setting conditions. |
|
The Legal Profession Admission Board is responsible for approving the admission of lawyers and the appointment of public notaries. |
|
The ADB promotes anti-discrimination and equal opportunity principles and policies throughout NSW. It provides a free, confidential enquiry service and helps parties resolve discrimination complaints relating to race, nationality, sex, pregnancy, breastfeeding, disability, age, homosexuality, transgender, marital or domestic status, carer’s responsibilities or ethno-religious origin. |
|
The ICS is appointed to inspect adult correctional facilities and Youth Justice centres, and reports to Parliament on the findings of these inspections. The Inspector also oversees the Official Visitor programs conducted in correctional facilities and Youth Justice centres. |
|
Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (OLSC) | The OLSC is an independent statutory body that deals with complaints about lawyers under the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014. The OLSC consists of the Legal Services Commissioner and staff who advise and assist the Commissioner in the exercise of his functions and powers. |
The PDO provides salaried barristers, independent of government, to appear for clients who are charged with serious criminal offences and who have been granted legal assistance by Legal Aid NSW, the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) or a community legal centre. Public Defenders also provide legal advice and education for criminal law practitioners and play an active role in law reform. |
|
Office of the Solicitor General and Crown Advocate |
The Solicitor General is the second law officer of the State. The Solicitor General advises the Crown, especially on constitutional matters, and appears in court, often the High Court, acting for NSW. The Crown Advocate assists the Solicitor General and often specialises in criminal matters. |
The department holds a vast array of information relating to our clients who receive a service, and broadly encapsulates information relating to the following:
Given the broad range of functions and activities covered by our Divisions, a general description of information commonly held by DCJ is captured below, including but not limited to:
You may view the specific type of records we hold in more detail by clicking on any of the below links:
The DCJ’s Privacy Management Plan 2020 also contains detailed information regarding the type of records held by each operational area of the Department.
Section 7 of the GIPA Act authorises the department to exercise its discretionary power to proactively release government information, in any manner considered appropriate, free of charge or at the lowest reasonable cost. The department promotes the release of newly published information, which may be of interest to the public, and has programs in place to encourage the proactive release of information.
The Open Government, Information and Privacy Unit (OGIP Unit) coordinate an annual review, where we provide targeted training to divisions within the department informing them of their obligation to proactively release information under the GIPA Act. The training is designed to inform and encourage senior executives to actively review and update their information holdings on the department’s website. Due to the advent of COVID-19, DCJ have not conducted any face-to-face training, but hope to resume in time for next year’s annual review.
The OGIP Unit conducted a review in May 2020, where instead of face-to-face training, a proactive disclosure factsheet was developed to raise awareness, and to assist senior executives understand their proactive disclosure obligations. The department’s General Counsel directly emailed a copy of the factsheet to all deputy secretaries, advising of their proactive disclosure obligations and them required then to advise what information they proactively released. The OGIP Unit will conduct its next review in the last quarter of the next financial year.
Consistent with the principles underlying the proactive disclosure of information, the below information may be considered of interest to the public:
The GIPA Act authorises the release of government information in response to an Informal Request for Information (PDF , 147.2 KB) unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.
Information disclosed in response to an informal request may be released with deletions, subject to reasonable conditions or in a preferred format.
It is important to note that DCJ has no legal obligation to disclose information on an informal basis, and may request a person lodge a formal access application.
Generally, the following information may be released informally:
Formal access applications may be required where the government information sought is more complex, large in scope, is non-personal in nature and or requires consultation with other parties.
A person who lodges an access application has a legally enforceable right to be provided with access to the information requested unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the subject information.
You may lodge an access application online where you can pay the application fee by credit or debit card.
Alternatively, you may download and complete a Formal Access Application form (PDF , 737.9 KB) and forward it to either of the addresses listed below:
Open Government Information and Privacy Unit
Address: Locked Bag 5000, Parramatta NSW 2124
Phone: (02) 9716 2662
Email: infoandprivacy@dcj.nsw.gov.au
The application fee for a formal access application that is lodged online must be paid by credit card or debit card. The application fee for a formal access application that is lodged by post must be paid by either:
A formal access application is subject to the following application fees and processing charges:
Type of Information |
Application Fee |
Processing Charge |
---|---|---|
Access to information of a personal nature |
$30.00 |
The first 20 hours of processing time is covered by the application fee, after that there is a charge of $30.00 per hour |
Access to information of a non personal nature |
$30.00 |
A processing charge of $30.00 per hour is applicable for non personal information |
Internal Review |
$40.00 |
Not Applicable |
An applicant is eligible for a 50% discount on processing charges if the applicant is:
Mandatory proactive release of information incorporates the department’s open access information that it makes available free of charge, on this website, unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure, and includes the following:
Please visit the Parliament of New South Wales website to view a complete list of all documents tabled by DCJ in Parliament.
Browse policies by topic including housing, adoption, Out of Home Care, child protection, domestic and family violence.
Details concerning decisions made by DCJ in response to formal access applications that may be of interest to other members of the public may be included on the department’s disclosure log.
The disclosure log provides members of the public with details regarding:
You can view the DCJ disclosure log.
DCJ is required to maintain a register of government contracts that records information about each contract that has, or is likely to have, a value of $150,000 or more. Please visit the NSW eTendering website to view the register of DCJ contracts.
The GIPA Act also requires the contracts register to include a copy of each Class 3 contract.
You can access the department's Class 3 contracts on the 'Class 3' contracts page.
Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF)
Redacted copies of each of the contracts awarded as a result of both SAHF 1 and 2 procurements are published. Links to the published contracts are available at SAHF contracts.
In accordance with section 6(5) of the GIPA Act, the department is required to maintain a record of open access information that it does not make publicly available on the basis of an overriding public interest against disclosure. The below table lists open access information that is not publicly available:
Type of Open Access Information |
Name of record |
General information |
---|---|---|
Policy/procedural document |
Certain parts of the COPP are not publicly available as it contains sensitive information regarding the management and operation of correctional facilities in NSW. |
|
Policy/procedural document |
The Structured Decision Making (SDM) System – Screening and Response Priority |
The SDM is not publicly available as it contains information, the disclosure of which, would prejudice the effectiveness and integrity of the assessment, evaluation and decision-making tools, and the reliability of their results, by revealing its conduct. |
The Code of Ethical Conduct (PDF , 845.8 KB) outlines the standard of behaviour expected by all workers of the Department.
Listing of all news, media releases and media statements by the Department of Communities and Justice.
Ministers' overseas travel information.
The purpose of the Business Ethics (PDF , 450.2 KB) is to establish a mutual understanding of public duty obligations when the Department is working with external parties.
DCJ’s annual reports include other prescribed open access information including the legislation that the department administers; a list of the department’s major assets, and the total number and total value of properties disposed of by the department during the previous financial year.
The department offers a number of alternative methods for requesting access to information held by DCJ, outside the ambit of the GIPA Act, including but not limited to the following:
If you lived in out-of-home care as a child or young person, you can request a copy of records about your care history. You can view further information about how to apply for your records, what to expect when you apply, and how to access support by clicking on the above link.
For people who want to apply for past adoption information or those who are considering making contact with an adopted person, birth parent or family member.
You can order transcripts from court and tribunal proceedings without the need to lodge a GIPA request.
DCJ is committed to a policy of consultation with clients and community partners. These include funded services, service providers, non-government organisations, local government, philanthropists, citizens, the private sector and other NSW Government agencies.
Any member of the public may participate in our policy formulation by writing to the Secretary with suggestions or raising issues that concern them or the community. Various forums have also been established to facilitate such participation, such as the NSW Government’s Have Your Say community engagement portal.
The department and its related agencies consult the NSW community on a variety of projects, services, policies and law reform. The community is being, or has been consulted, on a number of projects that may be viewed on the department’s website.
You may also contact the department to lodge a complaint or provide feedback, and access services offered by the department.
The department also maintains a presence on social media and our various mediums may be accessed on the social media page.
The role of the Information Commissioner is to raise public awareness of the right to information laws and provide assistance, information, support and advice to government departments and the public.
The Information Commissioner has broad investigative powers and may require government departments to provide information and conduct inquiries pertinent to the administration of the GIPA Act.
The Information Commissioner conducts reviews of decisions by DCJ where an applicant is aggrieved by a decision.
Further information may be obtained by contacting the Information and Privacy Commission NSW.
02 Mar 2023
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the First Nations Peoples of NSW and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future.
Informed by lessons of the past, Department of Communities and Justice is improving how we work with Aboriginal people and communities. We listen and learn from the knowledge, strength and resilience of Stolen Generations Survivors, Aboriginal Elders and Aboriginal communities.
You can access our apology to the Stolen Generations.