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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982

Table of Provisions

PART I--PRELIMINARY

  • 1 Short title  
  • 2 Commencement  
  • 3 Objects--general  
  • 3A Objects--information or documents otherwise accessible  
  • 4 Interpretation  
  • 4A Certain legislation relating to Australian Capital Territory not to be enactment  
  • 5 Act to apply to courts in respect of administrative matters  
  • 6 Act to apply to certain tribunals in respect of administrative matters  
  • 6A Official Secretary to the Governor-General  
  • 6C Requirement for Commonwealth contracts  
  • 7 Exemption of certain persons and bodies  

PART II--INFORMATION--PUBLICATION SCHEME

DIVISION 1--Guide to this Part
  • 7A Information publication scheme--guide  
  • DIVISION 2--Information to be published
  • 8 Information to be published--what information?  
  • 8A Information to be published--what is?  
  • 8B Information to be published--accuracy etc.  
  • 8C Information to be published--restrictions  
  • 8D Information to be published--how (and to whom) information is to be published  
  • 8E Information to be published--Information Commissioner to assist agencies  
  • DIVISION 3--Review of information publication scheme
  • 8F Review of scheme--Information Commissioner functions  
  • 9 Review of scheme--by agencies  
  • DIVISION 4--Guidelines
  • 9A Functions and powers under this Part  
  • DIVISION 5--Miscellaneous
  • 10 Unpublished operational information  
  • 10A Who performs functions etc. given to agencies  
  • 10B Transitional--Norfolk Island authorities  

PART III--ACCESS--TO DOCUMENTS

  • 11 Right of access  
  • 11A Access to documents on request  
  • 11B Public interest exemptions--factors  
  • 11C Publication of information in accessed documents  
  • 12 Part not to apply to certain documents  
  • 13 Documents in certain institutions  
  • 15 Requests for access  
  • 15AA Extension of time with agreement  
  • 15AB Extension of time for complex or voluminous requests  
  • 15AC Decision not made on request within time--deemed refusal  
  • 15A Request for access to personnel records  
  • 16 Transfer of requests  
  • 16A Requests transferred from the ACT  
  • 17 Requests involving use of computers etc.  
  • 20 Forms of access  
  • 21 Deferment of access  
  • 22 Access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted  
  • 23 Decisions to be made by authorised persons  
  • 24 Power to refuse request--diversion of resources etc.  
  • 24AA When does aexist?  
  • 24AB What is a?  
  • 24A Requests may be refused if documents cannot be found, do not exist or have not been received  
  • 25 Information as to existence of certain documents  
  • 26 Reasons and other particulars of decisions to be given  
  • 26A Consultation--documents affecting Commonwealth-State relations etc.  
  • 27 Consultation--business documents  
  • 27A Consultation--documents affecting personal privacy  
  • 29 Charges  
  • 31 Decision to impose charge--extended period for processing request  

PART IV--EXEMPT--DOCUMENTS

DIVISION 1--Preliminary
  • 31A Access to exempt and conditionally exempt documents  
  • 31B Exempt documents for the purposes of this Part  
  • 32 Interpretation  
  • DIVISION 2--Exemptions
  • 33 Documents affecting national security, defence or international relations  
  • 34 Cabinet documents  
  • 37 Documents affecting enforcement of law and protection of public safety  
  • 38 Documents to which secrecy provisions of enactments apply  
  • 42 Documents subject to legal professional privilege  
  • 45 Documents containing material obtained in confidence  
  • 45A Parliamentary Budget Office documents  
  • 46 Documents disclosure of which would be contempt of Parliament or contempt of court  
  • 47 Documents disclosing trade secrets or commercially valuable information  
  • 47A Electoral rolls and related documents  
  • DIVISION 3--Public interest conditional exemptions
  • 47B Public interest conditional exemptions--Commonwealth-State relations etc.  
  • 47C Public interest conditional exemptions--deliberative processes  
  • 47D Public interest conditional exemptions--financial or property interests of the Commonwealth  
  • 47E Public interest conditional exemptions--certain operations of agencies  
  • 47F Public interest conditional exemptions--personal privacy  
  • 47G Public interest conditional exemptions--business  
  • 47H Public interest conditional exemptions--research  
  • 47J Public interest conditional exemptions--the economy  

PART V--AMENDMENT--AND ANNOTATION OF PERSONAL RECORDS

  • 48 Application for amendment or annotation of personal records  
  • 49 Requirements of an application for amendment  
  • 50 Amendment of records  
  • 51 Annotations of records etc. following unsuccessful applications for amendments of records  
  • 51A Requirements of an application for annotation  
  • 51B Annotation of records  
  • 51C Transfer of requests  
  • 51D Notification etc. of a decision under this Part  
  • 51DA Decision not made on request for amendment or annotation within time--deemed refusal  
  • 51E Comments on annotations  

PART VI--INTERNAL--REVIEW OF DECISIONS

  • 52 Internal review of decisions--guide  
  • 53 Interpretation  
  • 53A What is an?  
  • 53B What is an?  
  • 53C Internal review--who is an?  
  • 54 Internal review--access refusal decision  
  • 54A Internal review--access grant decision  
  • 54B Internal review--application for review  
  • 54C Internal review--decision on internal review  
  • 54D Internal review--deemed affirmation of original decision  
  • 54E Internal review--decisions to which this Part does not apply  

PART VII--REVIEW--BY INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

DIVISION 1--Guide to this Part
  • 54F Review by the Information Commissioner--guide  
  • DIVISION 2--Key concepts
  • 54G Key concepts--what is an?  
  • 54H Key concepts--what is an?  
  • 54J Key concepts--who is an?  
  • 54K Key concepts--what is an?  
  • DIVISION 3--IC reviewable decisions
  • 54L IC reviewable decisions--access refusal decisions  
  • 54M IC reviewable decisions--access grant decisions  
  • DIVISION 4--IC review applications
  • 54N IC review applications--application  
  • 54P IC review applications--requirement to notify affected third parties  
  • 54Q IC review applications--circumstances in which not giving notice is appropriate  
  • 54R IC review applications--withdrawal  
  • 54S IC review applications--time limits  
  • 54T IC review applications--extension of time  
  • DIVISION 5--Decision to review
  • 54U Decision to review--interpretation  
  • 54V Decision to review--preliminary inquiries  
  • 54W Decision to review--discretion not to review  
  • 54X Decision to review--notice requirement if discretion not to review exercised  
  • 54Y Decision to review--actual decisions made after IC review has commenced  
  • DIVISION 6--Procedure in IC review
  • 54Z Procedure in IC review--general notice requirement  
  • 55 Procedure in IC review--general  
  • 55A Procedure in IC review--parties to proceeding  
  • 55B Procedure in IC review--application for hearing  
  • 55C Procedure in IC review--representation  
  • 55D Procedure in IC review--onus  
  • 55DA Decision-maker must assist Information Commissioner  
  • 55E Procedure in IC review--inadequate reasons from decision maker  
  • 55F Procedure in IC review--review parties reach agreement  
  • 55G Procedure in IC review--revocation or variation of access refusal decision  
  • 55H Procedure in IC review--reference of questions of law to Federal Court of Australia  
  • 55J Procedure in IC review--sending of documents to, and disclosure of documents by, the Federal Court of Australia  
  • DIVISION 7--Decision on IC review
  • 55K Decision on IC review--decision of Information Commissioner  
  • 55L Decision on IC review--no power to give access to exempt documents  
  • 55M Decision on IC review--limitation on amending records  
  • 55N Decision on IC review--obligation to comply with decision  
  • 55P Decision on IC review--enforcement of decision against agency  
  • 55Q Decision on IC review--correction of errors  
  • DIVISION 8--Information gathering powers
  • 55R Information gathering powers--obliging production of information and documents  
  • 55S Information gathering powers--dealings with documents  
  • 55T Information gathering powers--production of exempt documents generally  
  • 55U Information gathering powers--production of national security, Cabinet or Parliamentary Budget Office documents  
  • 55V Information gathering powers--further searches for a document  
  • 55W Information gathering powers--obliging persons to appear  
  • 55X Information gathering powers--administration of oath or affirmation  
  • 55Y Information gathering powers--no loss of legal professional privilege  
  • 55Z Information gathering powers--protection from liability  
  • DIVISION 9--Evidence by Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security
  • 55ZA Evidence by Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security--scope  
  • 55ZB Evidence by Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security--request to give evidence  
  • 55ZC Evidence by Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security--compliance with request  
  • 55ZD Evidence by Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security--procedural matters  
  • DIVISION 10--Appeals
  • 56 Appeals--appeals to Federal Court of Australia on questions of law  
  • 56A Appeals--Federal Court of Australia may make findings of fact  

PART VIIA--REVIEW--BY THE TRIBUNAL

DIVISION 1--Guide to this Part
  • 57 Review by the Tribunal--guide  
  • DIVISION 2--Tribunal reviewable decisions
  • 57A Tribunal reviewable decisions--which decisions are reviewable?  
  • DIVISION 3--Powers of Tribunal
  • 58 Powers of Tribunal  
  • 58A Powers of Tribunal--requiring further searches  
  • 58AA Powers of Tribunal--limitation on amending records  
  • DIVISION 4--Procedure in Tribunal
  • 58B Constitution of Tribunal for proceedings about certain exempt documents  
  • 58D Modification of section 42 of the  
  • 58E Production to the Tribunal of certain exempt documents  
  • 60 Procedure in Tribunal--parties  
  • 60AA Procedure in Tribunal--requirement to notify affected third parties  
  • 60AB Procedure in Tribunal--circumstances in which not giving notice is appropriate  
  • 60A Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security must be requested to give evidence in certain proceedings  
  • 61 Onus  
  • 61A Modification of the  
  • 62 Application of section 28 of Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act etc.  
  • DIVISION 5--Protection of information in Tribunal
  • 63 Tribunal to ensure non-disclosure of certain matters  
  • 64 Production of exempt documents  
  • DIVISION 6--Recommendations as to costs
  • 66 Tribunal may make recommendation that costs be available in certain circumstances  
  • DIVISION 7--Automatic stay of certain decisions
  • 67 Automatic stay of certain decisions on appeal  

PART VIIB--INVESTIGATIONS--AND COMPLAINTS

DIVISION 1--Guide to this Part
  • 68 Investigations and complaints--guide  
  • DIVISION 2--Information Commissioner investigations
  • 69 Information Commissioner investigations--power to investigate  
  • 70 Information Commissioner investigations--making complaints  
  • 71 Information Commissioner investigations--interpretation  
  • 72 Information Commissioner investigations--preliminary inquiries  
  • 73 Information Commissioner investigations--discretion not to investigate  
  • 74 Information Commissioner investigations--transfer to Ombudsman  
  • 75 Information Commissioner investigations--notice requirements  
  • 76 Information Commissioner investigations--conduct of investigation  
  • 77 Information Commissioner investigations--general power to enter premises  
  • 78 Information Commissioner investigations--places for which approval required before entry  
  • 79 Information Commissioner investigations--obliging production of information and documents  
  • 80 Information Commissioner investigations--dealings with documents  
  • 81 Information Commissioner investigations--exempt documents  
  • 82 Information Commissioner investigations--obliging persons to appear  
  • 83 Information Commissioner investigations--administration of oath or affirmation  
  • 84 Information Commissioner investigations--no loss of legal professional privilege  
  • 85 Information Commissioner investigations--protection from liability  
  • 86 Information Commissioner investigations--notice on completion  
  • 87 Information Commissioner investigations--what are the?  
  • 88 Information Commissioner investigations--what are the?  
  • 89 Information Commissioner investigations--failure to implement investigation recommendation  
  • 89A Information Commissioner investigations--failure to take action in response to implementation notice  
  • 89B Information Commissioner investigations--requirements for report  
  • 89C Information Commissioner investigations--ensuring non-disclosure of certain matters  
  • 89D Information Commissioner investigations--limitation on amending records  
  • 89E Information Commissioner investigations--protection from civil action  
  • DIVISION 3--Complaints to Ombudsman
  • 89F Complaints to Ombudsman--powers not affected  
  • 89G Complaints to Ombudsman--report must not contain certain information  
  • 89H Complaints to Ombudsman--certain rights not affected by certificates  
  • 89J Complaints to Ombudsman--limitation on amending records in reports under the  

PART VIII--MISCELLANEOUS

DIVISION 1--Vexatious applicants

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