Commonwealth Numbered Acts

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 No. 3 of 1982 - SECT 19

19. (1) If a request for access to a document that is made to an agency or
Minister -

   (a)  is made in writing and is expressed to be made in pursuance of this
Act;

   (b)  specifies an address in Australia at which notices under this Act may
be sent to the person making the request; and

   (c)  is 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 an address of
the agency or of the Minister, as the case may be, that is, under the
regulations, an address to which requests made in pursuance of this
Act may be sent or delivered in accordance with this section, the agency or
Minister shall take all reasonable steps to enable the applicant to be
notified of a decision on the request as soon as practicable but in any case
not later than 60 days after the day on which the request is received by or on
behalf of the agency or Minister.

(2) The regulations may make provision that sub-section (1) is to have effect
as if a specified shorter period were substituted for the period of 60 days
specified in that sub-section, and a provision so made has effect in relation
to requests received by or on behalf of an agency or Minister while the
provision is in force.