Protective markings

All information handled by the department and shared with its agencies, partners, and third-party providers is labelled with protective markings.

Protective markings are labels applied to Outlook and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) documents. They signify the confidentiality requirements of the information, informing the level of security control to be applied.

Protective markings are mandatory for all Victorian public sector organisations under the Victorian Protective Data Security Standards (VPDSS). The standards are administered by the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC).

Your contact within the department may request you confirm the privacy and security requirements of the information you have provided. Department staff will not contact you unexpectedly and will only contact you if there is a prior correspondence.

Protective markings labels guide

The table below outlines the protective markings used in the department.

Protective marking name and description	Examples of information
UNOFFICIAL Personal or non-work-related material	personal emails non-work-related calendar invites
OFFICIAL Most routine emails and documents. This is the most common classification in the department.	press releases administrative or operational documents internal presentations meeting minutes project plans
OFFICIAL: SENSITIVE Information that if compromised could cause limited damage to government operations, organisations and/or individuals.	personal information staff records including performance plans information subject to legal privilege tenders or commercially confidential contracts
PROTECTED Information that if compromised could cause major damage to the Victorian Government, commercial entities or members of the public.	pre-release state budget papers information on breaches of official data protected disclosures high-value tender negotiations
PROTECTED: CABINET-IN-CONFIDENCE Information prepared for consideration by or that discloses a deliberation or decision by Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee.	information on Cabinet/Cabinet Committee deliberations or decisions briefs or information prepared for a Cabinet/Cabinet Committee meeting advice or briefs on Cabinet/Cabinet Committee submissions (including drafts)
SECRET Information that if compromised could cause serious damage to national security, the Victorian Government, nationally important economic and commercial interests, or threaten life. Recipients of this material should also hold the appropriate security clearance. Secret information is rare to none within the department unless you deal with highly sensitive issue, you are unlikely to encounter this information.	whistle-blower information information which if compromised could lead to loss

Need more information?

If you have queries regarding emails or documents received from the department with a protective marking, you can contact the author to understand the security requirements of the information.

Page last updated: 29 May 2025