Welcome to the website of the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC), the independent review body for certain decisions made under the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (Qld) (FOI Act).

Application framework under the FOI Act

FOI applications

Applications made under the FOI Act for access to documents or to amend records, must be made to the government organisation ('agency') that holds those documents.  See FOI Concepts: Document of an agency and official document of a Minister.

To find out more about Freedom of Information in Queensland and how to make a freedom of information application go to www.foi.qld.gov.au or contact the Freedom of Information and Privacy Unit of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General on telephone 07 3239 3439.

Internal Review applications

If a person does not accept that a decision made by a government organisation is correct under the FOI Act, they may be entitled to apply to that organisation for an internal review of that decision.

An internal review application is a fresh consideration of the documents in dispute and must not be dealt with by the person who dealt with the original application or a person who is less senior than that person.  An application for internal review must be made within 28 days of receiving the original decision.

External Review applications to the Information Commissioner

If after receiving an internal review decision, a person does not accept that that decision is correct under the FOI Act, they may be entitled to request an external review of that decision by the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner is independent of all Ministers and government organisations covered by the FOI Act.

A person may only apply for an external review:

·       If they have received an internal review decision, provided they apply for an external review within 28 days of receiving that decision, or

·       If no decision is made on their original FOI application or internal review application, provided they apply within 28 days from when that decision was due, or

·       If the decision on their original application was made by the principal officer of the agency, provided they apply within 28 days from when that decision was made.

Please note strict timeframes apply under the FOI Act.

See FOI Concepts: Time limits for FOI applications.