SS and Department of Corrective Services

SS and Department of Corrective Services
(2004 F0342, 3 June 2005) 

Sufficiency of search 

The applicant applied to the Department of Corrective Services (DCS) for access to documents relating to his complaint of alleged assault by officers at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre (the Centre).  The applicant raised a 'sufficiency of search' issue regarding the existence of video recordings and copies of incident reports.  As a result of the searches and inquiries undertaken during the course of the review, additional documents were located that were considered responsive to the applicant's FOI access application and were disclosed by DCS to the applicant. 

Applying the principles stated in Shepard and Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning (1994) 1 QAR 464, Information Commissioner Taylor was satisfied that the searches and inquiries by DCS to locate additional documents, including video recordings of the alleged incident, 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 respondent's possession or under their control.