Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 - SECT 15

             (1)  Subject to section 15A, a person who wishes to obtain access to a document of an agency or an official document of a Minister may request access to the document.

             (2)  The request must:

                     (a)  be in writing; and

                     (b)  provide such information concerning the document as is reasonably necessary to enable a responsible officer of the agency, or the Minister, to identify it; and

                     (c)  specify an address in Australia at which notices under this Act may be sent to the applicant; and

                     (d)  be sent by post to the agency or Minister, or delivered to an officer of the agency or a member of the staff of the Minister, at the address of any central or regional office of the agency or Minister specified in a current telephone directory; and

                     (e)  be accompanied by the fee payable under the regulations in respect of the request.

             (3)  Where a person:

                     (a)  wishes to make a request to an agency; or

                     (b)  has made to an agency a request that does not comply with this section;

it is the duty of the agency to take reasonable steps to assist the person to make the request in a manner that complies with this section.

             (4)  Where a person has directed to an agency a request that should have been directed to another agency or to a Minister, it is the duty of the first‑mentioned agency to take reasonable steps to assist the person to direct the request to the appropriate agency or Minister.

             (5)  On receiving a request, the agency or Minister must:

                     (a)  as soon as practicable but in any case not later than 14 days after the day on which the request is received by or on behalf of the agency or Minister, take all reasonable steps to enable the applicant to be notified that the request has been received; and

                     (b)  as soon as practicable but in any case not later than the end of the period of 30 days after the day on which the request is received by or on behalf of the agency or Minister, take all reasonable steps to enable the applicant to be notified of a decision on the request (including a decision under section 21 to defer the provision of access to a document).

             (6)  Where, in relation to a request, the agency or Minister determines in writing that the requirements of section 26A, 27 or 27A make it appropriate to extend the period referred to in paragraph (5)(b):

                     (a)  the period is to be taken to be extended by a further period of 30 days; and

                     (b)  the agency or Minister must, as soon as practicable, inform the applicant that the period has been so extended.