Source: http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fragview/inforce/act+52+2009+whole+0+N?autoquery=(Title%3D((&tocnav=y
Timestamp: 2013-05-22 18:36:56
Document Index: 574517786

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 4', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art\n5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art\n5', 'art\n5', 'art 5', 'art.83', 'art.103', 'art 3', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 5', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art 2', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art.7', 'art 3']

Result titles | Result hits
Current version for 20 January 2013 to date (accessed 23 May 2013 at 04:36)
Current version for 20 January 2013 to date (accessed 23 May 2013 at 04:36).
Does not include amendments by:Inspector of Custodial Services
Act 2012 No 55 (not commenced)Small Business Commissioner Act 2013 No 22 (not commenced)See also:
Amendment (Removal of Application Fee) Bill 2012
[Non-government Bill: Mr J C Robertson, MP]Victims Rights and Support Bill 2013
File last modified 7 May 2013.
An Act to facilitate public access to government
information.Part 1 Preliminary1 Name of ActThis Act is the Government
Information (Public Access) Act 2009.2 CommencementThis Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by
proclamation.3 Object of Act(1) In order to maintain and advance a system of responsible and
representative democratic Government that is open, accountable, fair and
effective, the object of this Act is to open government information to the
public by:(a) authorising and encouraging the proactive public release of
government information by agencies, and
(b) giving members of the public an enforceable right to access
government information, and
(c) providing that access to government information is restricted only
when there is an overriding public interest against
(2) It is the intention of Parliament:(a) that this Act be interpreted and applied so as to further the
object of this Act, and
(b) that the discretions conferred by this Act be exercised, as far as
possible, so as to facilitate and encourage, promptly and at the lowest
reasonable cost, access to government information.
4 Interpretation(1) Key definitions In this Act:access
application means an application for access to government
information under Part 4 that is a valid access application under that
Part.agency means
any of the following:(a) a Government Department,
(b) a Minister (including a Minister’s personal
staff),
(c) a public authority,
(d) a public office,
(e) a local authority,
(f) a court,
(g) a person or entity that is an agency pursuant to regulations under
clause 5 of Schedule 4.
Note. Schedule 4 contains definitions of Government
Department, public
authority, local
authority, public
office and court. The
Information Commissioner publishes a list of agencies and their contact
details.government
information means information contained in a record held by an
agency.(2) Other interpretative provisions Expressions used in this Act that are defined in Schedule 4 have
the meanings set out in that Schedule.Part 2 Open government information—general
principlesDivision 1 Ways of accessing government
information5 Presumption in favour of disclosure of government
informationThere is a presumption in favour of the disclosure of government
information unless there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure.6 Mandatory proactive release of certain government
information(1) An agency must make the government information that is its
information publicly available unless there is an overriding public
interest against disclosure of the information.Note. Part 3 lists the information that is open access
information.(2) Open access information is to be made publicly available free of
charge on a website maintained by the agency (unless to do so would impose
unreasonable additional costs on the agency) and can be made publicly
available in any other way that the agency considers
appropriate.(3) At least one of the ways in which an agency makes open access
information publicly available must be free of charge. Access provided in any
other way can be charged for.(4) An agency must facilitate public access to open access information
contained in a record by deleting matter from a copy of the record to be made
publicly available if inclusion of the matter would otherwise result in there
being an overriding public interest against disclosure of the record and it is
practicable to delete the matter.(5) An agency must keep a record of the open access information (if
any) that it does not make publicly available on the basis of an overriding
public interest against disclosure. The record is to indicate only the general
nature of the information concerned.(6) Nothing in this section or the regulations requires or permits an
agency to make open access information available in any way that would
constitute an infringement of copyright.7 Authorised proactive release of government
information(1) An agency is authorised to make any government information held by
the agency publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest
against disclosure of the information.(2) The information that an agency decides to make publicly available
is to be made publicly available in any manner that the agency considers
appropriate, either free of charge or at the lowest reasonable cost to the
agency.(3) An agency must, at intervals of not more than 12 months, review
its program for the release of government information under this section to
identify the kinds of government information held by the agency that should in
the public interest be made publicly available and that can be made publicly
available without imposing unreasonable additional costs on the
agency.(4) An agency can facilitate public access to government information
being an overriding public interest against disclosure of the
record.(5) The functions of an agency under this section may only be
exercised by or with the authority (given either generally or in a particular
case) of the principal officer of the agency.8 Informal release of government information(1) An agency is authorised to release government information held by
it to a person in response to an informal request by the person (that is, a
request that is not an access application) unless there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of the
information.(2) An agency can release government information in response to an
informal request subject to any reasonable conditions that the agency thinks
fit to impose.(3) An agency cannot be required to disclose government information
pursuant to an informal request and cannot be required to consider an informal
request for government information.(4) An agency can decide by what means information is to be released
in response to an informal request.(5) An agency can facilitate public access to government information
contained in a record by deleting matter from a copy of the record to be
released in response to an informal request if inclusion of the matter would
otherwise result in there being an overriding public interest against
disclosure of the record.(6) The functions of an agency under this section may only be
case) of the principal officer of the agency.9 Access applications(1) A person who makes an access application for government
information has a legally enforceable right to be provided with access to the
information in accordance with Part 4 (Access applications) unless there is an
overriding public interest against disclosure of the
information.(2) An agency is not subject to the direction or control of any
Minister in the exercise of the agency’s functions in dealing with a
particular access application.(3) The function of making a reviewable decision in connection with an
access application made to an agency may only be exercised by or with the
authority (given either generally or in a particular case) of the principal
officer of the agency.10 Disclosure and access under other laws(1) This Act is not intended to prevent or discourage the publication
or giving of access to government information as permitted or required by or
under any other Act or law that enables a member of the public to obtain
access to government information.(2) This Act does not affect the operation of any other Act or law
that requires government information to be made available to the public or
that enables a member of the public to obtain access to government
information.11 Act overrides secrecy provisions in other
legislationThis Act overrides a provision of any other Act or statutory rule
that prohibits the disclosure of information (whether or not the prohibition
is subject to specified qualifications or exceptions), other than a provision
of a law listed in Schedule 1 as an overriding secrecy law.Note. For overriding secrecy laws it is conclusively presumed that there
is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information. Other
secrecy laws are to be taken into account as considerations against disclosure
in determining whether there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure. See section 14.Division 2 Public interest considerations12 Public interest considerations in favour of
disclosure(1) There is a general public interest in favour of the disclosure of
government information.(2) Nothing in this Act limits any other public interest
considerations in favour of the disclosure of government information that may
be taken into account for the purpose of determining whether there is an
overriding public interest against disclosure of government
information.Note. The following are examples of public interest considerations in
favour of disclosure of information:(a) Disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to
promote open discussion of public affairs, enhance Government accountability
or contribute to positive and informed debate on issues of public
(b) Disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to
inform the public about the operations of agencies and, in particular, their
policies and practices for dealing with members of the
(c) Disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to
ensure effective oversight of the expenditure of public
(d) The information is personal information of the person to whom it
is to be disclosed.
(e) Disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to
reveal or substantiate that an agency (or a member of an agency) has engaged
in misconduct or negligent, improper or unlawful
(3) The Information Commissioner can issue guidelines about public
interest considerations in favour of the disclosure of government information,
for the assistance of agencies.13 Public interest testThere is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of government information for the
purposes of this Act if (and only if) there are public interest considerations
against disclosure and, on balance, those considerations outweigh the public
interest considerations in favour of disclosure.14 Public interest considerations against
disclosure(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of any of the government information
described in Schedule 1.(2) The public interest considerations listed in the Table to this
section are the only other considerations that may be taken into account under
this Act as public interest considerations against disclosure for the purpose
of determining whether there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure of government information.(3) The Information Commissioner can issue guidelines about public
interest considerations against the disclosure of government information, for
the assistance of agencies, but cannot add to the list of considerations in
the Table to this section.(4) The Information Commissioner must consult with the Privacy
Commissioner before issuing any guideline about a privacy-related public
interest consideration (being a public interest consideration referred to in
clause 3 (a) or (b) of the Table to this section).Table
1 Responsible and effective governmentThere is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
information if disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to
have one or more of the following effects (whether in a particular case or
generally):(a) prejudice collective Ministerial
(b) prejudice Ministerial responsibility to
(c) prejudice relations with, or the obtaining of confidential
information from, another government,
(d) prejudice the supply to an agency of confidential information that
facilitates the effective exercise of that agency’s
(e) reveal a deliberation or consultation conducted, or an opinion,
advice or recommendation given, in such a way as to prejudice a deliberative
process of government or an agency,
(f) prejudice the effective exercise by an agency of the
agency’s functions,
(g) found an action against an agency for breach of confidence or
otherwise result in the disclosure of information provided to an agency in
(h) prejudice the conduct, effectiveness or integrity of any audit,
test, investigation or review conducted by or on behalf of an agency by
revealing its purpose, conduct or results (whether or not commenced and
whether or not completed).
2 Law enforcement and securityThere is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
generally):(a) reveal or tend to reveal the identity of an informant or prejudice
the future supply of information from an informant,
(b) prejudice the prevention, detection or investigation of a
contravention or possible contravention of the law or prejudice the
enforcement of the law,
(c) increase the likelihood of, or prejudice the prevention of,
preparedness against, response to, or recovery from, a public emergency
(including any natural disaster, major accident, civil disturbance or act of
(d) endanger, or prejudice any system or procedure for protecting, the
life, health or safety of any person,
(e) endanger the security of, or prejudice any system or procedure for
protecting, any place, property or vehicle,
(f) facilitate the commission of a criminal act (including a terrorist
act within the meaning of the Terrorism
(Police Powers) Act 2002),
(g) prejudice the supervision of, or facilitate the escape of, any
person in lawful custody,
(h) prejudice the security, discipline or good order of any
3 Individual rights, judicial processes and natural
justiceThere is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
have one or more of the following effects:(a) reveal an individual’s personal
(b) contravene an information protection principle under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act
1998 or a Health Privacy Principle under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act
(c) prejudice any court proceedings by revealing matter prepared for
the purposes of or in relation to current or future
(d) prejudice the fair trial of any person, the impartial adjudication
of any case or a person’s right to procedural
(e) reveal false or unsubstantiated allegations about a person that
are defamatory,
(f) expose a person to a risk of harm or of serious harassment or
serious intimidation,
(g) in the case of the disclosure of personal information about a
child—the disclosure of information that it would not be in the best
interests of the child to have disclosed.
4 Business interests of agencies and other personsThere is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
have one or more of the following effects:(a) undermine competitive neutrality in connection with any functions
of an agency in respect of which it competes with any person or otherwise
place an agency at a competitive advantage or disadvantage in any
(b) reveal commercial-in-confidence provisions of a government
(c) diminish the competitive commercial value of any information to
any person,
(d) prejudice any person’s legitimate business, commercial,
professional or financial interests,
(e) prejudice the conduct, effectiveness or integrity of any research
by revealing its purpose, conduct or results (whether or not commenced and
5 Environment, culture, economy and general
mattersThere is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
have one or more of the following effects:(a) endanger, or prejudice any system or procedure for protecting, the
(b) prejudice the conservation of any place or object of natural,
cultural or heritage value, or reveal any information relating to Aboriginal
or Torres Strait Islander traditional knowledge,
(c) endanger, or prejudice any system or procedure for protecting, the
life, health or safety of any animal or other living thing, or threaten the
existence of any species,
(d) damage, or prejudice the ability of the Government or an agency to
manage, the economy,
(e) expose any person to an unfair advantage or disadvantage as a
result of the premature disclosure of information concerning any proposed
action or inaction of the Government or an agency.
6 Secrecy provisions(1) There is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
information if disclosure of the information by any person could (disregarding
the operation of this Act) reasonably be expected to constitute a
contravention of a provision of any other Act or statutory rule (of this or
another State or of the Commonwealth) that prohibits the disclosure of
information, whether or not the prohibition is subject to specified
qualifications or exceptions.
(2) The public interest consideration under this clause extends to
consideration of the policy that underlies the prohibition against
7 Exempt documents under interstate Freedom of Information
legislation(1) There is a public interest consideration against disclosure of
information communicated to the Government of New South Wales by the
Government of the Commonwealth or of another State if notice has been received
from that Government that the information is exempt matter within the meaning
of a corresponding law of the Commonwealth or that other
consideration of the policy that underlies the
(3) In this clause, a reference to a corresponding law is a reference
to:(a) the Freedom of Information Act
1982 of the Commonwealth, or
(b) a law of any other State that is prescribed by the regulations as
a corresponding law for the purposes of this
15 Principles that apply to public interest
determinationA determination as to whether there is an overriding public
interest against disclosure of government information is to be made in
accordance with the following principles:(a) Agencies must exercise their functions so as to promote the object
(b) Agencies must have regard to any relevant guidelines issued by the
(c) The fact that disclosure of information might cause embarrassment
to, or a loss of confidence in, the Government is irrelevant and must not be
(d) The fact that disclosure of information might be misinterpreted or
misunderstood by any person is irrelevant and must not be taken into
(e) In the case of disclosure in response to an access application, it
is relevant to consider that disclosure cannot be made subject to any
conditions on the use or disclosure of information.
Division 3 Assistance and oversight16 Agencies to provide advice and assistance(1) An agency must provide advice and assistance to a person who
requests or proposes to request access to government information, for the
purpose of assisting the person to access, or seek access to, information that
is or may be made publicly available.(2) An agency must provide the following specific advice and
assistance to a person who requests access to government information:(a) advice as to whether or not the information is publicly available
from the agency and (if it is) how the information can be
(b) advice on how to make an access application for the information if
the information is not publicly available from the agency but appears likely
to be held by the agency,
(c) if the information appears unlikely to be held by the agency but
appears likely to relate to the functions of some other agency, the contact
details of the other agency,
(d) the contact details of the Information Commissioner and advice on
the availability of and how to access any information published by the
Information Commissioner that it appears may be relevant to the person’s
(3) An agency is only required to provide advice and assistance under
this section that it would be reasonable to expect the agency to
provide.17 Role of Information CommissionerThe Information Commissioner has the following functions in
connection with the operation of this Act:(a) to promote public awareness and understanding of this Act and to
promote the object of this Act,
(b) to provide information, advice, assistance and training to
agencies and the public on any matters relevant to this
(c) to assist agencies in connection with the exercise of their
functions under this Act, including by providing services to assist with the
lodgment, handling and processing of access applications,
(d) to issue guidelines and other publications for the assistance of
agencies in connection with their functions under this
(e) to issue guidelines and other publications for the assistance of
the public in connection with their rights under this Act (including rights of
review),
(f) to review decisions of agencies pursuant to Part
(g) to monitor, audit and report on the exercise by agencies of their
functions under, and compliance with, this Act,
(h) to make reports and provide recommendations to the Minister about
proposals for legislative and administrative changes to further the object of
Part 3 Open access informationDivision 1 Preliminary18 What constitutes open access informationThe following government information held by an agency is the
agency’s open
access information that is required to be made publicly available by
the agency under section 6 (Mandatory proactive release of certain government
information):(a) the agency’s current agency information guide (see Division
(b) information about the agency contained in any document tabled in
Parliament by or on behalf of the agency, other than any document tabled by
order of either House of Parliament,
(c) the agency’s policy documents (see Division
(d) the agency’s disclosure log of access applications (see
Division 4),
(e) the agency’s register of government contracts (see Division
(f) the agency’s record (kept under section 6) of the open
access information (if any) that it does not make publicly available on the
basis of an overriding public interest against disclosure,
(g) such other government information as may be prescribed by the
regulations as open access information.
19 Excluded functions of particular agenciesThis Part does not apply to an agency in respect of any functions
of the agency listed in Schedule 2 (Excluded information of particular
agencies).Division 2 Agency information guides20 Agencies must have agency information guide(1) An agency (other than a Minister) must have a guide (its agency information
guide) that:(a) describes the structure and functions of the agency,
(b) describes the ways in which the functions (including, in
particular, the decision-making functions) of the agency affect members of the
(c) specifies any arrangements that exist to enable members of the
public to participate in the formulation of the agency’s policy and the
exercise of the agency’s functions, and
(d) identifies the various kinds of government information held by the
agency, and
(e) identifies the kinds of government information held by the agency
that the agency makes (or will make) publicly available,
(f) specifies the manner in which the agency makes (or will make)
government information publicly available, and
(g) identifies the kinds of information that are (or will be) made
publicly available free of charge and those kinds for which a charge is (or
will be) imposed.
(2) An agency must make government information publicly available as
provided by its agency information guide.(3) The Director-General of the Department of Local Government may, in
consultation with the Information Commissioner, adopt mandatory provisions for
inclusion in the agency information guide of local authorities. The agency
information guide of a local authority must include any such mandatory
provision unless the Director-General otherwise approves in a particular
case.21 Adoption and review of agency information guideAn agency must adopt its first agency information guide within 6
months after the commencement of this section and must review its agency
information guide and adopt a new agency information guide at intervals of not
more than 12 months. An agency may update and amend its agency information
guide at any time.22 Role of Information Commissioner(1) An agency must notify the Information Commissioner before adopting
or amending an agency information guide and must, if requested to do so by the
Information Commissioner, consult with the Information Commissioner on the
proposed agency information guide or amendment.(2) The Information Commissioner can issue guidelines and model agency
information guides for the assistance of agencies in connection with agency
information guides.Division 3 Policy documents23 What constitutes an agency’s policy
documentsAn agency’s policy documents are such
of the following documents as are used by the agency in connection with the
exercise of those functions of the agency that affect or are likely to affect
rights, privileges or other benefits, or obligations, penalties or other
detriments, to which members of the public are or may become entitled,
eligible, liable or subject (but does not include a legislative
instrument):(a) a document containing interpretations, rules, guidelines,
statements of policy, practices or precedents,
(b) a document containing particulars of any administrative
(c) a document containing a statement of the manner, or intended
manner, of administration of any legislative instrument or administrative
(d) a document describing the procedures to be followed in
investigating any contravention or possible contravention of any legislative
instrument or administrative scheme,
24 Effect of policy documents not being publicly
available(1) A person is not to be subjected to any prejudice because of the
application of the provisions of an agency’s policy document to any act
or omission of the person if, at the time of the act or omission:(a) the policy document was not publicly available as required by this
(b) the person was not aware of those provisions,
(c) the person could lawfully have avoided the prejudice had the
person been aware of those provisions.
(2) This section does not apply to any matter forming part of an
agency’s policy document that is not made publicly available as a result
of being deleted as required by this Act from copies of the policy document
that are made publicly available.Division 4 Disclosure log of access applications25 Requirement for disclosure logAn agency must keep a record (called its disclosure log) that
records information about access applications made to the agency that the
agency decides by deciding to provide access (to some or all of the
information applied for) if the information is information that the agency
considers may be of interest to other members of the
public.26 Required information about access applications(1) The information about an access application that is required to be
recorded in an agency’s disclosure log is as follows:(a) the date the application was decided,
(b) a description of the information to which access was provided in
response to the application,
(c) a statement as to whether any of the information is now available
from the agency to other members of the public and (if it is) how it can be
(2) No details are required to be recorded in the agency’s
disclosure log:(a) if no objection is made under section 56 to the inclusion of
information in the log before the access application is decided—until
the application is decided, or
(b) if an objection is made under section 56 to the inclusion of
the agency is entitled under that section to include the information in the
Note. See section 56 (5) and (6) as to when an agency is entitled to
include information in its disclosure log following an objection under that
section.(3) An agency is not required to include in its disclosure log
information about any application:(a) for personal information about the applicant (the applicant being
an individual) or any other individual, or
(b) in respect of which any factors particular to the applicant were
otherwise a consideration in the agency’s determination of the public
interest in connection with the disclosure of the information to the
Division 5 Government contracts with private
sector27 Register of government contracts valued at $150,000 or
more(1) An agency is to keep a register of government contracts (its
contracts register) that records information about each government
contract to which the agency is a party that has (or is likely to have) a
value of $150,000 or more (class 1
contracts).(2) Information about a class 1 contract must be entered in the
register within 45 working days after the contract becomes
effective.(3) A contract becomes
effective:(a) when it is entered into by or on behalf of the agency concerned,
(b) if the contract contains a provision to the effect that one or
more conditions are to be met before the obligations of the parties under the
contract are enforceable—when the condition or conditions have been met
(and not when the contract is entered into by the
28 Value of contractThe value of a
contract is whichever of the following values is appropriate to the kind of
contract concerned:(a) the total estimated value of the project,
(b) the total estimated value of the goods or services over the term
of the contract,
(c) the value of the real property transferred,
(d) the rent for the term of the lease.
29 Information to be entered in register—class 1
contractsThe following information about a class 1 contract is to be
entered in the government contracts register:(a) the name and business address of the
(b) particulars of any related body corporate (within the meaning of
Commonwealth) in respect of the contractor, or any other private sector entity
in which the contractor has an interest, that will be involved in carrying out
any of the contractor’s obligations under the contract or will receive a
benefit under the contract,
(c) the date on which the contract became effective and the duration
(d) particulars of the project to be undertaken, the goods or services
to be provided or the real property to be leased or transferred under the
(e) the estimated amount payable to the contractor under the
(f) a description of any provisions under which the amount payable to
the contractor may be varied,
(g) a description of any provisions with respect to the renegotiation
(h) in the case of a contract arising from a tendering process, the
method of tendering and a summary of the criteria against which the various
tenders were assessed,
(i) a description of any provisions under which it is agreed that the
contractor is to receive payment for providing operational or maintenance
30 Additional information for class 2 contracts(1) Additional information is required to be entered in the government
contracts register for class 1 contracts to which any of the following
paragraphs applies (class 2
contracts):(a) there has not been a tender process, the proposed contract has not
been made publicly available and the terms and conditions of the contract have
been negotiated directly with the contractor,
(b) the proposed contract (whether or not made publicly available) has
been the subject of a tendering process and the terms and conditions of the
contract have been substantially negotiated with the successful
tenderer,
(c) the obligations of one or more parties under the contract to
maintain or operate infrastructure or assets could continue for 10 years or
(d) the contract involves a privately financed project as defined by
guidelines published by the Treasury (as in force from time to
(e) the contract involves a transfer of a significant asset of the
agency concerned to another party to the contract in exchange for the transfer
of an asset to the agency.
(2) The additional information required to be entered in the register
for class 2 contracts is as follows:(a) particulars of future transfers of significant assets to the State
at zero, or nominal, cost to the State, including the date of their proposed
(b) particulars of future transfers of significant assets to the
contractor, including the date of their proposed transfer,
(c) the results of any cost-benefit analysis of the contract conducted
by the agency,
(d) the components and quantum of the public sector comparator if
(e) if relevant, a summary of information used in the
contractor’s full base case financial model (for example, the pricing
formula for tolls or usage charges),
(f) if relevant, particulars of how risk, during the construction and
operational phases of a contract to undertake a specific project (such as
construction, infrastructure or property development), is to be apportioned
between the parties, quantified (where practicable) in net present-value terms
and specifying the major assumptions involved,
(g) particulars as to any significant guarantees or undertakings
between the parties, including any guarantees or undertakings with respect to
loan agreements entered into or proposed to be entered
(h) particulars of any other key elements of the
31 Register to include copy of class 3 contractIf a class 2 contract has (or is likely to have) a value of $5
million or more (a class 3
contract), the register must include a copy of the class 3
contract.32 Confidential information not required to be included in
register(1) A requirement of this Division to include information or a copy of
a contract in the government contracts register does not require the inclusion
of:(a) the commercial-in-confidence provisions of a contract,
(b) details of any unsuccessful tender, or
(c) any matter that could reasonably be expected to affect public
safety or security, or
(d) a copy of a contract, a provision of a contract or any other
information in relation to a contract that is of such a nature that its
inclusion in a record would result in there being an overriding public
interest against disclosure of the record.
(2) If an agency does not include a copy of a contract in the
register, or includes only some of the provisions of a contract in the
register, because of this section, the agency must include in the
register:(a) the reasons why the contract or those provisions have not been
included in the register, and
(b) a statement as to whether it is intended that the contract or
those provisions will be included in the register at a later date and, if so,
when it is likely that they will be included, and
(c) if some but not all of the provisions of the contract have been
included in the register, a general description of the types of provisions
that have not been included.
33 Variations to contracts(1) If a material variation is made to a contract that would affect
the particulars that are required to be included in the government contracts
register in relation to the contract, the particulars included in the register
are to be amended to reflect the variation within 45 working days after the
variation becomes effective.(2) If a material variation is made to a contract a copy of which is
required to be included in the register, a copy of the variation or the varied
provisions is to be included in the register within 45 working days after the
variation becomes effective.34 Minimum public access period for information on
register(1) Information (including a copy of a contract) required to be
included in the government contracts register in relation to a contract is
only required to be made publicly available as open access information for the
public access period.(2) The public access
period is whichever is the longer of the following periods:(a) 20 working days,
(b) the period until the project to which the contract relates is
complete, the goods and services concerned have been provided under the
contract, the term of the lease has expired or the real property has been
35 Register to be published on Government tenders
website(1) A copy of an agency’s government contracts register is to be
published on the Government tenders website (that is, the website with the URL
of https://tenders.nsw.gov.au or such other internet website as the Premier
may authorise for the purposes of this section).(2) Each of the following agencies is not required to have a copy of
its government contracts register published on the Government tenders website
but is required to have a copy of the register published on any website of the
agency:(a) a State owned corporation or a subsidiary of a State owned
(c) a university.
(3) A copy of an agency’s government contracts register is also
to be made publicly available in any other manner in which the agency decides
to make its open access information publicly
available.36 Disputes(1) If a person other than an officer of the agency (including, for
example, a party to a government contract) disagrees with the way in which an
agency has interpreted its obligations under this Division, the agency is to
obtain:(a) the opinion of the Chairperson of the NSW Procurement Board in
relation to the matter, or
(b) if the principal officer of the agency is the Chairperson of the
Board—the opinion of the Minister in relation to the
(2) This section does not apply to:(a) a State owned corporation or a subsidiary of a State owned
37 Agency obligation to find informationInformation is required to be included in an agency’s
government contracts register only to the extent that the agency holds the
information or it is reasonably practical for the agency to obtain the
information.38 Exception for industry support contractsThis Division does not require the Department of State and
Regional Development to include any information about or a copy of a
government contract in its government contracts register if the contract
involves the provision of industry support.39 Exception for SOCs—competitive neutralityThis Division does not require a State owned corporation or a
subsidiary of a State owned corporation to include any information about or a
copy of a government contract in its government contracts register if the
contract relates to activities engaged in by the corporation or subsidiary in
a market in which it is in competition with any other
person.40 Exception for Landcom—contracts for sale of
landThis Division does not require Landcom to include any information
about or a copy of a government contract in its government contracts register
if the contract is a contract for the sale of land.Note. Any exception under this Division from the requirement to include
information about or a copy of a contract on a government contracts register
does not of itself constitute grounds for refusing an access
application.Part 4 Access applicationsDivision 1 Making an access application41 How to make an access application(1) An application or other request for government information is not
a valid access application unless it complies with the following requirements
(the formal
requirements) for access applications:(a) it must be in writing sent to or lodged at an office of the agency
(b) it must clearly indicate that it is an access application made
(c) it must be accompanied by a fee of $30,
(d) it must state a postal address as the address for correspondence
in connection with the application,
(e) it must include such information as is reasonably necessary to
enable the government information applied for to be
Note. See section 51A concerning the effect of a waiver, reduction or
refund of the fee for an access application. See also section 52 (3)
concerning assistance to be afforded by an agency to an access
applicant.(2) An agency may, with the approval of the Information Commissioner,
approve additional facilities for the making of an access application or the
payment of an application fee. An application made to any agency by use of
such a facility is considered to have been lodged at an office of the agency
and a fee paid by use of such a facility is considered to have accompanied the
application.(3) An access application is not considered to have been received by
an agency until it is actually received by the
agency.42 Inclusion of additional information in
applicationsAn access application can include any of the following:(a) submissions by the applicant as to any public interest
considerations that the applicant thinks the agency should take into account
in determining whether or not there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure of the information,
(b) a request for a discount on processing charges for the application
(including relevant supporting information, such as evidence of hardship or
special public interest),
(c) any other information that the applicant thinks may be
43 Access application cannot be made for excluded
information(1) An access application cannot be made to an agency for access to
excluded information of the agency.Note. Information is excluded information of an agency if it relates to
any function specified in Schedule 2 in relation to the
agency.(2) An application for government information is not a valid access
application to the extent that the application is made in contravention of
this section.Division 2 Transfer, amendment or withdrawal of access
applications44 Ways in which applications can be transferredAn agency that receives an access application for government
information can transfer the application to another agency either by agency-initiated
transfer or by applicant-initiated
transfer, as provided by this Division.Note. A decision to transfer an application to another agency is
reviewable under Part 5.45 Agency-initiated transfer(1) An agency-initiated transfer of an access application to another
agency requires the consent of that other agency and cannot be done
unless:(a) the other agency is known to hold the information applied for and
the information relates more closely to the functions of that other agency,
(b) the agency that receives the application decides that it does not
hold the information and the other agency is known or reasonably expected to
hold the information.
(2) An agency-initiated transfer cannot be done more than 10 working
days after the application was received.46 Applicant-initiated transfer(1) An applicant-initiated transfer of an access application to
another agency cannot be done unless the applicant and the agency to which the
application was made agree that the application should be transferred and it
appears that the information relates more closely to the functions of the
other agency.(2) The consent of the other agency is not required for an
applicant-initiated transfer and it does not matter whether the agency that is
to transfer the application holds the information (or knows whether it holds
the information).47 Notice of transfer of applicationAn agency that transfers an application must give notice of the
transfer to the applicant, advising of the date of transfer and the agency to
which it was transferred.48 Effect of transfer of application(1) The agency that transfers an application is not required to refund
or transfer the application fee to the other agency but cannot impose any
processing charges.(2) The agency that transfers an application has no obligation to
decide the application.(3) An application that is transferred to an agency is deemed to have
been received by that agency (on the date that it is received by that agency)
as an application made by the applicant to that agency, and is to be
acknowledged accordingly by that agency.(4) The agency to which an application is transferred is not entitled
to charge an application fee for the application but is entitled to impose
processing charges in accordance with this Act.49 Amendment of application(1) An access application may be amended by the applicant at any time
before the agency decides the application. Notice of the amendment must be
received by the agency before the agency decides the
application.(2) An amendment to reduce the scope of the information applied for
does not require the consent of the agency but any other amendment cannot be
made without the consent of the agency.Note. A decision by an agency to refuse to consent to an amendment is
not a reviewable decision (but a fresh access application can be
made).(3) The agency must give notice to the applicant confirming the
amendment of an access application and the date on which it was amended if the
amendment requires the consent of the agency or the amendment was not made by
the applicant in writing.(4) An amendment to reduce the scope of the information applied for
does not prevent the agency from imposing a processing charge in respect of
time spent before the amendment is made in dealing with any aspect of the
access application that the amendment makes
unnecessary.(5) The amendment of an access application does not affect the period
within which the application is required to be decided and does not entitle
the applicant to a refund or reduction of any application fee or advance
deposit already paid.Note. The period within which an application is required to be decided
can be extended by agreement between the agency and
applicant.50 Withdrawal of application(1) A person who has made an access application may withdraw it at any
time before notice of the agency’s decision on the application is given
to the person.(2) The withdrawal of an application does not entitle the applicant to
a refund of any application fee or advance deposit already
paid.(3) The agency must give notice to the applicant confirming the
withdrawal of an access application and the date on which it was withdrawn if
the withdrawal was not made by the applicant in
writing.Division 3 Process for dealing with access
applications51 Initial decision as to validity of application(1) When an agency receives an application for access to government
information that it appears is intended to be an access application, the
agency is to decide whether the application is a valid access application and
is to notify its decision to the applicant by either:(a) acknowledging receipt of the application as a valid access
application, or
(b) notifying the applicant that the application is not a valid access
Note. An application is not a valid access application if it is an
application for excluded information of the agency or does not comply with the
formal requirements for access applications.(2) An agency’s decision as to the validity of an application
must be made and notified to the applicant as soon as practicable after the
agency receives the application and in any event within 5 working days after
the application is received.Note. The decision is reviewable under Part 5.(3) An acknowledgement of receipt of a valid access application must
include the following:(a) the date by which the application is required to be decided
(subject to any suspension or extension of the time for deciding an
(b) a statement that the application will be deemed to have been
refused if not decided by the required date,
(c) a statement that information about the application may be made
public in the agency’s disclosure log and that the applicant may object
to this (but this statement is not required if the agency considers it
unlikely that information about the application will be included in the
disclosure log),
(d) such details of rights of review in connection with access
applications as the Information Commissioner may from time to time
(4) Acknowledging receipt of an application as a valid access
application does not prevent the agency from subsequently deciding that the
application is not a valid access application.(5) An agency’s decision that an application is not a valid
access application is presumed to be correct, subject to any review of the
decision under Part 5.51A Effect of waiver, reduction or refund of application
fee(1) An agency is not to treat an application as being an invalid
access application only because of the non-payment of the required application
fee if:(a) the payment of the fee was waived by the agency before the
application was made, or
(b) the amount of the fee payable was reduced by the agency before the
application was made and the reduced fee accompanied the
Note. Section 127 enables an agency to waive, reduce or refund a fee
payable or paid under this Act for an application fee in any case that the
agency thinks appropriate, subject to the regulations.(2) If an agency waives payment of the required application fee, or
reduces the amount of the fee that is payable, after the application is made
(and the application would have been valid had the required application fee
been paid):(a) in the case of a waived fee—the application becomes a valid
access application and is deemed to have been made when the fee was waived,
(b) in the case of a reduced fee—the application becomes a valid
access application when the reduced fee is paid and is deemed to have been
made when the payment is made.
(3) The refund of an application fee does not affect the validity of
an access application that was duly made.52 Agency assistance with invalid applications(1) The notification of an agency’s decision that an application
is not a valid access application must:(a) include a statement of the reason why the application is not a
valid access application (including reference to the relevant provisions of
this Act), and
(b) if a reason is non-payment of the required application fee, invite
the applicant to pay the fee, and
(c) if a reason is failure to provide required information, invite the
applicant to provide the information, and
(d) notify the applicant of the right of review under Part 5 that
applies in relation to a decision that an application is not a valid access
(2) The application becomes a valid access application if the
applicant pays the required fee or provides the required information (as
appropriate), and is then deemed to have been made when the fee or information
was received by the agency.(3) An agency must provide advice and assistance, so far as it would
be reasonable to expect the agency to do so, to assist an applicant to provide
such information as may be necessary to enable the applicant to make a valid
access application.(4) (Repealed)(5) An applicant is entitled to a refund of any application fee that
accompanied an invalid access application (unless the application subsequently
becomes valid).53 Searches for information held by agency(1) The obligation of an agency to provide access to government
information in response to an access application is limited to information
held by the agency when the application is
received.(2) An agency must undertake such reasonable searches as may be
necessary to find any of the government information applied for that was held
by the agency when the application was received. The agency’s searches
must be conducted using the most efficient means reasonably available to the
agency.(3) The obligation of an agency to undertake reasonable searches
extends to searches using any resources reasonably available to the agency
including resources that facilitate the retrieval of information stored
electronically.(4) An agency is not required to search for information in records
held by the agency in an electronic backup system unless a record containing
the information has been lost to the agency as a result of having been
destroyed, transferred, or otherwise dealt with, in contravention of the
State Records Act 1998 or
contrary to the agency’s established record management
procedures.(5) An agency is not required to undertake any search for information
that would require an unreasonable and substantial diversion of the
agency’s resources.54 Consultation on public interest considerations(1) An agency must take such steps (if any) as are reasonably
practicable to consult with a person before providing access to information
relating to the person in response to an access application if it appears
that:(a) the information is of a kind that requires consultation under this
(b) the person may reasonably be expected to have concerns about the
disclosure of the information, and
(c) those concerns may reasonably be expected to be relevant to the
question of whether there is a public interest consideration against
(2) Information relating to a person is of a kind that requires
consultation under this section if the information:(a) includes personal information about the person,
(b) concerns the person’s business, commercial, professional or
financial interests, or
(c) concerns research that has been, is being, or is intended to be,
carried out by or on behalf of the person, or
(d) concerns the affairs of a government of the Commonwealth or
another State (and the person is that government).
Note. The requirement to consult extends to consultation with other
agencies and other governments. See the definition of person in Schedule
4.(2A) If the agency considers that information about a person consulted
under this section is likely to be included in the agency’s disclosure
log in relation to the access application, the agency must give a written
notice to the person containing the following statements:(a) that information concerning the application will be included in
the agency’s disclosure log and that the person can object to
(b) that there is a right of review under Part 5 of a decision by the
agency to include information in its disclosure log despite the person’s
(3) If consultation is required concerning the release of personal
information about a deceased person, that consultation is to be done by
consultation with a close relative of the deceased.(4) The purpose of consultation under this section is to ascertain
whether the person has an objection to disclosure of some or all of the
information and the reasons for any such objection.(5) The agency must take any objection to disclosure of information
that the agency receives in the course of consultation into account in the
course of determining whether there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure of government information.(6) If consultation establishes that a person objects to the
disclosure of information but the agency decides to provide access to the
information in response to the application, access is not to be provided until
the agency has first given the objector notice of the agency’s decision
to provide access to the information and notice of the objector’s right
to have that decision reviewed, and is not to be provided while review rights
on the decision are pending.(7) Review rights on a decision are pending while the objector is
entitled to apply for a review of the decision under Part 5 (ignoring any
period that may be available by way of extension of time to apply for review),
or any review duly applied for is pending.55 Consideration of personal factors of
application(1) In determining whether there is an overriding public interest
against disclosure of information in response to an access application, an
agency is entitled to take the following factors (the personal
factors of the application) into account as provided by this
section:(a) the applicant’s identity and relationship with any other
(b) the applicant’s motives for making the access
(c) any other factors particular to the
(2) The personal factors of the application can also be taken into
account as factors in favour of providing the applicant with access to the
information.(3) The personal factors of the application can be taken into account
as factors against providing access if (and only to the extent that) those
factors are relevant to the agency’s consideration of whether the
disclosure of the information concerned could reasonably be expected to have
any of the effects referred to in clauses 2–5 (but not clause 1, 6 or 7)
of the Table to section 14.(4) An applicant is entitled to provide any evidence or information
concerning the personal factors of the application that the applicant
considers to be relevant to the determination of whether there is an
overriding public interest against disclosure of the information applied
for.(5) An agency may, as a precondition to providing access to
information to an applicant, require the applicant to provide evidence
concerning any personal factors of the application that were relevant to a
decision by the agency that there was not an overriding public interest
against disclosure of the information and, for that purpose, require the
applicant to provide proof of his or her identity.(6) An agency is under no obligation to inquire into, or verify claims
made by an access applicant or any other person about, the personal factors of
the application but is entitled to have regard to evidence or information
provided by the applicant or other person.Note. An agency is not entitled to impose any conditions on the use or
disclosure of information when the agency provides access to the information
in response to an access application. See section 73.56 Authorised objector can object to inclusion in disclosure
log(1) Each of the following persons (an authorised
objector) can object to the inclusion in the agency’s
disclosure log of all or specified information concerning an access
application:(a) the access applicant,
(b) any other person with whom the agency has consulted (or is
required to consult) under section 54 before providing access to the
information sought in the application.
(1A) An objection can include reasons for the objection and, in the
case of an objection by an access applicant, can be made as part of the access
application or separately.(2) The grounds on which an authorised objector is entitled to object
to the inclusion of information in an agency’s disclosure log are
limited to any one or more of the following:(a) the information includes personal information about the authorised
objector (or a deceased person for whom the authorised objector is the
personal representative),
(b) the information concerns the authorised objector’s business,
commercial, professional or financial interests,
(c) the information concerns research that has been, is being, or is
intended to be, carried out by or on behalf of the authorised
objector,
(d) the information concerns the affairs of a government of the
Commonwealth or another State (and the authorised objector is that
(3) An agency’s acknowledgement of receipt of an access
application is to include the following statements about the inclusion of
information in the agency’s disclosure log (unless the agency considers
it unlikely that information about the application will be included in the
disclosure log):(a) a statement that information concerning the application will be
included in the agency’s disclosure log and that the applicant can
object to this,
(b) a statement about the right of review under Part 5 of a decision
by the agency to include information in its disclosure log despite the
applicant’s objection.
(4) If an access applicant has objected to the inclusion of
information in the agency’s disclosure log, the agency’s notice of
decision of the access application must indicate:(a) the agency’s decision about whether the applicant was
entitled to object, and
(b) (if the agency has decided that the applicant was entitled to
object) the agency’s decision on whether to include the information in
its disclosure log.
Note. The agency’s decisions are reviewable under Part
5.(4A) If a person referred to in subsection (1) (b) has objected to the
inclusion of information in the agency’s disclosure log, the agency
must, as soon as is reasonably practicable after the decision concerned is
made (and in any event within 5 working days after the decision is made), give
the person a written notice that indicates:(a) the agency’s decision about whether the person was entitled
to object, and
(b) (if the agency has decided that the person was entitled to object)
the agency’s decision on whether to include the information in its
disclosure log.
(5) An agency that decides that an authorised objector was not
entitled to object to the inclusion of information in the agency’s
disclosure log is entitled to immediately include the information in the
disclosure log.(6) An agency that decides that an authorised objector was entitled to
object to the inclusion of information in the agency’s disclosure log
but decides to include the information despite the objection must not include
the information while the objector is entitled to apply for a review of the
agency’s decision under Part 5 (ignoring any period that may be
available by way of extension of time to apply for review), or any review duly
applied for is pending.Division 4 Deciding access applications57 Required period for deciding application(1) An agency must decide an access application and give the applicant
notice of the agency’s decision within 20 working days (the decision period)
after the agency receives the application.(2) The decision period can be extended by up to 10 working days for
either or both of the following reasons (with a maximum extension under this
subsection of 15 working days for any particular access application):(a) consultation with another person is required under a provision of
(b) records are required to be retrieved from a records
Note. The decision period can only be extended to allow for mandatory
consultation, not just consultation that the agency chooses to
do.(3) The regulations can also provide for the extension (and further
extension) of the decision period.(4) The decision period can also be extended (and further extended) by
agreement with the applicant.Note. A decision by an agency to refuse to agree to extending the
decision period is not a reviewable decision.(5) The agency must as soon as practicable after the decision period
is extended (and in any case within 5 working days after it is extended) give
the applicant notice of any extension of the decision period (including any
extension by agreement with the applicant), indicating the date on which the
extended decision period will end.(6) An access application is considered to have been decided within time if the
agency decides the application and gives the applicant notice of the
agency’s decision within the decision period. The decision period is
also referred to in other provisions of this Act as the period within which an
application is required to be decided.58 How applications are decided(1) An agency decides an access application for government information
by:(a) deciding to provide access to the information,
(b) deciding that the information is not held by the agency,
(c) deciding that the information is already available to the
applicant (see section 59), or
(d) deciding to refuse to provide access to the information because
there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information,
(e) deciding to refuse to deal with the application (see section 60),
(f) deciding to refuse to confirm or deny that information is held by
the agency because there is an overriding public interest against disclosure
of information confirming or denying that fact.
Note. These decisions are reviewable under Part 5.(2) More than one decision can be made in respect of a particular
access application, so as to deal with the various items of information
applied for.(3) If an agency finds that information or additional information is
held by the agency after deciding an access application, the agency can make a
further decision that replaces or supplements the original decision, but
cannot be required to make a further decision in such a case. The further
decision can be made even if the period within which the application is
required to be decided has expired.59 Decision that information already available to
applicant(1) An agency can decide that information is already available to an
applicant only if the information is:(a) made publicly available by the agency or some other agency in
accordance with a legislative instrument other than this Act, whether or not
availability of the information is by inspection only and whether or not
availability is subject to a charge, or
(b) available to the applicant from, or for inspection at, the agency
free of charge in accordance with this Act or the agency’s policies and
practices, or
(c) contained in a document that is usually available for
(2) An agency is not required to provide access to information that
the agency has decided is already available to the applicant, but notice of
the decision must indicate how the information can be accessed by the
applicant.60 Decision to refuse to deal with application(1) An agency may refuse to deal with an access application (in whole
or in part) for any of the following reasons (and for no other reason):(a) dealing with the application would require an unreasonable and
substantial diversion of the agency’s resources,
(b) the agency has already decided a previous application for the
information concerned (or information that is substantially the same as that
information) made by the applicant and there are no reasonable grounds for
believing that the agency would make a different decision on the
(b1) the applicant has previously been provided with access to the
information concerned under this Act or the Freedom of Information Act
(c) the applicant has failed to pay an advance deposit that is payable
in connection with the application,Note. See section 70.
(d) the information is or has been the subject of a subpoena or other
order of a court for the production of documents and is available to the
applicant as a result of having been produced in compliance with the subpoena
or other order.
(2) In deciding whether dealing with an application would require an
unreasonable and substantial diversion of an agency’s resources, the
agency is not required to have regard to any extension by agreement between
the applicant and the agency of the period within which the application is
required to be decided.(3) In deciding whether dealing with an application would require an
agency is entitled to consider 2 or more applications (including any previous
application) as the one application if the agency determines that the
applications are related and are made by the same applicant or by persons who
are acting in concert in connection with those
applications.(4) Before refusing to deal with an access application because dealing
with it would require an unreasonable and substantial diversion of an
agency’s resources, the agency must give the applicant a reasonable
opportunity to amend the application. The period within which the application
is required to be decided stops running while the applicant is being given an
opportunity to amend the application.(5) Notice of an agency’s decision to refuse to deal with an
access application must state the agency’s reasons for the
refusal.(6) An applicant is not entitled to a refund of the application fee
when the agency refuses to deal with the
application.61 Notice of decision to refuse to provide accessNotice of an agency’s decision to refuse to provide access
to information because there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure of the information must state the following:(a) the agency’s reasons for its decision,
(b) the findings on any material questions of fact underlying those
reasons, together with a reference to the sources of information on which
those findings are based,
(c) the general nature and the format of the records held by the
agency that contain the information concerned.
62 Notice of processing chargesNotice of an agency’s decision to provide access to
information must state whether any processing charges will be payable for
access to the information and indicate how those charges have been
calculated.63 Deemed refusal if application not decided within
time(1) If an agency does not decide an access application within time,
the agency is deemed to have decided to refuse to deal with the application
and any application fee paid by the applicant is to be
refunded.Note. A deemed decision to refuse to deal with an application is
reviewable under Part 5.(2) The deemed refusal to deal with an application does not prevent
the agency from continuing to deal with the application and subsequently
deciding the application and giving notice of its decision (a late decision) on the
application.(3) The obligation to refund an application fee to the applicant is
not affected by the making of the late decision and the late decision does not
entitle the agency to payment of an application
fee.(4) No processing charge can be imposed for dealing with an access
application if the application was not decided within time (whether or not a
late decision is made on the application).Division 5 Processing charges and advance deposits64 Processing charge for dealing with access
application(1) An agency may impose a charge (a processing charge)
for dealing with an access application at a rate of $30 per hour for each hour
of processing time for the application.Note. The decision to impose a processing charge is reviewable under
Part 5.(2) The processing time for
an application is the total amount of time that is necessary to be spent by
any officer of the agency in:(a) dealing efficiently with the application (including consideration
of the application, searching for records, consultation, decision-making and
any other function exercised in connection with deciding the application),
(b) providing access in response to the application (based on the
lowest reasonable estimate of the time that will need to be spent in providing
that access).
(3) The application fee of $30 paid by an applicant counts as a
payment towards any processing charge payable by the
applicant.(4) Access to government information granted in response to an access
application may be made conditional on payment of any processing charge
imposed for dealing with the application.65 Discounted processing charge—financial
hardship(1) An applicant is entitled to a 50% reduction in a processing charge
imposed by an agency if the agency is satisfied that the applicant is
suffering financial hardship.Note. The discount applies only to the processing charge, not the
application fee. If a 50% reduction in processing charge applies, the
application fee will pay for the first 2 hours of processing time (not just
the first hour). See section 64.(2) The agency may refuse to allow the discount if satisfied that the
applicant is making the application on behalf of another person in order to
obtain the discount for that person.(3) The regulations may prescribe circumstances that constitute
financial hardship.Note. A decision to refuse to reduce a processing charge is reviewable
under Part 5.66 Discounted processing charge—special public
benefit(1) An applicant is entitled to a 50% reduction in a processing charge
imposed by an agency if the agency is satisfied that the information applied
for is of special benefit to the public generally.Note. The discount applies only to the processing charge, not the
the first hour). See section 64.A decision to refuse to reduce a processing charge is reviewable
under Part 5.(2) If the information applied for was not publicly available at the
time the application was received but the agency makes the information
publicly available either before or within 3 working days after providing
access to the applicant, the applicant is entitled to a full waiver of the
processing charge imposed by the agency.(3) The Information Commissioner may, for the assistance of agencies,
publish guidelines about reductions in processing charges under this
section.67 Waiver of processing charge for personal information
applicationIf an access application is made for personal information about
the applicant (the applicant being an individual), the agency cannot impose
any processing charge for the first 20 hours of processing time for the
application.Note. This does not limit an agency’s power to reduce, waive or
refund processing charges under section 127.68 Advance deposit for payment of processing
charge(1) An agency may by notice to an applicant require the applicant to
make an advance payment of a processing charge (as an advance
deposit).Note. The decision to require an advance deposit is reviewable under
Part 5.(2) The period within which the application is required to be decided
stops running from when the decision to require an advance deposit is made
until payment of the advance deposit is received by the
agency.(3) The notice requiring an advance deposit must:(a) include a statement of the processing charges for work already
undertaken by the agency in dealing with the application,
(b) include a statement of the estimated processing charges for work
expected to be required to be undertaken by the agency in dealing with the
(c) specify a date by which the advance deposit must be paid (being a
date at least 20 working days after the date the notice is given),
(d) include a statement that if the advance deposit is not paid by the
due date the agency may refuse to deal further with the application and that
this will result in any application fee and advance deposit already paid being
(4) An agency can extend the date by which an advance deposit must be
paid and is to give the applicant notice of any extension (indicating the new
date by which the advance deposit must be paid).69 Maximum advance deposit(1) The maximum advance deposit that can be required is 50% of the
amount that the agency estimates to be the total processing charge for dealing
with the application (ignoring any reduction in processing charge to which the
applicant may be entitled).Note. An applicant can pay the full amount of the agency’s
estimate of the total processing charge in advance if the applicant wants to,
but the applicant cannot be required to pay more than 50% of the estimate as
an advance deposit.(2) More than one advance deposit can be required so long as the total
of the advance deposits required does not exceed the maximum advance
deposit.70 Result of failing to pay advance deposit(1) An agency may refuse to deal further with an access application if
the applicant has failed to pay an advance deposit within the time required
for payment (unless the applicant has applied for review under Part 5 of the
decision to require the advance deposit within the time required for payment
of the advance deposit).Note. The decision to refuse to deal further with an access application
is reviewable under Part 5.(2) An agency must give notice to the applicant of its decision to
refuse to deal further with the application.(3) The review under Part 5 of a decision to refuse to deal further
with an application for failure to pay an advance deposit is to be a review of
both the decision to refuse to deal further with the application and the
decision to impose the advance deposit (unless the decision to impose the
advance deposit has already been reviewed under that
Part).71 Refund of advance deposit(1) An applicant is entitled to a refund of advance deposits paid by
the applicant to the extent (if any) that the advance deposits paid exceed the
total processing charges payable for dealing with the
application.(2) An applicant is entitled to a refund of any advance deposit paid
if the agency does not decide the access application within
time.Note. An agency cannot impose a processing charge if it does not decide
an application within time.Division 6 How access is provided72 Forms of access(1) Access to government information in response to an access
application may be provided in any of the following ways:(a) by providing a reasonable opportunity to inspect a record
containing the information,
(b) by providing a copy of a record containing the
(c) by providing access to a record containing the information,
together with such facilities as may be necessary to enable the information to
be read, viewed or listened to (as appropriate to the kind of record
concerned),
(d) by providing a written transcript of the information in the case
of information recorded in an audio record or recorded in shorthand or other
(2) The agency must provide access in the way requested by the
applicant unless:(a) to do so would interfere unreasonably with the operations of the
agency or would result in the agency incurring unreasonable additional costs,
(b) to do so would be detrimental to the proper preservation of the
record, or
(c) to do so would involve an infringement of copyright,
(d) there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the
information in the way requested by the applicant.
Note. Decisions about how to provide access are reviewable under Part
5.73 Access to be unconditional(1) An agency is not entitled to impose any conditions on the use or
in response to an access application.(2) A condition may be imposed as to how a right of access may be
exercised (such as a condition that prevents an applicant making notes from or
taking a copy of a record that is made available for inspection) but only to
avoid there being an overriding public interest against disclosure of the
information.(3) A condition may be imposed that access to medical or psychiatric
information will only be provided to a medical practitioner nominated by the
applicant and not to the applicant personally.Note. Access can also be made conditional on the payment of processing
charges (s 64) and on the provision of evidence of identity or other personal
factors relevant to the agency’s decision to provide access (s
55).74 Deletion of information from copy of record to be
accessedAn agency can delete information from a copy of a record to which
access is to be provided in response to an access application (so as to
provide access only to the other information that the record contains) either
because the deleted information is not relevant to the information applied for
or because (if the deleted information was applied for) the agency has decided
to refuse to provide access to that information.75 Providing access by creating new record(1) An agency is not prevented from providing access in response to an
access application to government information held by the agency by making and
providing access to a new record of that
information.(2) An agency’s obligation to provide access to government
information in response to an access application does not require the agency
to do any of the following:(a) make a new record of information held by the
(b) update or verify information held by the
(c) create new information, or produce a new record of information, by
deduction, inference or calculation from information held by the agency or by
any other use or application of information held by the
76 Providing access to information not applied forAn agency is authorised to provide access to government
information in response to an access application that is in addition to the
information applied for, unless there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure.77 Period within which access rights must be
exercised(1) When an agency decides to provide access to government information
the applicant has a period of 6 months (the access period) to
access the information.(2) The access period starts from when notice of the decision to grant
access is given to the applicant (even if access is conditional on payment of
any processing charge). If the agency has decided to defer providing access,
the access period starts from the end of the
deferral.(3) The agency may extend and further extend the access period in a
particular case by notice to the applicant.(4) An access applicant’s entitlement to access lapses at the
end of the access period.78 Deferral of access(1) An agency that has decided to provide access to government
information in response to an access application may defer providing that
access if:(a) the information is contained in a record (or a draft of or extract
from a record) that, by or under this Act or some other legislative
instrument, is required to be published but is yet to be published,
(b) the information is contained in a record (or a draft of or extract
from a record) that has been prepared for presentation to Parliament, or that
has been designated by the responsible Minister for the agency as appropriate
for presentation to Parliament, but is yet to be presented,
(c) the information is contained in a record (or a draft of or extract
from a record) that has been prepared for submission to a particular person or
body, or that has been designated by the responsible Minister for the agency
as appropriate for submission to a particular person or body, but is yet to be
Note. A decision to defer access is reviewable under Part
5.(2) Access may be deferred only until the record has been so
published, presented or submitted.(3) If access is to be deferred, the notice of decision of the access
application given to the applicant must state that access is to be deferred
and state the date on which access will be provided or (if that date is not
known) describe the event following which access will be provided and the
expected date of that event.(4) If access to information is deferred for more than 12 months, the
applicant is entitled to make a further access application for the
information. No application fee or processing charge is payable in respect of
the further application and access pursuant to the further application cannot
be deferred under this section.79 Provision of information subject to subpoena(1) An agency need not comply with a requirement of a subpoena or
other order of a court for the production of a document that the person who
requested the issue of the subpoena or applied for the order has been given
access to by the agency in response to an access application made by the
person.(2) This section does not apply if the court that issued the subpoena
or order specifically orders to the contrary.Part 5 Review of decisionsDivision 1 Reviewable decisions80 Which decisions are reviewable decisionsThe following decisions of an agency in respect of an access
application are reviewable decisions
for the purposes of this Part:(a) a decision that an application is not a valid access
(b) a decision to transfer an access application to another agency, as
an agency-initiated transfer,
(c) a decision to refuse to deal with an access application (including
such a decision that is deemed to have been made),
(d) a decision to provide access or to refuse to provide access to
information in response to an access application,
(e) a decision that government information is not held by the
(f) a decision that information applied for is already available to
(g) a decision to refuse to confirm or deny that information is held
(h) a decision to defer the provision of access to information in
response to an access application,
(i) a decision to provide access to information in a particular way in
response to an access application (or a decision not to provide access in the
way requested by the applicant),
(j) a decision to impose a processing charge or to require an advance
(k) a decision to refuse a reduction in a processing
(l) a decision to refuse to deal further with an access application
because an applicant has failed to pay an advance deposit within the time
required for payment,
(m) a decision to include information in a disclosure log despite an
objection by an authorised objector (or a decision that an authorised objector
was not entitled to object).
81 Extended review period where more than one decision
madeWhen more than one reviewable decision is made in respect of a
particular access application and those decisions are made at different times,
the period (the review
period) within which a person may apply for a review under this Part
of any of those decisions is extended to the end of the review period for the
last of those decisions.Division 2 Internal review by agency82 Right of internal review(1) A person aggrieved by a reviewable decision of an agency is
entitled to a review of the decision by the agency that made the decision
(which is referred to in this Part as an internal
review).(2) Internal review of a decision is not available if the decision is
made by the principal officer of the agency or a Minister (or a member of the
Minister’s personal staff).(3) An internal review can be limited to a particular aspect of a
reviewable decision (such as by being limited to particular information to
which the decision relates).(4) There is to be no internal review of a decision that is or has
been the subject of review by the Information Commissioner under this Part
except internal review conducted on the recommendation of the Information
Commissioner.(5) There is to be no internal review of a decision that is or has
been the subject of review by the ADT under this
Part.83 Time within which internal review can be applied
for(1) Internal review of a decision cannot be applied for more than 20
working days after notice of the decision is given to the access applicant or
(in the case of the deemed refusal by an agency to deal with an access
application) more than 20 working days after the deemed
refusal.(2) An agency can agree to accept an application for internal review
out of time.(3) An agency must acknowledge receipt of an application for internal
review by notice to the applicant for review given as soon as practicable
after the agency receives the application and in any event within 5 working
days after the application is received.84 Conduct of internal review(1) An internal review is to be done by making a new decision, as if
the decision being reviewed (the original decision)
had not been made, with the new decision being made as if it were being made
when the access application to which the review relates was originally
received.(2) An internal review is not to be done by the person who made the
original decision and is not to be done by a person who is less senior than
the person who made the original decision.85 Fee for internal review(1) A fee of $40 is payable by the applicant for an internal
review.(2) No fee is payable for internal review of a decision to refuse to
deal with an access application if the decision arises because the agency did
not decide the access application within time (and as a result is deemed to
have refused to deal with the application).86 Required period for determination of internal
review(1) An agency must make its decision on an internal review and give
the applicant notice of the agency’s decision within 15 working days
(the review
period) after the agency receives the application for internal
review.(2) The review period can be extended by up to 10 working days if
consultation is required with another person with whom the agency has not
previously consulted in relation to the
application.(3) The agency must (before the review period ends) give the applicant
notice of any extension of the review period and indicate the date on which
the extended review period will end.(4) The review period can also be extended by agreement with the
applicant for review.(5) If a decision on the internal review is not made within the review
period, the agency is deemed to have made that decision by making the original
decision again, and the applicant for review is entitled to a refund of any
fee paid to the agency for the review.87 No processing charges for internal review(1) An agency is not entitled to impose any processing charges for
work done in connection with an internal review.(2) This section does not affect any requirement to pay a processing
charge imposed in connection with the original decision (unless the decision
on the internal review otherwise requires).88 No internal review of decision on internal
reviewA person is not entitled to an internal review of a decision made
on the internal review of a reviewable decision.Division 3 Review by Information Commissioner89 Right to have decision reviewed by Information
Commissioner(1) A person aggrieved by a reviewable decision of an agency is
entitled to have the decision reviewed by the Information Commissioner under
this Division.(2) A reviewable decision must be the subject of an internal review by
the agency under this Part before it can be reviewed by the Information
Commissioner unless:(a) the aggrieved person is the access applicant,
(b) an internal review of the decision is not available to the
aggrieved person under this Part.
(3) The Information Commissioner may exercise any function of the
Information Commissioner under the Government Information (Information Commissioner)
Act 2009 for the purposes of or in connection with the review
of a reviewable decision of an agency.(4) Conduct of an agency that constitutes a reviewable decision of the
agency cannot be the subject of a complaint to the Information Commissioner
under section 17 of the Government
Information (Information Commissioner) Act
2009.90 Time limit for applying for review by Information
CommissionerAn application for the review of a decision by the Information
Commissioner must be made within 40 working days after notice of the decision
to which the review relates is given to the applicant.91 Disclosure of public interest informationThe Information Commissioner must not, in the exercise of
functions in connection with a review under this Division, disclose any
information for which there is (or for which an agency claims there is) an
overriding public interest against disclosure.92 Recommendations on review(1) On a review of a decision under this Division, the Information
Commissioner may make such recommendations to the agency about the decision as
the Information Commissioner thinks appropriate.(2) The recommendations specifically provided for by this Division do
not limit the recommendations that the Information Commissioner can
make.93 Recommendation for reconsideration of matter by
agency(1) The Information Commissioner may recommend that the agency
reconsider the decision that is the subject of the Information
Commissioner’s review and make a new decision as if the decision
reviewed had not been made.(2) The agency may, pursuant to such a recommendation, reconsider the
decision and make a new decision, whether or not the decision has already been
the subject of internal review by the agency.(3) The agency’s reconsideration of a decision is to be by way
of internal review of the decision (under Division 2) unless the decision has
already been internally reviewed, in which case the agency is to reconsider
the decision and make a new decision.(4) Unlike an internal review, the reconsideration of a decision that
is not an internal review:(a) can be done by the person who made the original decision,
(b) can be the reconsideration of a decision made by the principal
officer of the agency.
(5) The reconsideration of a decision that is not an internal review
cannot be done by a person who is less senior than the person who made the
original decision.(6) No fee is payable for any reconsideration (including by way of an
internal review) of a decision pursuant to a recommendation of the Information
Commissioner.94 Recommendation as to public interest against
disclosure(1) The Information Commissioner may make a recommendation against a
decision of an agency that there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure of government information.(2) The Information Commissioner must consult with the Privacy
Commissioner before making a recommendation under this section about a
decision that concerns a privacy-related public interest consideration (being
a public interest consideration referred to in clause 3 (a) or (b) of the
Table to section 14).(3) Despite section 91, the Information Commissioner may disclose
information to the Privacy Commissioner in the course of consulting with the
Privacy Commissioner under this section.95 Recommendation as to general procedure of
agencyThe Information Commissioner may make a recommendation that any
general procedure of an agency in relation to dealing with access applications
be changed to conform to the requirements of this Act or to further the object
of this Act.96 Information Commissioner may refuse to review
decisionThe Information Commissioner may refuse to review or to deal
further with a review of a decision of an agency if the Information
Commissioner is satisfied that:(a) the application for review is frivolous, vexatious, misconceived
or lacking in substance, or
(b) the review would require an unreasonable and substantial diversion
of the resources of the Information Commissioner, or
(c) the applicant for review has failed without reasonable excuse to
co-operate with the Information Commissioner in connection with the review,
(d) the applicant for review cannot by reasonable efforts be contacted
by the Information Commissioner.
97 Onus on agency to justify decisions(1) In any review under this Division concerning a decision made under
this Act by an agency, the burden of establishing that the decision is
justified lies on the agency, except as otherwise provided by this
section.(2) If the review is of a decision to provide access to government
information in response to an access application, the burden of establishing
that there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of information
lies on the applicant for review.(3) If the review is of a decision to refuse a reduction in a
processing charge, the burden of establishing that there is an entitlement to
the reduction lies on the applicant for review.98 No review of decisions reviewed by ADTA decision is not to be the subject of review by the Information
Commissioner under this Division if the decision is or has been the subject of
review by the ADT.99 Referral of agency decision to ADTThe Information Commissioner may, with the consent of the
applicant for review, refer a decision of an agency that is the subject of a
review by the Information Commissioner under this Division to the ADT for
review.Division 4 Review by Administrative Decisions
Tribunal100 Review of decision by ADTA person who is aggrieved by a reviewable decision of an agency
may apply to the ADT for a review of the decision (referred to in this
Division as ADT
review).Note. A reviewable decision does not have to be internally reviewed or
reviewed by the Information Commissioner before it can be the subject of ADT
review.101 Time for applying for ADT review(1) An application for ADT review must be made within 40 working days
after notice of the decision to which the review relates is given to the
applicant (unless subsection (2) gives a longer period to apply for ADT
review).(2) If the decision is the subject of review by the Information
Commissioner, an application for ADT review can be made at any time up to 20
working days after the applicant is notified of the completion of the
Information Commissioner’s review.(3) If an application for ADT review of a decision is made while the
decision is the subject of review by the Information Commissioner, the
Information Commissioner’s review is to end.(4) The ADT may, on application by a person wanting to make an
application for ADT review out of time, extend the time for the making of such
an application by the person if the ADT is of the opinion that the person has
provided a reasonable excuse for the delay in making the
application.(5) An application to extend the time for the making of an application
for ADT review must be in writing unless the ADT dispenses with the
requirement in a particular case.(6) The time for making an application for ADT review may be extended
under this section even if that time has expired.102 No internal review under ADT Act(1) The procedure for internal review of a decision provided for by
this Part applies to the exclusion of section 53 (Internal reviews) of the ADT
Act in the case of a decision that is a reviewable decision under that
Act.(2) A reference in the ADT Act to internal review of a reviewable
decision under that Act is, in its application to a reviewable decision under
this Part, to be read as a reference to internal review of the decision under
this Part.103 Operation of other ADT Act provisionsThe provisions of section 58 (Duty of administrator to lodge
material documents with Tribunal where decision reviewed) and Division 2
(Effect of pending applications on reviewable decisions) of Part 3 of Chapter
5 of the ADT Act do not apply to an application for ADT review under this
Division.104 Right of appearance before ADT(1) The Information Commissioner has a right to appear and be heard in
any proceedings before the ADT (and proceedings on an appeal in respect of any
such proceedings) in relation to a review under this
Division.(2) The Privacy Commissioner has a right to appear and be heard in any
proceedings before the ADT (and proceedings on an appeal in respect of any
such proceedings) in relation to a review under this Division of a decision
that concerns a privacy-related public interest consideration (being a public
interest consideration referred to in clause 3 (a) or (b) of the Table to
section 14).(3) Any person who could be aggrieved by a decision of the ADT on a
review under this Division has a right to appear and be heard in any
proceedings before the ADT in relation to the
review.105 Onus on agency to justify decisions(1) In any review under this Division concerning a decision made under
the reduction lies on the applicant for review.106 Decisions about Cabinet and Executive Council
information(1) On an ADT review of a decision by an agency that there is an
overriding public interest against disclosure of information because the
information is claimed to be Cabinet or Executive Council information (as
described in Schedule 1), the ADT is limited to deciding whether there were
reasonable grounds for the agency’s claim and is not authorised to make
a decision as to the correct and preferable decision on the
matter.(2) If the ADT is not satisfied, by evidence on affidavit or
otherwise, that there were reasonable grounds for the claim, it may require
the information to be produced in evidence before
it.(3) If the ADT is still not satisfied after considering the evidence
produced that there were reasonable grounds for the claim, the ADT is to
reject the claim when determining the review application and may then proceed
to make a decision as to the correct and preferable decision on the
matter.(4) The ADT is not to reject the claim unless it has given the Premier
a reasonable opportunity to appear and be heard in relation to the
matter.(5) The Premier is a party to any proceedings on an application under
this section.107 Procedure for dealing with public interest
considerations(1) In determining an application for ADT review, the ADT is to ensure
that it does not, in the reasons for its decision or otherwise, disclose any
information for which there is an overriding public interest against
disclosure.(2) On an ADT review, the ADT must receive evidence and hear argument
in the absence of the public, the review applicant and the applicant’s
representative if in the opinion of the ADT it is necessary to do so to
prevent the disclosure of information for which there is an overriding public
interest against disclosure.(3) On an ADT review, the ADT must, on the application of the Minister
administering this Act or the agency, receive evidence and hear argument in
the absence of:(a) the public and the applicant, and
(b) the applicant’s representative if the ADT is of the opinion
that it is necessary to do so to prevent the disclosure of information for
which there is, or for which there could be or is claimed to be, an overriding
public interest against disclosure.
108 Delayed decisions(1) The ADT may on the application of an agency make an order allowing
the agency further time to decide an access application if the decision that
is the subject of ADT review is a decision the agency is deemed to have made
because the access application or internal review concerned was not decided
within time (referred to in this section as a deemed refusal
decision).(2) Such an order may be made subject to such conditions as the ADT
thinks fit, including either of the following conditions:(a) a condition that if a decision is made to provide access to the
information concerned during the further time allowed, any charge that would
otherwise be payable in connection with providing that access is to be reduced
or waived and the applicant for the ADT review may apply to the ADT for an
order that the applicant’s costs in proceedings on the ADT review are to
be paid by the agency,
(b) a condition permitting the agency to impose processing charges for
work done in connection with the access application (as if the application had
been decided within time).
(3) If an agency makes a reviewable decision (the subsequent
decision) on an access application following a deemed refusal
decision on the application and while the deemed refusal decision is the
subject of ADT review, the ADT may on application by the applicant deal with
the application for ADT review as if it were an application for review of the
subsequent decision.109 ADT may refuse to review decisionThe ADT may refuse to review or to deal further with a review of a
decision of an agency if the ADT is satisfied that the application for review
is frivolous, vexatious, misconceived or lacking in
substance.110 Orders to restrain making of unmeritorious access
applications(1) The ADT may order that a person is not permitted to make an access
application without first obtaining the approval of the ADT if the ADT is
satisfied that the person has made at least 3 access applications (to one or
more agencies) in the previous 2 years that lack merit. Such an order is a
order.(2) An access application is to be regarded as lacking merit
if:(a) the agency decided the application by refusing to deal with the
application in its entirety, or
(b) the agency decided the application by deciding that none of the
information applied for is held by the agency, or
(c) the access applicant’s entitlement to access lapsed without
that access being provided (including as a result of failure to pay any
processing charge payable).
(3) A restraint order may be made to apply to all access applications
made by the person the subject of the order or may be limited by reference to
particular kinds of information or particular
agencies.(4) A person who is subject to a restraint order cannot apply to the
ADT for approval to the making of an access application by the person without
first serving notice of the application for approval on the agency concerned
and the Information Commissioner.(5) An application for a restraint order against a person may be made
by an agency that receives an access application from the person (whether or
not the agency has decided the application) or by the Minister or the
Information Commissioner.(6) The ADT may order that a person who is the subject of a restraint
order is not permitted to apply to the ADT for approval to make an access
application if the ADT is satisfied that the person has repeatedly made
applications for approval that are lacking in
substance.(7) While a restraint order is in force against a person, any
application for government information made to an agency in contravention of
the order is not a valid access application.111 Referral of systemic issues to Information
CommissionerThe ADT may refer any matter to the Information Commissioner that
the ADT considers is indicative of a systemic issue in relation to the
determination of access applications by a particular agency or by agencies
generally.112 Report on improper conductIf the ADT is of the opinion as a result of an ADT review that an
officer of an agency has failed to exercise in good faith a function conferred
on the officer by or under this Act, the ADT may bring the matter to the
attention of the Minister who appears to the ADT to have responsibility for
the agency.Part 6 Protections and offencesDivision 1 Protections113 Protection in respect of actions for defamation or breach
of confidence(1) If government information is disclosed pursuant to a decision
under this Act, and the person by whom the decision is made believes in good
faith, when making the decision, that this Act permits or requires the
decision to be made:(a) no action for defamation or breach of confidence lies against the
Crown, an agency or an officer of an agency by reason of the making of the
decision or the disclosure of information, and
(b) no action for defamation or breach of confidence in respect of any
publication involved in, or resulting from, the disclosure of information lies
against the author of a record containing the information or any other person
by reason of the author or other person having supplied the record to an
(2) Neither the giving of access to information pursuant to a decision
under this Act nor the making of such a decision constitutes, for the purposes
of the law relating to defamation or breach of confidence, an authorisation or
approval of the publication of a record containing the information or its
contents by the person to whom the information is
disclosed.114 Protection in respect of certain criminal
actionsIf government information is disclosed pursuant to a decision
decision to be made, neither the person by whom the decision is made nor any
other person concerned in disclosing the information is guilty of an offence
merely because of the making of the decision or the disclosing of
information.115 Personal liabilityNo matter or thing done by an agency or officer of an agency, or
by any person acting under the direction of an agency or officer of an agency,
this Act, subjects the officer or person so acting, personally to any action,
liability, claim or demand.Division 2 Offences116 Offence of acting unlawfullyAn officer of an agency must not make a reviewable decision in
relation to an access application that the officer knows to be contrary to the
requirements of this Act.Maximum penalty: 100 penalty
units.117 Offence of directing unlawful actionA person (the offender) must not:(a) direct an officer of an agency who is required to make a decision
in relation to an access application to make a reviewable decision that the
offender knows is not a decision permitted or required to be made by this Act,
(b) direct a person who is an officer of an agency involved in an
access application to act in a manner that the offender knows is otherwise
contrary to the requirements of this Act.
units.118 Offence of improperly influencing decision on access
applicationA person (the offender) who influences the
making of a decision by an officer of an agency for the purpose of causing the
officer to make a reviewable decision that the offender knows is not the
decision permitted or required to be made by this Act is guilty of an
offence.Maximum penalty: 100 penalty
units.119 Offence of unlawful accessA person who in connection with an access application knowingly
misleads or deceives an officer of an agency for the purpose of obtaining
access to government information is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 100 penalty
units.120 Offence of concealing or destroying government
informationA person who destroys, conceals or alters any record of government
information for the purpose of preventing the disclosure of the information as
authorised or required by or under this Act is guilty of an
units.Part 7 Miscellaneous121 Provision of information by private sector
contractors(1) An agency that enters into a contract (a government contract)
with a private sector entity (the contractor) under
which the contractor is to provide services to the public on behalf of the
agency must ensure that the contract provides for the agency to have an
immediate right of access to the following information contained in records
held by the contractor:(a) information that relates directly to the performance of the
services by the contractor,
(b) information collected by the contractor from members of the public
to whom it provides, or offers to provide, the services,
(c) information received by the contractor from the agency to enable
it to provide the services.
Note. A reference in this Act to government information held by an
agency includes information held by a private sector entity to which the
agency has an immediate right of access. See clause 12 of Schedule 4. This
means that an access application can be made to the agency for that
information.(2) A government contract is not required to provide for the agency to
have an immediate right of access to any of the following information:(a) information that discloses or would tend to disclose the
contractor’s financing arrangements, financial modelling, cost structure
or profit margins,
(b) information that the contractor is prohibited from disclosing to
the agency by provision made by or under any Act (of this or another State or
of the Commonwealth),
(c) information that, if disclosed to the agency, could reasonably be
expected to place the contractor at a substantial commercial disadvantage in
relation to the agency, whether at present or in the
Note. The contractor may be entitled to be consulted by the agency under
section 54 (Consultation on public interest considerations) in relation to an
access application made to the agency for information held by the
contractor.122 Act binds the CrownThis Act binds the State and, in so far as the legislative power
of the Parliament of New South Wales permits, the other States, the
Territories and the Commonwealth.123 State Records Act not affectedThis Act does not affect the operation of the State Records Act
1998.124 Powers of OmbudsmanThe powers of the Ombudsman under the Ombudsman Act 1974 do not extend to
investigating the conduct of any person or body in relation to a decision of
an agency that is a reviewable decision under Part 5 of this
Act.125 Reports to Parliament(1) Each agency (other than a Minister) must, within 4 months after
the end of each reporting year, prepare an annual report on the agency’s
obligations under this Act for submission to the Minister responsible for the
agency. A copy of the report is to be provided to the Information
Commissioner.(2) Each Minister must, on or before 31 August each year, furnish the
Minister administering this Act with such information concerning the
Minister’s obligations as an agency under this Act as the Minister
administering this Act may require.(3) The Minister administering this Act must, on or before 31 December
each year, prepare an annual report on the obligations of each Minister as an
agency under this Act. A copy of the report is to be provided to the
Information Commissioner.(4) An annual report under this section must be tabled in each House
of Parliament by the relevant Minister as soon as practicable after it is
prepared unless it is included in an annual report prepared for the purposes
of the Annual Reports (Departments) Act
1985 or the Annual Reports
(Statutory Bodies) Act 1984.(5) The annual report referred to in subsection (3) may be included in
the annual report for the Department of Attorney General and Justice prepared
for the purposes of the Annual Reports
(Departments) Act 1985.(6) The regulations may make provision for:(a) the information to be included in annual reports,
(b) the form in which annual reports are to be
(7) In this section, a reference to the reporting year of an agency is
a reference to:(a) the financial year of the agency for the purposes of the Annual Reports (Departments) Act
(Statutory Bodies) Act 1984, or
(b) if the agency does not have a financial year for the purposes of
either of those Acts, the year ending 30 June.
126 Requirements for notices given by agencies(1) The following requirements apply to any notice or notification
that an agency is required to give under this Act:(a) it must be in writing,
(b) it must include the date of the decision or other action of the
agency with which the notice or notification is concerned,
(c) it must include a statement that gives details of any right of
review provided by this Act in respect of any decision of the agency with
which the notice or notification is concerned (including details of the period
within which any such right of review must be exercised),
(d) it must include the contact details of an officer of the agency to
whom inquiries can be directed in connection with the decision or other action
of the agency with which the notice or notification is
(e) it must not disclose any information for which there is an
overriding public interest against disclosure.
(1A) A notice or notification under this Act that an agency is required
or permitted to give a person may be given by:(a) posting the notice to the person at the postal address provided by
the person for correspondence in connection with the matter concerned,
(b) such other method as may be agreed by the agency and the
(2) A notice or notification under this Act that is given by an agency
to a person by being posted to the person at the postal address provided by
the person for correspondence in connection with the matter concerned is
considered to have been given to the person when it is posted by the
agency.127 Waiver, reduction or refund of fees and
chargesAn agency is entitled to waive, reduce or refund any fee or charge
payable or paid under this Act in any case that the agency thinks appropriate,
subject to the regulations.Note. See section 51A concerning the effect of a waiver, reduction or
refund of the fee for an access application.128 Nature of proceedings for offences(1) Proceedings for an offence under this Act or the regulations may
be dealt with summarily before the Local Court.(2) Proceedings for an offence under this Act or the regulations may
only be taken by or with the authority of the Director of Public Prosecutions
or the Attorney General.129 Regulations(1) The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act,
respect to the following:(a) the manner in which agencies are to make government information
(b) the manner in which an access application can be
(c) the adoption and amendment of agency information guides by
agencies (including the obligations of agencies to consult with the
Information Commissioner in connection with agency information guides and the
adoption of model agency information guides developed by the Information
Commissioner),
(d) information to be given to applicants for government
(e) the circumstances in which and the extent to which an agency must
or may waive, reduce or refund any fee or charge payable under this
(3) The Minister is to consult with the Information Commissioner
before recommending the making of a regulation under this
Act.(4) The Minister is to consult with the Privacy Commissioner before
recommending the making of a regulation under this Act that concerns the
protection of the privacy of individuals or a privacy-related public interest
consideration (being a public interest consideration referred to in clause 3
(a) or (b) of the Table to section 14).130 Review of Act(1) The Minister administering this Act is to review this Act to
determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether
the terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those
objectives.(1A) The review is to include a consideration of the relationship
between this Act and the Privacy and
1998.(2) The Minister is to consult with the Information Commissioner and
the Privacy Commissioner on a review under this section and the Information
Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner may assist the Minister and provide
advice in connection with the review.(3) The review is to be undertaken as soon as possible after the
Act.(4) A report on the outcome of the review is to be provided to the
Minister administering this Act and tabled in each House of Parliament within
12 months after the end of the period of 5 years.131 Review of public interest provisions by Joint
Committee(1) The Joint Committee is to keep the following provisions of this
Act under review to determine whether the policy objectives of those
provisions remain valid and whether the content of those provisions remains
appropriate for securing those objectives:(a) Schedule 1 (Information for which there is conclusive presumption
of overriding public interest against disclosure),
(b) Schedule 2 (Excluded information of particular
agencies),
(c) Table to section 14 (Public interest considerations against
disclosure).
(2) The Joint Committee is to consult with the Information
Commissioner on any review under this section and the Information Commissioner
may assist the Joint Committee and provide advice in connection with the
review.(2A) The Joint Committee is to consult with the Privacy Commissioner on
any review under this section that concerns a privacy-related public interest
(a) or (b) of the Table to section 14), and the Privacy Commissioner may
assist the Joint Committee and provide advice in connection with any such
review.(3) The Joint Committee may report to both Houses of Parliament on any
change that the Joint Committee considers should be made to the provisions
reviewed under this section.132 Government Information (Public Access) Regulation
2009(1) Schedule 5 is taken to be and has effect as a regulation made
under this Act.(2) Part 2 of the Subordinate
Legislation Act 1989 does not apply to the regulation set out
in Schedule 5 (but applies to any amendment or repeal of the
regulation).(3) For the purposes of section 10 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989,
the regulation set out in Schedule 5 is taken to have been published on the
day on which this section commences.(4) Sections 39, 40 and 41 of the Interpretation Act 1987 do not apply
to the regulation set out in Schedule 5 (but apply to any amendment or repeal
of the regulation).(5) Schedule 5 is repealed on the day following the day on which this
section commences.Note. The continued effect of the regulation set out in Schedule 5 is
unaffected by the repeal of Schedule 5. See section 30 of the Interpretation Act
1987.Schedule 1 Information for which there is conclusive
presumption of overriding public interest against disclosure(Section 14)1 Overriding secrecy laws(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information the disclosure of which is
prohibited by any of the following laws (which are referred to in this Act as
overriding secrecy
laws), whether or not the prohibition is subject to specified
qualifications or exceptions and whether or not a breach of the prohibition
constitutes an offence:Assisted Reproductive Technology
Act 2007—Part 3 (Central register)Bail Act
1978—section 36C (Certain information not to be
published or broadcast)Biofuel (Ethanol Content) Act
2007—section 21 (Secrecy)Child Protection (Offenders
Registration) Act 2000—section 21E (Prohibited
disclosure of information concerning registrable persons)Crimes (Administration of
Sentences) Act 1999—regulations under section 256
(Victims Register)Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act
2000—section 109 (Disclosure of
information)Crimes (Sentencing Procedure)
Act 1999—sections 51B (Certain information not to be
published or broadcast) and 100H (Certain information not to be published or
broadcast)Criminal Procedure Act
1986—regulations under section 351 (Regulations with
respect to the provision or disclosure of information in connection with
intervention programs)Criminal Records Act
1991—section 13 (Unlawful disclosure of information
concerning spent convictions)Dust Diseases Tribunal Act
1989—section 32I (Information about
claims)Education Act
1990—provision made by or under section 18A (Publication
of results of certain tests and other matters) or Division 2 of Part 5A
(Health and safety risks at schools arising from student
behaviour)Gaming and Liquor Administration
Act 2007—section 17 (Secrecy)Health Administration Act
1982—Divisions 6B (Quality assurance committees) and 6C
(Root cause analysis teams) of Part 2, and section 23 (Specially privileged
information)Health Care Complaints Act
1993Independent Commission Against
Corruption Act 1988Jury Act
1977Parliamentary Budget Officer Act
2010—section 17 (Confidentiality of information or
documents relating to election policy and other costings)Parliamentary Electorates and
Elections Act 1912—sections 48
(Privacy—non-disclosure of information), 120AG (Secrecy relating to
technology assisted voting), 135 (Violation of secrecy by officers) and 154AE
(Votes from Antarctica not to be disclosed)Police Act
1990—section 169A (Identity of complainant not to be
disclosed)Police Integrity Commission Act
1996Police
Regulation 2008—clause 53 (Secrecy as to complaints
about conduct)Public Interest Disclosures Act
1994—section 22 (Confidentiality
guidelines)Public Lotteries Act
1996—section 80 (Secrecy)Royal Commission (Police
Service) Act 1994State Records Act
1998—section 73 (Authority’s duty of
confidentiality) but only in respect of information to which a person gains
access in the exercise of functions under that Act as a result of the
information having been acquired in the course of the administration of
another Act mentioned in this ScheduleTotalizator Act
1997—section 105 (Secrecy)Witness Protection Act
1995(2) Subclause (1) does not apply in relation to the disclosure of a
spent conviction (within the meaning of the Criminal Records Act 1991) to the
person who was convicted.2 Cabinet information(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information (referred to in this Act as
information) contained in any of the following documents:(a) a document that contains an official record of
(b) a document prepared for the dominant purpose of its being
submitted to Cabinet for Cabinet’s consideration (whether or not the
document is actually submitted to Cabinet),
(c) a document prepared for the purpose of its being submitted to
Cabinet for Cabinet’s approval for the document to be used for the
dominant purpose for which it was prepared (whether or not the document is
actually submitted to Cabinet and whether or not the approval is actually
given),
(d) a document prepared after Cabinet’s deliberation or decision
on a matter that would reveal or tend to reveal information concerning any of
those deliberations or decisions,
(e) a document prepared before or after Cabinet’s deliberation
or decision on a matter that reveals or tends to reveal the position that a
particular Minister has taken, is taking, will take, is considering taking, or
has been recommended to take, on the matter in Cabinet,
(f) a document that is a preliminary draft of, or a copy of or part
of, or contains an extract from, a document referred to in paragraphs
(a)–(e).
(2) Information contained in a document is not Cabinet information
if:(a) public disclosure of the document has been approved by the Premier
or Cabinet, or
(b) 10 years have passed since the end of the calendar year in which
the document came into existence.
(3) Information is not Cabinet information merely because it is
contained in a document attached to a document referred to in subclause
(1).(4) Information is not Cabinet information to the extent that it
consists solely of factual material unless the information would:(a) reveal or tend to reveal information concerning any Cabinet
decision or determination, or
(b) reveal or tend to reveal the position that a particular Minister
has taken, is taking or will take on a matter in
(5) In this clause, Cabinet includes a committee of
Cabinet and a subcommittee of a committee of
Cabinet.3 Executive Council information(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
Council information) contained in any of the following
documents:(a) a document that contains an official record of the Executive
(b) a document prepared for the purpose of being submitted to the
Executive Council (whether or not that is the only or the dominant purpose for
which it was prepared and whether or not the document is actually submitted to
the Executive Council),
(c) a document prepared after the Executive Council’s
deliberation or advice on a matter that would reveal or tend to reveal
information concerning that deliberation or advice,
(d) a document that is a preliminary draft of, or a copy of or part
(2) Information contained in a document is not Executive Council
information if:(a) public disclosure of the document has been approved by the
Governor or the Premier, or
(3) Information is not Executive Council information merely because it
is contained in a document attached to a document referred to in subclause
(1).(4) Information is not Executive Council information to the extent
that it consists solely of factual material unless the information would
reveal or tend to reveal information concerning any deliberation or advice of
the Executive Council.4 ContemptIt is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information the public disclosure of
which would, but for any immunity of the Crown:(a) constitute contempt of court, or
(b) contravene any order or direction of a person or body having power
to receive evidence on oath, or
(c) infringe the privilege of Parliament.
5 Legal professional privilege(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information that would be privileged
from production in legal proceedings on the ground of client legal privilege
(legal professional privilege), unless the person in whose favour the
privilege exists has waived the privilege.(2) If an access application is made to an agency in whose favour
legal professional privilege exists in all or some of the government
information to which access is sought, the agency is required to consider
whether it would be appropriate for the agency to waive that privilege before
the agency refuses to provide access to government information on the basis of
this clause.(3) A decision that an agency makes under subclause (2) is not a
reviewable decision under Part 5.6 Excluded information(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information that is excluded information
of an agency, other than information that the agency has consented to the
disclosure of.(2) Before an agency decides an access application by refusing to
provide access to information on the basis that it is excluded information of
another agency, the agency is required to ask the other agency whether the
other agency consents to disclosure of the
information.(3) A decision that an agency makes to consent or to refuse to consent
to the disclosure of excluded information of the agency is not a reviewable
decision under Part 5.7 Documents affecting law enforcement and public
safetyIt is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information contained in any of the
following documents:(a) a document created by the former Information and Intelligence
Centre of the Police Service or the former State Intelligence
(b) a document created by the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics
Command of the NSW Police Force, the former Counter Terrorist Co-ordination
Command of the NSW Police Force, the former Protective Security Group of the
Police Service, the former Special Branch of the Police Service or the former
Bureau of Criminal Intelligence,
(c) a document created by the State Crime Command of the NSW Police
Force in the exercise of its functions concerning the collection, analysis or
dissemination of intelligence,
(d) a document created by the Corrections Intelligence Group of the
Department of Corrective Services in the exercise of its functions concerning
the collection, analysis or dissemination of intelligence,
(e) a document created by the Drug Intelligence Unit of the Department
of Juvenile Justice in the exercise of its functions concerning the
collection, analysis or dissemination of
8 Transport safety(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information that would disclose matter
relating to an investigation or inquiry into a transport accident or incident
under section 46BA or 46BC of the Passenger
Transport Act 1990.(2) (Repealed)(3) Despite subclause (1), information about a matter referred to in
that subclause ceases to be covered by this clause when the report into the
investigation or inquiry is tabled before both Houses of
Parliament.9 AdoptionIt is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information that would disclose:(a) matter relating to adoption procedures under the Adoption Act 2000,
(b) matter relating to the receipt of an amended or original birth
certificate or of prescribed information under the Adoption Act
10 Care and protection of childrenIt is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information contained in a report to
which section 29 of the Children and Young
Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
applies.11 Ministerial Code of ConductIt is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information the disclosure of which
would disclose information contained in the Register of Interests kept by or
on behalf of the Premier pursuant to the Code of Conduct for Ministers of the
Crown adopted by Cabinet.12 Aboriginal and environmental heritage(1) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information contained in a document that
is the subject of a declaration referred to in section 161 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974.(2) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information that is matter that the
Director-General under the Threatened
Species Conservation Act 1995 has determined should not be
disclosed to the public under section 146 of that
Act.(3) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
Scientific Committee under the Threatened
Species Conservation Act 1995 has recommended to the Minister
should not be disclosed to the public under section 146A of that Act and the
Minister has accepted that recommendation.(4) It is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information contained in a plan of
management or draft plan of management for an area of community land under
Division 2 of Part 2 of Chapter 6 of the Local Government Act 1993 that is
the subject of a resolution of confidentiality referred to in section 36DA (2)
of that Act (which relates to the disclosure of the nature and location of a
place or an item of Aboriginal significance).13 Information about complaints to Judicial
CommissionIt is to be conclusively presumed that there is an overriding
public interest against disclosure of information provided by the Judicial
Commission to the Minister administering the Judicial Officers Act 1986 under
section 37A of that Act.Schedule 2 Excluded information of particular
agenciesNote. Information that relates to a function specified in this Schedule
in relation to an agency specified in this Schedule is excluded information of the
agency. Under Schedule 1 it is to be conclusively presumed that there is an
overriding public interest against disclosure of excluded information of an
agency (unless the agency consents to disclosure). Section 43 prevents an
access application from being made to an agency for excluded information of
the agency.1 Judicial and prosecutorial informationA court—judicial functions.The office of Director of Public Prosecutions—prosecuting
functions.2 Complaints handling and investigative
informationThe office of Auditor-General—investigative, audit and
reporting functions.The Independent Commission Against Corruption—corruption
prevention, complaint handling, investigative and reporting
functions.The office of Inspector of the Independent Commission Against
Corruption—operational auditing, complaint handling, investigative and
reporting functions.The Judicial Commission of New South Wales (including the Conduct
Division)—complaint handling, investigative and reporting
functions.The office of Ombudsman—complaint handling, investigative
and reporting functions (including any functions of the Ombudsman under the
Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and
Monitoring) Act 1993).The office of Information Commissioner—review, complaint
handling, investigative and reporting functions.The office of Legal Services Commissioner—complaint
handling, investigative, review and reporting functions.The Health Care Complaints Commission—complaint handling,
investigative, complaints resolution and reporting functions (including any
functions exercised by the Health Conciliation Registry and any function
concerning the provision of information to a registration authority or a
professional council (within the meaning of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993)
relating to a particular complaint).The Child Death Review Team—all functions.The Police Integrity Commission—corruption prevention,
complaint handling, investigative and reporting functions.The office of Inspector of the Police Integrity
Commission—operational auditing, complaint handling, investigative and
reporting functions.The office of Privacy Commissioner—complaint handling,
investigative and reporting functions.The New South Wales Crime Commission—investigative and
reporting functions.The President of the Anti-Discrimination Board—complaint
handling, investigative and reporting functions in relation to a complaint
that is in the course of being dealt with by the President.The Department of Local Government (including the Director-General
and other Departmental representatives)—complaint handling and
investigative functions conferred by or under any Act on that
Department.The Domestic Violence Death Review Team—all
functions.3 Competitive and market sensitive informationThe Treasury Corporation—borrowing, investment and liability
and asset management functions.The SAS Trustee Corporation—investment
functions.Any body or office that exercises functions under the National Electricity (NSW) Law
(including functions under the National Electricity
Code referred to in that Law) on behalf of National
Electricity Market Management Company Limited (ACN 072 010 327) (NEMMCO) or
any successor to NEMMCO—those functions.The Corporation constituted under the Superannuation Administration Authority
Corporatisation Act 1999—functions exercised in the
provision of superannuation scheme administration services, and related
services, in respect of any superannuation scheme that is not a State public
sector superannuation scheme.The Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer established under the
1987—functions relating to the issuing of policies of
insurance to employers and the calculation of premiums (but only in relation
to individual employers), the management of specific claims and to asset and
funds management and investment.4 Other informationThe NSW Trustee and Guardian—functions exercised in the NSW
Trustee and Guardian’s capacity as executor, administrator or
trustee.The Department of Education and Training—functions relating
to the storing of, reporting on or analysis of information with respect to the
ranking or assessment of students who have completed the Higher School
Certificate for entrance into tertiary institutions.Universities—functions relating to dealing with information
with respect to the ranking or assessment of students who have completed the
Higher School Certificate for entrance into tertiary
institutions.Election Funding Authority—investigative and prosecuting
functions.Schedule 3 Savings, transitional and other
provisionsPart 1 General1 Regulations(1) The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or
transitional nature consequent on the enactment of the following Acts:this ActGovernment Information
(Information Commissioner) Act 2009Government Information (Public
Access) (Consequential Amendments and Repeal) Act
2009Government Information (Public
Access) Amendment Act 2012(2) Any such provision may, if the regulations so provide, take effect
Act2 DefinitionIn this Part:FOI Act means
1989 as in force immediately before its
repeal.3 FOI access applications(1) The FOI Act continues to apply (as if it had not been repealed) to
and in respect of:(a) an application under that Act for access to an agency’s
documents or a Minister’s documents that was made or determined before
the repeal of that Act, and
(b) any determination made in respect of any such application (whether
made before or after the repeal of that Act).
(2) A provision of an Act amended by the Government Information (Public Access)
(Consequential Amendments and Repeal) Act 2009 has effect in
relation to an application under the FOI Act referred to in subclause (1) as
if the provision had not been amended by that Act.(3) An application to an agency for access to government information
that is made within the period of 12 months after the repeal of the FOI Act
that states that it is made under or for the purposes of the FOI Act is deemed
to state that it is made under this Act and is to be dealt with
accordingly.4 FOI amendment of records applications(1) The FOI Act continues to apply (as if it had not been repealed) to
and in respect of:(a) an application under that Act for amendment of an agency’s
records that was made or determined before the repeal of that Act,
if the provision had not been amended by that Act.(3) An application to an agency for amendment of the agency’s
records that is made within the period of 12 months after the repeal of the
FOI Act that states that it is made under or for the purposes of that Act (or
Part 4 of that Act) is deemed to state that it is made under Part 6A of the
Privacy and Personal Information Protection
Act 1998 and is to be dealt with
accordingly.5 Register of government contracts(1) Division 5 (Government contracts with private sector) of Part 3
does not apply to a government contract entered into by or on behalf of an
agency before 1 January 2007 (being the date of commencement of section 15A of
the FOI Act).(2) Division 5 of Part 3 does not apply to a government contract
entered into by a SOC or local authority before the commencement of this
clause.Part 3 Provisions consequent on enactment of Government Information (Public Access) Amendment Act
20126 DefinitionIn this Part:amending
Act means the Government
Information (Public Access) Amendment Act
2012.7 Application of amendments to pending access
applications(1) Section 55, as amended by the amending Act, extends to access
applications made before its amendment.(2) Section 56, as in force before its amendment by the amending Act,
extends to access applications made (but not decided by an agency) before its
amendment.8 Application of changes to time periodsAn amendment made to this Act by the amending Act that alters a
period of time for the taking of action under this Act does not apply to a
person in connection with a matter arising before the amendment’s
commencement if the result of applying the amendment would be to deny the
person a right to take action that the person would have had but for the
amendment.9 Existing publication guides taken to be agency information
guidesAny guide that was a publication guide for an agency immediately
before the commencement of Schedule 1 [2] to the amending Act is taken to be
the agency information guide for that agency until a new guide is required to
be adopted by the agency under this Act.Schedule 4 Interpretative provisions1 DefinitionsIn this Act:access
applicant means the applicant under an access
application.access
application—see section 4.ADT means the
Administrative Decisions Tribunal established by the ADT Act.ADT Act means the
Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act
1997.agency—see
section 4.authorised
objector—see section 56.commercial-in-confidence
provisions of a contract means any provisions of the contract that
disclose:(a) the contractor’s financing arrangements,
(b) the contractor’s cost structure or profit margins,
(c) the contractor’s full base case financial model,
(d) any intellectual property in which the contractor has an interest,
(e) any matter the disclosure of which would place the contractor at a
substantial commercial disadvantage in relation to other contractors or
potential contractors, whether at present or in the
contractor, in
relation to a government contract entered into by an agency, means the person
with whom the agency has entered into the contract.court
includes:(a) a tribunal, a Magistrate and a coroner, and
(b) a registry or other office of a court and the members of staff of
that registry or other office.
information includes make information available and release or provide access
to information.Note. See also the definition of reveal.disclosure
log means a disclosure log kept by an agency under Part 3 (Open
access information).excluded
information of an agency specified in Schedule 2 means information
that relates to any function specified in that Schedule in relation to the
agency.exercise a
function includes perform a duty.function includes
a power, authority or duty.government
contract means any of the following contracts between an agency and
a private sector entity:(a) a contract under which a party agrees to undertake a specific
project (such as a construction, infrastructure or property development
project),
(b) a contract under which a party agrees to provide specific goods or
services (such as information technology services), other than a contract of
(c) a contract under which a party agrees to transfer real property to
another party to the contract,
(d) a lease of real property.
Department means a Department under the Public Sector Employment and Management Act
2002.government
information—see section 4.Information
Commissioner means the Information Commissioner under the Government Information (Information Commissioner)
Act 2009.Joint
Committee means the Joint Committee under the Government Information (Information Commissioner)
Act 2009.judicial
functions, in relation to a court, means such of the functions of
the court as relate to the hearing or determination of proceedings before it,
and includes:(a) in relation to a Magistrate—such of the functions of the
Magistrate as relate to the conduct of committal proceedings,
(b) in relation to a coroner—such of the functions of the
coroner as relate to the conduct of inquests and inquiries under the Coroners Act
instrument means a Public Act or an instrument made under a Public
Act.local
authority means a council or county council within the meaning of
1993.open access
information—see Part 3.person includes an
agency, the government of another jurisdiction (including a jurisdiction
outside Australia) and an agency of the government of another
jurisdiction.Note. This definition does not limit the definition of person in the Interpretation Act 1987, which
includes an individual, a corporation and a body corporate or
politic.personal
information—see clause 4.principal
officer of an agency means the head or chief executive officer
(however designated) of the agency or the person of greatest seniority in the
agency, and includes the Minister in the case of an agency that is a
Minister.Privacy
Commissioner means the Privacy Commissioner under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act
1998.private sector
entity means any person or body (whether incorporated or
unincorporated) who or which is not an agency.public
authority—see clause 2.public
office—see clause 3.record—see
clause 10.reveal information
means to disclose information that has not already been publicly disclosed
(otherwise than by unlawful disclosure).reviewable
decision means a decision of an agency that is a reviewable decision
under Part 5.State includes
Territory.State owned
corporation or SOC means
a State owned corporation under the State
Owned Corporations Act 1989.working day
means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or public
holiday.2 Public authorities(1) In this Act, public authority
means:(a) a statutory body representing the Crown, or
(b) a body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) established or
continued for a public purpose by or under the provisions of a legislative
instrument, or
(c) the NSW Police Force, or
(d) the Teaching Service, or
(e) a State owned corporation, or
(f) a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Crown in right of the State or of
(g) a body declared to be a public authority by a regulation under
(2) The regulations may declare any of the following bodies to be a
public authority:(a) a body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) established for a
public purpose otherwise than by or under the provisions of a legislative
(b) a body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) that is
established by the Governor or by a Minister or that is an incorporated
company or association over which a Minister is in a position to exercise
direction or control.
(3) None of the following is a public authority for the purposes of a
provision of this Act:(a) an incorporated company or association (unless declared to be a
public authority for the purposes of the provision by a regulation under this
clause),
(b) the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly or a committee
of either or both of those bodies,
(c) a Royal Commission or a Special Commission of
(d) a local authority.
(4) An unincorporated body that is a board, council, committee,
subcommittee or other body established or continued by or under the provisions
of a legislative instrument for the purpose of assisting, or exercising
functions connected with, an agency is not to be regarded as a separate public
authority and instead is to be regarded as part of and included in the
agency.(5) A regulation declaring a body to be a public authority may declare
a body to be a public authority either generally or for the purposes only of
specified provisions of this Act.3 Public offices(1) In this Act, public office means:(a) an office established or continued for a public purpose by or
under the provisions of a legislative instrument, or
(b) any other office to which an appointment is made by the Governor
or by a Minister that is declared by the regulations to be a public
(2) None of the following is a public office for the purposes of this
Act:(a) the office of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor or Administrator of
(b) the office of a member of the Legislative Council or the
Legislative Assembly or of a committee of either or both of those
(c) the office of President of the Legislative Council or Speaker of
the Legislative Assembly or Chair of a committee of either or both of those
(d) the office of a Minister of the Crown, Parliamentary Secretary or
member of the Executive Council,
(e) an office the duties of which the person performs as an officer of
(f) the office of a judicial officer of a court,
(g) an office of member of an agency,
(h) an office established or continued by or under the provisions of a
legislative instrument for the purposes of an agency,
(i) an office established or continued by or under the provisions of a
legislative instrument for the purposes of a body that is excluded from the
authority by clause 2 (3).
4 Personal information(1) In this Act, personal information
means information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming
part of a database and whether or not recorded in a material form) about an
individual (whether living or dead) whose identity is apparent or can
reasonably be ascertained from the information or
opinion.(2) Personal information includes such things as an individual’s
fingerprints, retina prints, body samples or genetic
characteristics.(3) Personal information does not include any of the following:(a) information about an individual who has been dead for more than 30
(b) information about an individual (comprising the individual’s
name and non-personal contact details) that reveals nothing more than the fact
that the person was engaged in the exercise of public
(c) information about an individual that is of a class, or is
contained in a document of a class, prescribed by the regulations for the
purposes of this subclause.
5 Regulations may include persons and entities as
agencies(1) The regulations may declare a person or entity that is not
otherwise an agency to be an agency (a deemed agency) for the
purposes of all or specified provisions of this Act and the Government Information (Information Commissioner)
Act 2009 in relation to all or specified agency functions of
the person or entity.(2) A function of a person or entity is an agency function if it
is:(a) a function of a kind that is or was ordinarily exercised by an
agency, or
(b) a function of an agency that the person or entity is exercising
pursuant to a contract or other arrangement with the
(3) A deemed agency is an agency only in respect of information that
relates to the exercise by the deemed agency of the agency functions in
respect of which it is declared to be an agency and only while the deemed
agency exercises those functions (or for such shorter period as may be
provided by the regulations).(4) A regulation under this clause may provide that information
relating to any specified function of a deemed agency is excluded information
of the agency under this Act.(5) The regulations under clause 6 may also declare that a deemed
agency is not to be regarded as a separate agency and instead is to be
regarded for the purposes of this Act as part of and included in another
specified agency.(6) The Minister must, before recommending the making of a regulation
under this clause, consult with the person or entity concerned and with any
agency with which the person or entity has a contract or other arrangement for
the exercise of the functions concerned.Note. The Minister is also required to consult with the Information
Commissioner. See section 129 (3).6 Regulations may declare agency to be part of another
agency(1) The regulations may declare that a specified agency (the subsidiary agency) is not
to be regarded as a separate agency and instead is to be regarded for the
purposes of this Act as part of and included in another specified agency (the
agency).(2) An access application made to the parent agency specifically for
government information held by the subsidiary agency can be dealt with by the
parent agency as an access application only for government information held by
the subsidiary agency and not for government information otherwise held by the
parent agency.6A Regulations may declare part of an agency to be separate
agencyThe regulations may declare that a specified office, branch or
other part of an agency is for the purposes of this Act to be regarded as
being a separate agency to the agency of which it forms
part.7 References to the GovernmentA reference in this Act to the Government includes, where
appropriate, a reference to an agency.8 Bodies forming part of agenciesSubject to any regulations made for the purposes of clause 6A, a
reference in this Act to an agency includes a reference to any body that forms
part of the agency or that exists mainly for the purpose of enabling the
agency to exercise its functions.9 Officer of an agencyA reference in this Act to an officer of an agency includes a
reference to a member of the agency, the principal officer of the agency and
any other person employed within the agency or as a member of staff of the
agency, and in the case of an agency that is a Minister, includes a reference
to the Minister.10 Meaning of “record”(1) In this Act:record means
any document or other source of information compiled, recorded or stored in
written form or by electronic process, or in any other manner or by any other
means.(2) A reference in this Act to a record includes a reference to a copy
of the record.(3) For the purposes of the definition of record in this Act, the knowledge
of a person is not a record.11 Government information held by MinisterA reference in this Act to government information held by an
agency is, when the agency is a Minister, a reference to government
information held by the Minister in the course of the exercise of official
functions in, or for any official purpose of, or for the official use of, the
office of Minister of the Crown.12 Government information held by agency(1) A reference in this Act to government information held by an
agency is a reference to:(a) information contained in a record held by the agency,
(b) information contained in a record held by a private sector entity
to which the agency has an immediate right of access, or
(c) information contained in a record in the possession or custody of
the State Records Authority (or that the Authority has in the custody or
possession of some other person) to which the agency has an immediate right of
access, other than a record that is withheld from public access under section
59 of the State Records Act
(d) information contained in a record that is in the possession, or
under the control, of a person in his or her capacity as an officer or member
of staff of the agency (including, in the case of a Minister, the personal
staff of the Minister).
(2) Information that would be regarded as government information held
by an agency because the agency has access to a record that contains the
information is not to be regarded as government information held by the agency
if the public generally has access to the record (for example, because the
record is available on the Internet).(3) Information contained in a record that genuinely forms part of the
library material held by an agency is not government information held by the
agency.13 Records in certain agencies(1) A record that is held by:(a) the State Records Authority, or
(b) the Australian Museum, or
(c) the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, or
(d) the State Library, or
(e) any other prescribed agency,
but that was originally created or received by another agency is taken to
be held by that other agency.(2) A record that is held by an agency referred to in subclause (1)
and that relates to the affairs of a Royal Commission or a Special Commission
of Inquiry is taken to be held by the Minister administering the Royal Commissions Act 1923 or the
Minister administering the Special
Commissions of Inquiry Act 1983, as
appropriate.(3) Information contained in a record held by an agency that is a
public archive is not government information for the purposes of this Act
if:(a) the record was not created by an agency in relation to the
functions of an agency, and
(b) the record is held in the public archive subject to a condition
imposed by the person or body (not being an agency) by whom it has been placed
in the possession of the archive prohibiting its disclosure to members of the
public generally or to certain members of the public or restricting its
disclosure to certain members of the public.
(4) In this clause, public archive
includes:(a) each of the agencies referred to in subclause (1),
(b) a library that forms part of a university, college of advanced
education or college of technical and further
14 Defunct agencies(1) When an agency (the former agency) ceases to
exist:(a) any government information taken to be held by the former agency
is instead taken to be held by the successor agency, and
(b) an access application made to the former agency is taken to have
been made to the successor agency, and
(c) a decision under this Act made by the former agency is taken to
have been made by the successor agency.
(2) The successor
agency to a former agency is:(a) another agency on which the former agency’s functions have
devolved, or
(b) if the former agency’s functions have devolved on 2 or more
other agencies—the agency on which have devolved the functions to which
the government information concerned most closely relates,
(c) if the former agency’s functions have not devolved on
another agency—such other agency as the Minister administering this Act
may, after consultation with the responsible Minister for that agency,
(3) For the purpose of enabling an application or determination to be
dealt with under this Act:(a) an agency to which an application is to be taken to have been
made, or
(b) an agency by which a determination is to be taken to have been
is, if the agency did not exist at the time the application or
determination was in fact made, taken to have been in existence at that
time.15 References in other Acts—information not required to
be disclosedA reference in any other Act or statutory rule to information that
an agency would not be required to disclose under this Act is a reference to
information that the agency would not be required to disclose in response to
an access application made to the agency under this
Act.16 NotesNotes included in this Act do not form part of this
Act.Schedule 5 (Repealed)Historical notesThe following abbreviations are used in the Historical notes:
Am amended LW legislation website Sch Schedule Cl clause No number Schs Schedules Cll clauses p page Sec section Div Division pp pages Secs sections Divs Divisions Reg Regulation Subdiv Subdivision GG Government Gazette Regs Regulations Subdivs Subdivisions Ins inserted Rep repealed Subst substituted See also the Government
Information (Information Commissioner) Act 2009 and the
(Consequential Amendments and Repeal) Act
2009.Table of amending instrumentsGovernment Information (Public
Access) Act 2009 No 52. Assented to 26.6.2009. Date of
commencement, 1.7.2010, sec 2 and 2010 (247) LW 18.6.2010. This Act has been
amended by sec 132 (5) and as follows:
2009No 102Parliamentary Electorates and
Elections Amendment (Automatic Enrolment) Act 2009. Assented
to 14.12.2009.Date of commencement, 24.9.2010, sec 2 and 2010 (542) LW
Provisions) Act (No 2) 2009. Assented to 14.12.2009.Date of commencement of Sch 4, 8.1.2010, sec 2
2010No 28Coroners Amendment (Domestic
Violence Death Review Team) Act 2010. Assented to
9.6.2010.Date of commencement, 16.7.2010, sec 2 and 2010 (371) LW
16.7.2010.
No 34Health Practitioner Regulation
No 71Privacy and Government
Information Legislation Amendment Act 2010. Assented to
28.9.2010.Date of commencement, 1.1.2011, sec 2 and 2010 (657) LW
No 83Parliamentary Budget Officer Act
2010. Assented to 1.11.2010.Date of commencement of Sch 1.1, 25.1.2011, sec 2
No 84Protected Disclosures Amendment
(Public Interest Disclosures) Act 2010. Assented to
1.11.2010.Date of commencement of Sch 2, 3.3.2011, sec 2 and 2011 (121) LW
3.3.2011.
No 102Surrogacy Act
2010. Assented to 16.11.2010.Date of commencement, 1.3.2011, sec 2 and 2011 (49) LW
11.2.2011.
No 126Parliamentary Electorates and
Elections Further Amendment Act 2010. Assented to
7.12.2010.Date of commencement, assent, sec 2.
2011No 72Clubs, Liquor and Gaming
Machines Legislation Amendment Act 2011. Assented to
28.11.2011.Date of commencement of Sch 5.5, 1.3.2012, sec 2 (1) and 2012 (64) LW
2012No 7Government Information (Public
Access) Amendment Act 2012. Assented to 19.3.2012.Date of commencement, assent, sec 2.
No 40Judicial Officers Amendment Act
2012. Assented to 21.6.2012.Date of commencement, assent, sec 2.
Management Amendment (Procurement of Goods and Services) Act
2012. Assented to 22.6.2012.Date of commencement, 1.7.2012, sec 2 and 2012 (306) LW
No 60Courts and Other Legislation
Amendment Act 2012. Assented to 10.9.2012.Date of commencement of Sch 8, assent, sec 2
No 82Rail Safety (Adoption of
No 95Statute Law (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act (No 2) 2012. Assented to 21.11.2012.Date of commencement of Sch 2, 4.1.2013, sec 2
Sec 6Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [1].Sec 14Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [1].Sec 18Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [2].Part 3, Div 2, headingSubst 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [3].Secs 20, 21Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [2].Sec 22Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [2] [4].Sec 26Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [5] [6].Secs 27, 33, 34Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [7].Sec 36Am 2012 No 43, Sch 3.1.Sec 41Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [8] [9].Sec 51AIns 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [10].Sec 52Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [11].Sec 54Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [12].Sec 55Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [13].Sec 56Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1
[14]–[18].Sec 60Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [19].Sec 68Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [20].Sec 80Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [21].Sec 82Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [22].Sec 89Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [23].Sec 90Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [24].Sec 93Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [25].Sec 94Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [2]; 2012 No 60, Sch
8.Sec 101Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [26] [27].Sec 104Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [3].Sec 106Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [28].Sec 125Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [29].Sec 126Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [30].Sec 127Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [31].Sec 128Am 2009 No 106, Sch 4.18.Sec 129Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [4]; 2012 No 7, Sch 1
[2].Sec 130Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [5] [6].Sec 131Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [7].Sch 1Am 2009 No 102, Sch 6.2; 2010 No 83, Sch 1.1; 2010
No 84, Sch 2.3; 2010 No 102, Sch 2.3; 2010 No 126, Sch 3 [1]; 2011 No 72, Sch
5.5; 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [32] [33]; 2012 No 40, Sch 2; 2012 No 82, Sch 2.6
[1]–[3].Sch 2Am 2010 No 28, Sch 2.2; 2010 No 34, Sch 2.20; 2010
No 126, Sch 3 [2]; 2012 No 95, Sch 2.12 [1] [2].Sch 3Am 2012 No 7, Sch 1 [34] [35].Sch 4Am 2010 No 71, Sch 3 [8]; 2012 No 7, Sch 1
[36]–[38].Sch 5Rep 2009 No 52, sec 132 (5). Top of page