RCH and Department of Police

Application number:
2003 F0451
Decision date:
Monday, May 31, 2004

RCH and Queensland Police Service
 (2003 F0451, 31 May 2004) 

Personal affairs 

The applicant sought access to a "running sheet" that was prepared by the respondent during its investigation into the death of the applicant's wife (the applicant was convicted of the murder of his wife and was serving a term of imprisonment).  The matter in issue related mainly to persons whom the respondent had contacted, or obtained information from, in the course of its investigation. 

Applying the principles stated in Pearce and Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority (1999) 5 QAR 242 and Stewart and Department of Transport (1993) 1 QAR 237, Assistant Commissioner Moss was satisfied that the matter in issue was properly to be characterised as information concerning the personal affairs of the relevant persons, and was prima facie exempt from disclosure under s.44(1) of the FOI Act.  AC Moss then considered the public interest arguments raised by the applicant in favour of disclosure of the matter in issue  and decided that disclosure would not, on balance, be in the public interest.