Renton and Legal Services Commissioner

Application number:
2004 F0301
Decision date:
Wednesday, Jan 14, 2004

Renton and Legal Services Commissioner
(2004 F0301, 14 January 2004)

 Sufficiency of search 

The applicant sought access to documents relating to the handling by the former Legal Ombudsman of complaints lodged by the applicant.  (The office of Legal Ombudsman was abolished during the course of the external review, and the Legal Services Commissioner was substituted in the Legal Ombudsman's place.)  The applicant raised a 'sufficiency of search' issue regarding the existence of documents comprising correspondence between the Legal Ombudsman and the Queensland Law Society. 

Applying the principles stated in Shepherd and Department of Housing, Local Government & Planning (1994) 1 QAR 464, Deputy Information Commissioner (DC) Sorensen was satisfied that the searches and inquiries to locate additional documents responsive to the terms of the applicant's FOI access application had been reasonable in all the circumstances of the case, and that there were no reasonable grounds for believing that additional documents existed in the possession or control of the former Legal Ombudsman, or of the Legal Services Commissioner.