Reynolds and Redland Shire Council

Reynolds and Redland Shire Council
(2001 L0012, 28 February 2002) 

The applicant sought review of the Council's decision that his application for ‘all documents concerning myself’ since a particular specified date, extended to include some documents which did not concern his personal affairs, and hence that an application fee of $31 was payable. The documents that fell within the terms of the access application included the applicant's request for town planning permission to conduct a business from his home; the permit subsequently issued by the Council, and related correspondence. Assistant Commissioner Shoyer decided that documents of that type concerned the applicant's business affairs rather than his personal affairs (even though the applicant did not in fact commence the business and therefore made no money from it) and affirmed the Council's decision that an application fee was payable.