Processing an FOI application
Once the FOI Unit receives an application, an acknowledgement letter will be sent within 14 days. If the application is not for documents which concern the applicant's personal affairs, and an application fee has not been paid, a request for the fee will be inlcuded in the acknowledgement letter, or will be sent shortly afterwards.
If the application is non-personal, and will take more than 2 hours to process, the applicant will be issued with a Preliminary Assessment Notice (a PAN), estimating the amount of charges which will be payable and explaining how they will be calculated. The applicant will be given 30 days in which to reduce the scope of the application to reduce the charges, or to apply to have them reduced or waived.
If charges are payable, the letter informing the applicant of the decision on access will include a Final Assessment Notice (a FAN), which will set out the actual amount payable and the basis on which it has been calculated. The applicant can apply for review of a FAN, but access will not be given to documents until outstanding charges are paid.
If any of the requested documents concern a third party - for example, documents about an incident involving the applicant and one or more other people, which contain information about those persons - it may be necessary to consult with the third parties party under s.51 of the FOI Act. If third party consultations are required, the Act allows an additional 15 days in which to make a decision on access.
Where access to documents is refused, the decision must include reasons for the refusal, and will advise the applicant of the rights of review of that decision which are provided by the FOI Act.
Last updated: 02 September 2008
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© The State of Queensland (Queensland Corrective Services) 2008.