Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 - SECT 59

             (1)  Where, on a request having been made for access to a document containing information concerning:

                     (a)  a person's business or professional affairs; or

                     (b)  the business, commercial or financial affairs of an organisation or undertaking;

an agency or Minister decides that the document to which the request relates, or an edited copy of the document, is not an exempt document under section 43, the person or organisation, or the proprietor of the undertaking, may apply to the Tribunal for a review of the decision.

             (2)  Where an application is made in accordance with subsection (1):

                     (a)  the provisions of this Part (other than section 55) apply in like manner as they apply in relation to an application for review of a decision refusing to grant access to a document; and

                     (b)  the agency or Minister concerned shall forthwith inform the person who made the request of the application.

          (2A)  In spite of section 29 of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 , an application by a person, organisation or proprietor under subsection (1) must be made within 30 days after the day on which notice of the decision was given to the person, organisation or proprietor, as the case may be.

             (3)  Where:

                     (a)  on a request having been made for access to a document containing information concerning:

                              (i)  a person's business or professional affairs; or

                             (ii)  the business, commercial or financial affairs of an organisation or undertaking;

                            an agency or Minister decides not to grant access to the document; and

                     (b)  an application is made to the Tribunal for a review of the decision;

the agency or Minister must, as soon as practicable, take all reasonable steps to inform the person or organisation, or the proprietor of the undertaking, of the application unless the Tribunal orders, on the application of the agency or the Minister concerned, that it would not be appropriate to do so in the circumstances.

             (4)  For the purposes of determining, under subsection (3), whether it would not be appropriate for the person or organisation, or the proprietor of the undertaking, to be informed under subsection (3), the Tribunal must have regard to whether informing the person or organisation, or the proprietor of the undertaking, would, or could reasonably be expected to:

                     (a)  prejudice the conduct of an investigation of a breach, or possible breach, of the law, or a failure, or possible failure, to comply with a law relating to taxation or prejudice the enforcement or proper administration of the law in a particular instance; or

                     (b)  disclose, or enable a person to ascertain, the existence or identity of a confidential source of information, or the non‑existence of a confidential source of information, in relation to the enforcement or administration of the law; or

                     (c)  endanger the life or physical safety of any person; or

                     (d)  cause damage to the security, defence or international relations of the Commonwealth.