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Overview of Section 50(b) FOI Act

Section summary

Matter is exempt if its public disclosure would be contrary to an order made or direction given by a royal commission, commission of inquiry or a person or body having power to take evidence on oath.

Background

Section 50(b) of the FOI Act recognises that inquiry bodies conduct investigations into public interest matters and evidence tendered to those bodies is often of a highly sensitive nature and is not always admissible in a court of law.1

1 K.J Aldred and Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet No. N88/106 AAT No. 5159 at paragraph 13. [up]

Last updated: March 5, 2012