Freedom of Information
How to request information
- Freedom of Information enquiries
- Personal information
- Lodging a request for information
- Notice of decision
- Forms
- Schedule of fees
- Costs
- Lodgement points
- Application flow chart
Freedom of Information Enquiries
A person has a right to apply for access to government information other than personal information. Who the person is or why they are requesting the information does not affect this right.
Generally, much information is already available without a formal FOI request. However, some documents may contain “exempt material” as defined in the Act and as such may not be available for public release.
Personal Information
A person also has a right to access his/her personal information and to correct his/her information if the information is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. Applicants must provide as much information as possible and reasons as to why they believe that their information should be corrected.
Lodging a request for information
A formal application should be made in writing either using the form available on this site or by letter. Applications can be lodged at one of our designated front counters or by posting your application to the Information Officer, Records & Information Services. For an application to be accepted it must:
- Be in writing
- Specify the name of applicant
- Provide contact details including an address to which correspondence can be sent regarding the application
- Provide sufficient details to identify the information requested
- Provide identification to satisfy the organisation as to your identity and
- Include payment of application fee (for government information requests only)
Notice of Decision
Once an application has been accepted the department has 30 calendar days to consider the application and notify the applicant in writing of the decision made in regard to the application. If an applicant is not notified within 30 days the department is taken to have refused access to the information.
The Director, Information & Business Systems, will make final decisions regarding access. The Information Unit will notify applicants of the decision regarding their application. The Notice of Decision on the application will include a statement as to:
- the applicant’s right of review under Division 4 (Review by public sector organisation) and time periods;
- the applicant’s rights of complaint under Part 7 (Complaints to the Information Commissioner) and time periods;
- state the fee or balance of fee payable;
- state the arrangements for access; and
the following information if relevant:
- whether access is provided in whole or in part and reasons for the decision
- whether edited copies have been provided
- whether access has been deferred and the period of deferment
- access has been refused because information is exempt
- access is refused as unreasonably interferes with operations
- more time required to make decision
- information cannot be identified, found or does not exist
- information not held by organisation
- application has been transferred
- access denied as information is about a third party
Forms
- Application to access government information (PDF 63KB)
- Application to access personal information (PDF 61KB)
- Application to correct personal information (PDF 61KB)
- Application to waive or reduce fees (PDF 48KB)
- Application for a review of a decisions (PDF 82KB)
- Schedule of fees (PDF 29KB)
Costs
There is no application fee for personal information. However, for other types of requests there is an application fee of $30 (including GST) that must be made before an application is accepted. There are search, processing and copying fees that apply to both applications for government and personal information.
There is provision to apply for a waiver or reduction is fees in certain circumstances. It is strongly advised that this application be lodged with the original request. An application will not be actioned unless an application fee is paid or you have official advice that your application to waive or reduce the application fee has been successful.
Lodgement points
| Darwin: |
Development Assessment Services/ |
| Katherine: |
Lands |
| Alice Springs: |
Lands and Planning |
| Remote Communities: | Nearest Police Station |
| Postal Applications: |
Information Officer |