Source: https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/foi-archive/foi-guidelines-archive/part-11-complaints-and-investigations-original
Timestamp: 2018-05-26 00:33:02
Document Index: 773985893

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 11', 'art 11', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 7', 'art 10']

Part 11 — Complaints and investigations (original)| Office of the Australian Information Commissioner - OAIC
Part 11 — Complaints and investigations (original)
11.1 One of the Information Commissioner’s functionsis investigating under Part VIIB of the FOI Act agency actions relating to the handling of FOI matters. This involves investigating complaints as well asconducting own motion investigations (that is, investigations at the Commissioner’s initiative).
11.9 The Information Commissioner does not have the same power as the Commonwealth Ombudsman to decline to investigate a complaint that relates to action that occurred more than 12 months previously (see Ombudsman Act 1976, s 6(1)(a)). However, this is a matter that the Information Commissioner would take into account in formulating the investigation results following the completion of an investigation (see paragraph 11.35 below).
11.10 The Information Commissioner can decide not to investigate a matter as a complaint if the alternative of IC review is available (s 73(b) –see Part 10). The complaints process set out in Part VIIB is primarily intended to deal with the manner in which agencies handle FOI requests and procedural compliance matters. Examples might include a complaint of unreasonable delay by an agency in making a decision on an FOI request; a complaint that an agency did not provide adequate assistance to an FOI applicant to frame a request; a complaint by a third party that an agency failed to consult with them before deciding to release a document; or a complaint alleging a conflict of interest by the decision maker.
11.13 The Commonwealth Ombudsman retains authority to investigate under the Ombudsman Acta complaint about action taken by an agency under the FOI Act (s 89F). However, an amendment to the Ombudsman Act qualifies the Ombudsman’s discretion to deal with such complaints. Section 6C of that Act provides that the Ombudsman must consult with the Information Commissioner before deciding to investigate a complaint about a matter that is the subject of a completed investigation by the Information Commissioner, or that is or could be the subject of a complaint to the Commissioner and could be dealt with more appropriately or effectively by the Commissioner. The Ombudsman and the Information Commissioner must consult with a view to avoiding the same matter being investigated by both officers. If the Ombudsman decides not to investigate a complaint on this basis, the Ombudsman must transfer the complaint and all relevant documents and information to the Information Commissioner, and notify the complainant in writing (with reasons for the decision) (s 6C(3)). The Information Commissioner must then deal with the matter as a complaint under Part VIIB of the FOI Act (s 6C(4)).
11.14 The Information Commissioner has a similar power to transfer a complaint (or part of a complaint) to the Ombudsman ifthe Information Commissioner is satisfied that it could be dealt with more effectively or appropriately by the Ombudsman (s 74). Two examples of such situations are given in the FOI Act (examples to s 74). One is where the complaint is about an IC review. The second example is where the complaint is only one part of a wider grievance about an agency’s actions. The Information Commissioner must consult with the Ombudsman to avoid any overlap in inquiries, and may decide not to investigate or continue an investigation after that consultation (s 74(2)). If the Information Commissioner decides not to investigate a complaint on this basis, the Commissioner must transfer the complaint and all relevant documents and information to the Ombudsman, and notify the complainant in writing (with reasons for the decision) (s 74 (3), (4)).
a restricted area declared under s 14 of the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952.
11.25 Each of these powers is discussed below. The powers are the same as the Information Commissioner’s powers when conducting a review (ss 55R–55U, 55W–55X – see Part 10).
11.39 Under Part V of the FOI Act, a person has the right to apply for amendment or annotation of an incorrect record of personal information that is used by an agency for administrative purposes (see Part 7). As in an IC review, the Information Commissioner as part of an own motion investigation or complaint investigation can recommend that such incorrect records be amended, subject to certain limitations (s 89D, Part 10). Similar limitations apply to the Ombudsman’s investigations (s 89J, formerly s 57(6)).