Price and Gatton Shire Council

Application number:
2005 F0456 & Ors
Decision date:
Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006

Price and Gatton Shire Council
 (2005 F0456, 14 March 2006)

Price and Gatton Shire Council
 (2005 F0595, 14 March 2006) 

Price and Gatton Shire Council
 (2005 F0600/05, 14 March 2006) 

Price and Gatton Shire Council
 (2005 F0612, 14 March 2006) 

Price and Gatton Shire Council
 (2005 F0769, 14 March 2006) 

Price and Gatton Shire Council
 (2005 F0770, 14 March 2006) 

Refusal of access – application of s.22(a) 

The applicant sought access to audio recordings of Council meetings held on six different dates.  The Council refused access in each case under s.22(a) of the FOI Act, as copies of the audio recordings are available to the public (including the applicant) at a cost of $10 per CD until it is possible for the Council to make them available on its website at no charge.  The applicant contended that the cost was not reasonable.  He also contended that recordings of meetings were not complete, or had been altered by the Council. 

Assistant Commissioner Barker found that, until recordings of Council meetings could be made available on the website, it was not unreasonable for the Council to charge a small sum to cover the costs of making copies available on CD.  AC Barker also found that, even if the applicant had provided evidence that any recording of a meeting was not accurate, the Council could only be required by the FOI Act to give access to the recording in its possession, and the applicant could obtain the same document administratively.  AC Barker therefore upheld the Council's decision in each review.