The reporting system
Disclosures may be made in writing or orally to the Protected Disclosure Officer or the Protected Disclosure Coordinator.
Disclosures may be made under the Act anonymously (s 7 of the Act). A person may make a disclosure even if the person cannot identify the person or body to whom or to which the disclosure relates (s 8 of the Act). A person who makes a protected disclosure is immune from civil or criminal liability and disciplinary action for making the protected disclosure (s 14 of the Act) but a person's liability for his or her own conduct is not affected by disclosure of that conduct (s 17).
Disclosures may be made orally or in writing (Regulation 8):
- Oral disclosures must be made by telephone or in person in private to a member, officer or employee of the MFB.
- Written disclosures must be made by sending or delivering the disclosure to the MFB at its office.
The MFB may appoint another public body to be its agent in such matters, but has not done so at the time of publishing this procedure.
A person considering making a disclosure should be aware that MFB cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information transmitted by e-mail or fax.
Contact persons within MFB
Disclosures of improper conduct or detrimental action by MFB or its employees may be made to the following officers:
Protected Disclosure Officer
Jan Smith
456 Albert Street, East Melbourne
Victoria 3002
Phone (03) 9665 4431
The Protected Disclosure Coordinator
Alison Brideson
456 Albert Street, East Melbourne
Victoria 3002
All correspondence, phone calls and emails from internal or external whistleblowers will be referred to the Protected Disclosure Coordinator.
Where a person is contemplating making a disclosure and is concerned about approaching the Protected Disclosure Coordinator or Protected Disclosure Officer in the workplace, he or she can call the relevant officer and request a meeting in a discreet location away from the workplace.
Alternative Contact Person
Where a person does not wish to make a disclosure about improper conduct or detrimental action by MFB to the MFB Protected Disclosure Officer or Protected Disclosure Coordinator, that person may make a disclosure directly to the State Ombudsman.
Internet: www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au
Email: ombudvic@ombudsman.vic.gov.au
Disclosures not about MFB
The Ombudsman
Level 9, North Tower, 459 Collins Street
The following table sets out where disclosures about persons other than employees of MFB should be made.
| Person who is the subject of the disclosure |
Person/body to whom the disclosure must be made |
| Employee of a Victorian public body other than the MFB |
That public body or the Ombudsman |
| Member of Parliament (Legislative Assembly) |
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly |
| Member of Parliament (Legislative Council) |
President of the Legislative Council |
| Councillor |
The Ombudsman |
| Chief Commissioner of Police |
The Ombudsman or the Director Police Integrity |
| Member of the police force |
The Ombudsman, the Director Police Integrity or the Chief Commissioner of Police |