Last year we submitted a Freedom of Information request to have details of the Vice Chancellor's pay, relocation, ordinary expenses, and KPI and bonus arrangements released. Barring the ordinary expenses, the other FOI requests were rejected because these were deemed personal and therefore 'redacted as irrelevant'. The case justification for this is below. But as far as we're concerned, the salary packages of Vice-Chancellors are a public interest issue. They oversee publicly funded, not-for-profit educational institutions with legislated responsibilities to their broader communities. This information should be publicly available. Nonetheless, releasing the Vice Chancellor's ordinary expenses is still interesting, particularly in relation to the latest update to Swinburne's research strategy. You can read these here.
FOI Documents Requested/Decision Made:
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No.
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Description
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Decision
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1.
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Remuneration for new Vice Chancellor, 26/02/2020
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Redacted as irrelevant – section 25
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2.
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VC’s Relocation Allowance, 12/03/2021
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Redacted as irrelevant – section 25
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3.
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Vice-Chancellor Remuneration, 31/08/2021
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Redacted as irrelevant – section 25
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4.
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Vice-Chancellor: 2021 Bonus, 15/02/2022
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Redacted as irrelevant – section 25
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5.
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2022 KPI’s and Bonus Plan for the Vice-Chancellor, 10/2/2022
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Redacted as irrelevant – section 25
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6.
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VC Expenses from Zeeno
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Release in full. Contains some irrelevant information section 25
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"In Asher v Department of State & Regional Development, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) states ‘it seems to be generally accepted that the quantum of remuneration received by an officer for his or her discharge of government duties is information relating to that officer’s personal affairs’.*
*1 [2002] VCAT 609 at [9], referring to Ricketson v Royal Children’s Hospital (1989) VAR 10 at 12 per Judge Hanlon; and Milthorpe v Mt Alexander Shire Council (1997) 12 VAR 105 at 110. V300516."