Review of the Adoption Act 1984: Consultation Paper

Call for submissions

The Victorian Law Reform Commission invites your comments on this consultation paper.

What is a submission?

Submissions are your ideas or opinions about the law under review and how to improve it. Submissions can be anything from a personal story about how the law has affected you to

a research paper complete with footnotes and bibliography.

We want to hear from anyone who has experience with the law under review. Please note that

the Commission does not provide legal advice.

This consultation paper contains a number of questions, listed on page 148, that seek to guide submissions. You do not have to address all of the questions to make a submission.

What is my submission used for?

Submissions help us understand different views and experiences about the law we are researching. We use the information we receive in submissions, and from consultations, along with other research, to write our reports and develop recommendations.

The Commission will not consider submissions on matters which are not within the terms of reference.

How do I make a submission?

You can make a submission in writing, or verbally to one of the Commission staff if you need assistance. There is no required format for submissions. However, we encourage you to answer

the questions on page 148.

Submissions can be made by:

Completing the online form at www.lawreform.vic.gov.au

Email: law.reform@lawreform.vic.gov.au

Mail: GPO Box 4637, Melbourne Vic 3001

Fax: (03) 8608 7888

Phone: (03) 8608 7800, 1300 666 557 (TTY) or 1300 666 555 (cost of a local call)

Assistance

Please contact the Commission if you need an interpreter or other assistance to make a submission.

Publication of submissions

The Commission is committed to providing open access to information. We publish submissions

on our website to encourage discussion and to keep the community informed about our projects.

We will not place on our website, or make available to the public, submissions that contain offensive or defamatory comments, or which are outside the scope of the reference. Before publication, we may remove identifying information from submissions that discuss specific cases

or the personal circumstances and experiences of people other than the author. Personal addresses and contact details are removed from all submissions before they are published. The name of the submitter is published unless we are asked not to publish it.

The views expressed in the submissions are those of the individuals or organisations who submit them. Their publication does not imply any acceptance of, or agreement with, those views by the Commission.

We keep submissions on the website for 12 months following the completion of a reference. A reference is complete on the date the final report is tabled in Parliament. Hard copies of submissions will be archived and sent to the Public Record Office Victoria.

The Commission also accepts submissions made in confidence. Submissions may be confidential because they include personal experiences or other sensitive information. These submissions will not be published on the website or elsewhere. The Commission does not allow external access to confidential submissions. If, however, the Commission receives a request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic), the request will be determined in accordance with that Act. The Act has provisions designed to protect personal information and information given in confidence. Further information can be found at www.foi.vic.gov.au.

Submissions which do not have an author’s or organisation’s name attached will not be published on the Commission’s website or made publicly available and will be treated as confidential submissions.

Confidential submissions

When you make a submission, you must decide whether you want your submission to be public

or confidential.

Public submissions can be referred to in our reports, uploaded to our website and made available to the public to read in our offices. The names of submitters will be listed in the final report. Private addresses and contact details will be removed from submissions before they are made public, but the name of the submitter is published unless we are asked not to publish it.

Confidential submissions are not made available to the public. Confidential submissions are considered by the Commission but they are not referred to in our final reports as a source of information or opinion other than in exceptional circumstances.

Please let us know your preference when you make your submission. If you do not tell us that you want your submission to be treated as confidential, we will treat it as public.

Anonymous submissions

If you do not put your name or an organisation’s name on your submission, it will be difficult for

us to make use of the information you have provided. If you have concerns about your identity being made public, please consider making your submission confidential rather than submitting

it anonymously.

More information about the submission process and this reference is available on our website: www.lawreform.vic.gov.au.

Submission deadline: 16 September 2016