Danby (as agent for the National Tertiary Education Union, Qld) and Central Queensland University; Rickard (Third Party); Rickard (Fourth Party)

Application number:
2004 F0491
Decision date:
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005

Danby (as agent for the National Tertiary Education Union, Qld) and Central Queensland University; Rickard (Third Party); Rickard (Fourth Party)
 (2004 F0491, 7 June 2005) 

Personal affairs 

The applicant sought access to information concerning the remuneration package of the new Vice-Chancellor of Central Queensland University (the University), including any benefits provided by the University for members of the new Vice-Chancellor's family.  The persons concerned objected to the disclosure of that information. 

Applying the principles in Stewart and Department of Transport (1993) 1 QAR 227, Information Commissioner Taylor found that the matter in issue was properly to be characterised as information which concerned the personal affairs of the new Vice-Chancellor, and therefore was prima facie exempt from disclosure under s.44(1) of the FOI Act, subject to the application of the public interest balancing test incorporated within s.44(1). 

The Information Commissioner then evaluated the public interest considerations weighing for and against disclosure of the matter in issue, and decided that, given the public interest in accountability for public money spent on public education, that disclosure of the cost of the total salary package and the nature of the benefits payable to the new Vice-Chancellor would, on balance, be in the public interest.