Right to Information

The simplest means by which you might access information held by the University is by way of an administrative release, a process whereby the University’s Right to Information Officer may elect to release documents you have requested to you. Documents released by administrative process are released free of charge.

You may request an administrative release of documents by the Right to Information Services, Office of the Chief Operating Officer on (07) 3735 5586 or email rti@griffith.edu.au. Please clearly specify which documents you are requesting access to. (Responding to broadly worded requests involves significant time, effort and cost and accordingly the application may be refused as an unreasonable diversion of the University’s resources as described below). A decision about whether or not documents will be released by administrative process will generally be made within 7 days from the date of receipt.

Please note that requests for administrative release of documents may be refused particularly in circumstances where:

• the claim for documents is so broad and responding to it would involve an unreasonable diversion of the University’s resources
• the claim involves access to a third party individual’s personal information and is an invasion of that individual’s privacy
• the request is made in relation to documents that are subject to legal professional privilege
• releasing the documents might constitute a breach of confidence, prejudice the University’s ability to obtain confidential information or affect confidential communications
• releasing the documents might prejudice the private, business, professional, commercial, financial affairs of the University
• releasing the documents might involve the disclosure of trade secrets of the University, and/or information of commercial value to the University or another person and information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to destroy or diminish the commercial value of the information
• the disclosure of the documents could prejudice the effectiveness of a method or procedure for the conduct of tests or examinations by the University
• the document does not exist or is un-locatable
• the document is commercially available

If your request for an administrative release of documents is refused and you wish to persist, then it will be necessary for you to make a right to information request or an information privacy access application.

If you wish to make a formal application for documents under the Right to Information legislation, you must lodge your request in writing on the approved application form.

Your application must:

• be on the approved application form
• provide sufficient information concerning the document/s to enable the University to identify the document/s
• state the address for the delivery of notices and documents to which you seek access;
• include suitable evidence of identification if you are seeking access to your own personal information;
• if the application is made under the RTI Act, the application fee of $53.90 must accompany the application.

Upon receipt of your application, a determination will be made by the Chief Operating Officer about whether or not the information you have sought is appropriate for administrative release. If it is, the information will be sent to you and your payment will be refunded. If it is not, your application will be processed as a Right to Information application (or an application for personal information under the Information Privacy Act 2009 if the information sought relates only to you as an individual).

Your application will be processed in a timely manner and access to documents may be provided either in the form of inspection or photocopies. There is no application fee if you are applying for your own information. If you are applying for someone else’s information or non-personal information (e.g. University business records), then there is an application fee of $55.75. You may also be required to pay for processing and photocopying charges. If you are required to pay these charges, the University will advise you of estimated costs.

The Chief Operating Officer will make a decision about your RTI application within 25 business days of receiving a valid application. You have a right to seek an internal review of a decision made by the Chief Operating Officer if you are not satisfied with the decision. An applicant who is dissatisfied with the University's decision either at the initial decision stage or on an internal review may seek a review of that decision through the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner is an independent body set up to review the Right to Information and Privacy decisions of all government agencies and public authorities.

Making an IP amendment application

The Information Privacy Act 2009 provides that if certain requirements are satisfied, a person may make an application to amend a document of the University. You are entitled to amend personal information that is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading. If you wish to make an amendment application, you must lodge your request in writing on the approved application form.

You may apply for an internal review if you are not satisfied with a decision made by the University’s Privacy Contact Officer. Further information is available in the Griffith University Privacy Plan.

Right to Information is the Queensland Government's approach to giving the community greater access to information.

The Queensland Government has made a commitment to provide access to information held by the Government, unless on balance it is contrary to the public interest to provide that information. The Right to Information reforms aim to make more information available, provide equal access to information across all sectors of the community, and provide appropriate protection for individuals' privacy.

Further information is available from the Queensland Government's Right to Information and Information Privacy website.

The Freedom of Information Act 1992 (FOI) was repealed on 1 July 2009 and replaced with the Right to Information Act 2009 and the Information Privacy Act 2009. However, the FOI Act will continue to apply to any access or amendment applications lodged before 1 July 2009.

What is the Information Privacy Act 2009 and what does it mean for me?

The Information Privacy Act 2009 is a Queensland law and came into effect on 1 July 2009. The Act applies to the University and its employees and contractors. It does not, however, apply to controlled entities which are covered by the Australian Government’s Privacy Act 1988. The Information Privacy Act 2009 has two broad schemes:

• a scheme which allows people to access and amend their own information; and
• a scheme which regulates the management of personal information held by the University.

If you wish to make an application to amend your personal information contained in a University document that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading, you must lodge it on the approved amendment application form. More information is available from the Griffith University Privacy Plan.

The Information Privacy Act 2009 is a Queensland law and came into effect on 1 July 2009. The Act applies to the University and its employees and contractors. It does not, however, apply to controlled entities which are covered by the Australian Government’s Privacy Act 1988. The Information Privacy Act 2009 has two broad schemes:

• a scheme which allows people to access and amend their own information
• a scheme which regulates the management of personal information held by the University

If you wish to make an application to amend your personal information contained in a University document that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading, you must lodge it on the approved amendment application form. More information is available from the Griffith University Privacy Plan.

Personal information is any information which identifies an individual or allows their identity to be reasonably ascertained.

What are the Information Privacy Principles?

The Information Privacy Principles are a set of rules which regulate the way in which personal information is to be managed by the University throughout its lifecycle from initial collection to eventual disposal. The Information Privacy Principles cover the following functional activities:

• collection of personal information;
• storage and security;
• access and amendment;
• use within the University of personal information;
• disclosure of personal information to person’s outside the university.

Further information is available from the Griffith University Privacy Plan.

The Information Privacy Principles are a set of rules which regulate the way in which personal information is to be managed by the University throughout its lifecycle from initial collection to eventual disposal. The Information Privacy Principles cover the following functional activities:

• collection of personal information;
• storage and security;
• access and amendment;
• use within the University of personal information;
• disclosure of personal information to person’s outside the university.

Further information is available from the Griffith University Privacy Plan.

In line with the philosophy of the Right to Information reforms, the University has a number of administrative access schemes which permit certain kinds of information to be released without the need for a formal application under the Right to Information Act 2009 or the Information Privacy Act 2009. As a first step, check the University’s Publication Scheme to see whether the information you seek can be released administratively. If you are still unsure, contact the Right to Information Services, Office of the Chief Operating Officer on (07) 373 55586 or email rti@griffith.edu.au to discuss how the information may be released.

Applications for access to information under the RTI Act or the IP Act must be made on the approved form.

There is a section on the form to check which description most closely describes the access applied for.

If you indicate that you are seeking access to:

• documents that are non-personal in nature – your application will be dealt with under the RTI Act
• personal information relating to yourself or on behalf of another person – your application will be dealt with under the IP Act
• documents that contain both personal information relating to yourself or on behalf of another person and may contain the personal information of another person and/or non-personal information – your application will be dealt with under the RTI Act

Further information is available from the Queensland Government's Right to Information and Information Privacy website.

All applications for access to information must be made in writing on the approved application form.

Your application must:

• enclose the application fee (if applying under the Right to Information Act)
• enclose a certified copy of your identification (if applying under the Information Privacy Act)
• provide sufficient information concerning the document/s to enable the University to identify the document/s
• state the address for the delivery of notices and documents to which you seek access

If you are applying for your own information, a certified copy of your identification must be provided with your application. If someone (including a legal representative) is acting on your behalf, or as your agent, they must also provide evidence that they have authority to act on your behalf and a certified copy of their identification.

Further information is available from the Queensland Government's Right to Information and Information Privacy website.

There is no application fee if you are applying for your own information. If you are applying for someone else’s information or non-personal information (e.g. University business records), then there is an application fee of $55.75. Also, you may be required to pay for processing and photocopying charges. If you are required to pay these charges, the University will advise you of estimated costs.

Further information about fees and charges is available from the Queensland Government's Right to Information and Information Privacy website.