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Freedom of Information guidelines
The 2010 amendments to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are the most substantial changes to Australia's national freedom of information law since it commenced.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has published a guide which explains the main provisions and underlying principles of the FOI Act including the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the Act and the key features of the 2010 reforms.
As well the OAIC has produced detailed guidance material to help Australian Government agencies understand what the main changes to the FOI Act are, and how they affect agencies' activities
Guidelines issued under section 93A of the Freedom of Information Act 1982
Agencies must have regard to guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act when they are performing a function or exercising a power under that Act. Below are the current Guidelines followed by a table of links to archived versions which includes a summary of significant changes between each version.
Current Guidelines
- Combined set of s 93A Guideline Parts (as at 10 May 2012) PDF (7.1MB)
- Preface PDF
- Part 1 – Introduction to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 2 – Scope of application of the Freedom of Information Act (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 3 – Processing requests for access (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 4 – Charges for providing access (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 5 – Exemptions (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 6 – Conditional Exemptions (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 7 – Amendment and annotation of personal records (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 8 – Decisions on FOI requests (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 9 – Internal agency review of decisions (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 10 – Review by the Information Commissioner (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 11 – Complaints and investigations (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 12 – Vexatious applicant declarations (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 13 – Information Publication Scheme (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 14 – Disclosure log (HTML) (PDF)
- Part 15 – Reporting (HTML) (PDF)
- Glossary (HTML) (PDF)
- Guidance for agency websites (HTML) (PDF), (RTF)
| Part | Version | Currency Dates | Changes and other comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preface | Original | 4-Feb-2011 to 27-Oct-11 | |
| Preface | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Table of contents updated |
| Part 1 – Intro to the FOI Act | Original | 24-Dec-2010 to 24-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 1 – Intro to the FOI Act | v1.1 | 25-Oct-2011 to ... | Updated regarding commencement of the IPS and Norfolk Island amendments. Stylistic changes to references to FOI guidelines. |
| Part 2 – Scope of application of the FOI Act | Original | 24-Dec-2010 to 24-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 2 – Scope of application of the FOI Act | v1.1 | 25-Oct-2011 to 08-May-2012 | Inserted footnote at paragraph 2.6 referring to ‘B’ and Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General [2011] AICmr 6. Stylistic changes to references to FOI guidelines. |
| Part 2 – Scope of application of the FOI Act | v1.2 | 9-May-2012 to ... | New paragraph about the application of the FOI Act to Commonwealth Parliamentary departments (paragraph 2.5) |
| Part 3 – Processing requests for access | Original | 22-Jul-2011 to 24-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 3 – Processing requests for access | v1.1 | 25-Oct-2011 to ... | Stylistic changes to references to FOI guidelines. |
| Part 4 – Charges for providing access | Original | 4-Feb-2011 to 24-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 4 – Charges for providing access | v1.1 | 25-Oct-2011 to ... | Updated regarding commencement of the IPS (paragraph 4.54) |
| Part 5 – Exemptions | Original | 25-Feb-2011 to 24-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 5 – Exemptions | v1.1 | 25-Oct-2011 to ... | Reference to ‘informal’ request rather than ‘valid’ request (paragraph 5.1). Inclusion of references to ss 47E(a) and 47E(b) (paragraph 5.12). Updated regarding commencement of the IPS (paragraph 5.133). Stylistic changes to references to FOI guidelines. |
| Part 6 – Conditional Exemptions | Original | 4-Mar-2011 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 6 – Conditional Exemptions | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Insert reference to Carver and Fair Work Ombudsman [2011] AICmr 5 at paragraph 6.25 and text at paragraph 6.63 |
| Part 7 – Amendment and annotation of personal records | Original | 14-Apr-2011 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 7 – Amendment and annotation of personal records | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Amendment of references to FOI Act (paragraphs 7.40 and 7.41) Stylistic changes to references to FOI guidelines |
| Part 8 – Decisions on FOI requests | Original | 25-Oct-2011 to ... | |
| Part 9 – Internal agency review of decisions | Original | 15-Mar-2011 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 9 – Internal agency review of decisions | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | New paragraph clarifying guidance regarding extension of time (paragraph 9.25) |
| Part 10 – Review by the Information Commissioner | Original | 24-Dec-2010 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 10 – Review by the Information Commissioner | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Addition of guidance regarding who should notify the FOI applicant if a third party has sought IC review of an access grant decision (paragraph 10.78) |
| Part 11 – Complaints and investigations | Original | 24-Dec-2010 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 11 – Complaints and investigations | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Stylistic changes to references to FOI guidelines |
| Part 12 – Vexatious applicant declarations | Original | 24-Dec-2010 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 12 – Vexatious applicant declarations | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Stylistic change to references to FOI guidelines |
| Part 13 – Information Publication Scheme | Original | 21-Apr-2011 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 13 – Information Publication Scheme | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Updated regarding commencement of the IPS (paragraphs 13.1 and 13.12) |
| Part 14 – Disclosure log | Original | 21-Apr-2011 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Part 14 – Disclosure log | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Addition of guidance regarding publication of telephone numbers of officers and publication of edited versions of documents on the disclosure log (paragraphs 14.10 and 14.11) |
| Part 15 – Reporting | Original | 15-Mar-2011 to 10-May-2011 | Originally published as Part 14 |
| Part 15 – Reporting | v1.1 | 11-May-2011 to 9 May 2012 | Renumbered and updated regarding the IPS and s 9 statements |
| Part 15 – Reporting | v1.2 | 10-May-2012 to ... | Updated annual report requirements and removal of transitional arrangements for 2010–11 |
| Glossary | Original | 4-Feb-2011 to 27-Oct-2011 | |
| Glossary | v1.1 | 28-Oct-2011 to ... | Terms added |
| Guidance for agency websites | Original | 23-Mar-2011 to ... |
Other Freedom of Information guidance
- Notifying and Requesting Extensions of FOI Processing Time from the Information Commissioner PDF, RTF
- Documents held by Government Contractors – Agency Obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 PDF (see also Privacy Obligations For Commonwealth Contracts)
- Information Publication Scheme (IPS) and Disclosure Log determinations policy and procedure PDF, RTF
- Disclosure Log Determination No. 2011-1 (Exempt Documents)
For other practical resources for Australian Government agencies in relation to their FOI and IPS obligations see Agency resources.
Privacy guidelines
- Tax File Number Guidelines (December 2011)
For more information see the Tax File Numbers – information page
Note: Other privacy guidelines produced by the former Office of the Privacy Commissioner which are still current and part of the operational information of the OAIC can be found at http://www.privacy.gov.au/materials/types/guidelines
Other privacy guidance
- Privacy Impact Assessment Guide (May 2010), PDF
- Data breach notification - A guide to handling personal information security breaches (April 2012) , PDF