Northern Territory Consolidated Acts

INFORMATION ACT

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Short title  
   2.      Commencement  
   3.      Objects  
   4.      Definitions  
   5.      Public sector organisations  
   6.      Holding government information  
   7.      Nature of rights created by this Act  
   8.      Act binds Crown  
   9.      Relationship with other laws  

   PART 2--GENERAL PRINCIPLES ABOUT DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

   10.     General principle of accountability for government information  
   11.     Information about public sector organisations  
   12.     Publicly available information  
   13.     When does this Act apply to government information?  
   14.     When does this Act apply to personal information?  

   PART 3--ACCESS AND CORRECTION RIGHTS

           Division 1--General principles

   15.     Right to access government information  
   16.     Right to access or correct personal information  
   17.     Duty of public sector organisation in dealing with applications  

           Division 2--Accessing government information

              Subdivision 1--How is an application made and how is it processed?

   18.     Application for access to government information  
   19.     Response to application  
   20.     Notice of decision on application  

              Subdivision 2--What decisions may be made in relation to an application?

   21.     Providing access in whole or in part  
   22.     Providing edited copies of information  
   23.     Deferring access  
   24.     Refusing access because information is exempt  
   25.     Refusing access because providing access unreasonably interferes with operations  
   26.     More time may be required to make decision  
   27.     Information cannot be identified or found or does not exist  
   28.     Information not held by organisation  
   29.     Transfer of application  
   30.     Information about third parties  

           Division 3--Correcting personal information

              Subdivision 1--How is an application made and how is it processed?

   31.     Application to correct personal information  
   32.     Response to application  
   33.     Notice of decision on application  

              Subdivision 2--What decisions may be made in relation to an application?

   34.     Correcting information  
   35.     Refusing to correct information  
   36.     More time may be required to make decision  
   37.     Transfer of application  

           Division 4--Review by public sector organisation

   38.     Application for review  
   39.     Conduct of review  
   40.     Decision on review  
   41.     Notice of outcome of review  

           Division 5--Miscellaneous

   42.     Vexatious applicants  

   PART 4--EXEMPTIONS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST

           Division 1--Effect of exemption

   43.     Public sector organisation may provide access to exempt information  

           Division 2--Disclosure generally is not in the public interest

   44.     Exemption  
   45.     Executive Council, Cabinet, Territory economy  
   46.     Security and law enforcement  
   47.     Information exempt under corresponding FOI laws  
   48.     Secrecy provisions  
   49.     Preservation of system of justice  
   49AA.   Criminal intelligence  
   49A.    Information obtained or created because of investigation  
   49B.    Information under Public Interest Disclosure Act  
   49C.    Information under Ombudsman Act  

           Division 3--Disclosure in a particular case is not in the public interest

   50.     Exemption  
   51.     Inter-governmental relations  
   52.     Deliberative processes  
   53.     Effective operations of public sector organisations  
   54.     Health, safety, environment and place of significance  
   55.     Confidentiality obligations, confidential sources  
   56.     Privacy and cultural information  
   57.     Commercial and business information, research, examination papers  
   58.     Financial and property interests of Territory or public sector organisation  

           Division 4--Exemption certificates

   59.     Exemption  
   60.     Issuing exemption certificate  
   61.     Duration of exemption certificate  
   62.     Exemption certificate not to be queried  
   63.     Exemption certificate not to be issued after complaint made  
   64.     Delegation not permitted  

   PART 5--PROTECTION OF PRIVACY

           Division 1--Information privacy principles

   65.     What are IPPs?  
   66.     What information do IPPs apply to?  
   67.     What is an interference with a person's privacy?  

           Division 2--Exemptions from IPPs

   68.     Publicly available information  
   69.     Courts and tribunals  
   70.     Law enforcement agencies  

           Division 3--Codes of practice

   72.     Public sector organisation may prepare draft code of practice  
   73.     Commissioner may recommend submission of draft code of practice for approval  
   74.     Minister may submit draft code of practice for approval  
   75.     Administrator may approve code of practice  
   76.     When does a code of practice take effect?  
   77.     Variation of code of practice  
   78.     Revocation of code of practice  
   79.     Compliance with code of practice  
   80.     Register of codes of practice  

           Division 4--Authorisations by Commissioner

   81.     Grant of authorisation  

           Division 5--Compliance notices

   82.     Commissioner may serve compliance notice  
   83.     Extension of time to comply  
   84.     Offence for non-compliance  

   PART 6--INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

           Division 1--Establishment, functions and powers

   85.     Information Commissioner  
   86.     Functions of Commissioner  
   87.     Powers of Commissioner  
   88.     Duty to assist persons to exercise rights  
   89.     Delegation  

           Division 2--Appointment provisions

   90.     Terms and conditions of appointment  
   91.     Termination of appointment  
   92.     Leave of absence  
   93.     Resignation  
   94.     Acting Commissioner  
   95.     Members of Legislative Assembly ineligible for appointment  

           Division 3--Miscellaneous

   96.     Staff and consultants  
   97.     Sharing staff and physical resources  
   98.     Annual report  
   99.     Special report  
   100.    Validity of Commissioner's acts and decisions  
   101.    Obstruction etc. of Commissioner  
   102.    Commissioner must not disclose exempt information  

   PART 7--COMPLAINTS TO INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

           Division 1--Complaints procedure

   103.    Complaint after review by public sector organisation  
   104.    Complaint about interference with privacy  
   105.    Form of complaint  
   106.    Commissioner to accept or reject complaint  
   107.    Notification of acceptance or rejection  
   108.    Referral of complaints to Ombudsman, Health Complaints Commissioner or interstate Privacy Commissioner  
   109.    Withdrawal of complaint  
   110.    Investigation of complaint  
   111.    Mediation is pre-condition to hearing  
   112.    Resolution of complaint by mediation or other agreement  
   113.    Hearing of complaint  
   114.    Determination of complaint about accessing or correcting information  
   115.    Determination of complaint about interference with privacy  
   116.    Notice of decision  
   117.    Commissioner may deal with similar complaints together  
   118.    Commissioner may discontinue complaint  
   119.    Effect of complaint on acts and decisions  
   120.    Role of Ombudsman or Health Complaints Commissioner  

           Division 2--Procedure for hearings

   121.    Conduct generally  
   122.    Parties and representation  
   123.    Hearing is closed to public  
   124.    Powers to compel evidence  
   125.    Onus and burden of proof where access refused  
   126.    Costs of hearing  
   127.    Contempt  
   128.    Conduct of hearing other than by Commissioner  

   PART 8--APPEALS FROM DECISIONS OF INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

   129.    Appeal to Supreme Court  

   PART 9--RECORDS AND ARCHIVES MANAGEMENT

           Division 1--Preliminary

   130.    Application of Part  
   131.    Duties of chief executive officers  
   131A.   Records functions  
   131B.   Archives functions  
   132.    Performance of functions consistent with objects of Act  

           Division 2--Obligations of public sector organisations

   133.    Protecting records  
   134.    Managing records  
   135.    Transferring records  
   136.    Form of records  

           Division 2A--Records retention and disposal schedules

   136A.   Preparation of records retention and disposal schedule  
   136B.   Approval of records retention and disposal schedule  

           Division 3--Standards

   137.    Definitions  
   137A.   Records standards  
   137B.   Archives standards  
   137C.   Preparation of standards  
   138.    Minister may approve standards  
   139.    Review of standards  
   140.    Advice to public sector organisations  

           Division 4--Managing archives

   141.    When should records be transferred to the archives service?  
   142.    Determination of open access period  
   143.    Archives in public access period to be publicly available  
   144.    Accessing and correcting archives not yet publicly available  

           Division 5--Offence

   145.    Mishandling records  

   PART 10--GENERAL OFFENCES AND MATTERS RELATING TO LIABILITY

           Division 1--General offences and related procedural matters

   146.    False or misleading statements  
   147.    Concealing or disposing of government information to prevent access or correction  
   148.    Confidentiality  
   149.    Liability of and with respect to contract service providers  
   150.    Conduct of directors, employees and agents  

           Division 2--Legal immunity

   151.    Acts done to administer or comply with this Act  
   152.    Acts done to exercise rights  
   153.    Information volunteered by public sector organisation  

   PART 11--MISCELLANEOUS

   154.    No review or other proceedings outside this Act  
   155.    Applications and complaints on behalf of children, persons with disabilities or deceased persons  
   156.    Fees for applications and complaints  
   157.    Changes in functions of public sector organisations  
   158.    Regulations  
   159.    Application  
   160.    Review after 5 years  
           SCHEDULE 1
           SCHEDULE 2
           ENDNOTES