PERSONAL: An application for access to personal information involves documents related to yourself personally and do not include information about third parties. There is no charge to access your own personal information under FOI.  Please note that information about any other person will be deleted from the documents before they are released to you.

Proof of Identity: If you are applying for your own personal information please provide a photographic evidence of your identity (such as your passport or a driver’s license).

NON-PERSONAL: An application for access to non-personal information involves documents which relate to information about third parties other than yourself (the FOI applicant). FOI applications for access to information other than your personal information eg corporate correspondence, policy documents etc incur an application fee of $30.00. Additional charges may apply as provided under the Freedom of Information Regulations 1993, eg time spent dealing with the application at $30.00 per hour, photocopying costs at 20c per page and postage etc.

YES: If you are a nominated authorised or legal representative, please provide a written authority from your client allowing you to access and receive the document(s) on their behalf. All communication regarding the FOI application will be sent to you.

If you are seeking access to documents relating to a company in liquidation, please provide evidence of your appointment as a liquidator or administrator/controller in relation to the company (eg. Court Order or a letter of appointment by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission).

EMAIL: The Department considers providing access to documents via attachments to email to be the most efficient format of FOI disclosure as it is the quickest and most cost-effective provision of access.

INSPECTION: Sometimes inspecting the documents may be the most suitable form of access. For example, where a document is in the form of a visual image or sound, or where it is otherwise difficult for it to be reproduced in a written version or transcript.

PAPER COPIES: Providing you with paper copies of documents is the least efficient provision of access under FOI as it requires more resources and delivery time. It may also incur additional charges for accessing non-personal information.

THIRD PARTY PERSONAL INFORMATION: For personal applications, please note that information about any other person will be automatically deleted from the documents before they are released to you.
  Processing your FOI request make take longer if consultation with third parties is required. Your name may be released to the third party during the consultation process.

·         Names of staff members or individual contractors at the agency

·         Qualifications held relevant to their positions

·         Professional titles or positions held at the agency

·         Functions and duties, or details of services, as described in relevant job descriptions or contracts

·         Anything done in the course of performing or purporting to perform their professional functions, duties or services as described in the relevant job description or contract.

 

THIRD PARTY BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL INFORMATION: Third party business or commercial information refers to private (non-government) legal and/or business entities. You can exclude from the scope of your FOI request information related to third party businesses. This information may include the name of the business entity or anything else which refers to or reveals details about its commercial affairs or dealings with the Department.

 

The FOI Act prevents the Department from disclosing business information of third parties unless they are consulted and consented to it before disclosure.

 

Processing your FOI request make take longer if consultation with third parties is required. Your name may be released to the third party during the consultation process. 

NEITHER: The FOI Act prevents the Department from disclosing business information of third parties unless they are consulted and consented to it before disclosure. As you selected to include third party information in the scope of your FOI request, please be aware that processing your FOI request will take additional time as consultation with third parties will most likely be required. Your name may be released to the third party during the consultation process.