Freedom of Information
About the Freedom of Information Act 1982
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) provides the community with the right of access to documents held by Commonwealth agencies. This right of access is limited only by certain exceptions and exemptions which are contained in the FOI Act. The FOI Act also creates a right to amend records that contain personal information that is incomplete, incorrect, misleading or out of date.
How to make a Freedom of Information application
Under the FOI Act, you can apply for access to documents held by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) by making a freedom of information application. The application must be:
- Made in writing
- Provide enough information about the documents for a responsible officer of the GBRMPA to identify them
- Provide an address in Australia at which notices under the FOI Act may be sent to you and
- Enclose a $30 application fee.
Freedom of Information applications should be sent to:
The FOI Officer
c/- Legal Services Unit
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
PO Box 1379
Townsville Qld 4810
Freedom of Information applications can also be delivered to the GBRMPA’s Townsville office at:
2-68 Flinders Street
Townsville Qld 4810
Remission of application fee
The GBRMPA has a discretion to consider remission of the application fee for any reason, including either of the following reasons:
- The payment of the fee or a part of the fee would cause you, or the person on whose behalf the application has been made, financial hardship or
- The giving of access is in the general public interest or in the interest of a substantial section of the community.
If you wish to have the application fee remitted, you should provide adequate supporting evidence to clearly demonstrate that either one of the reasons above has been met, or the overall circumstances justify remission.
Until such time as the application fee is either paid or remitted, your request does not constitute a request for the purposes of the FOI Act and there is no obligation on the GBRMPA to process your request.
Processing charges
In addition to the application fee, the FOI Act provides that additional charges may be payable for processing the request. The GBRMPA may decide to remit, reduce or not impose fees and charges for any reason, including if grounds of financial hardship or general public interest can be established by the applicant.
If any difficulty arises in identifying a document or in providing access in the form requested, an officer of the GBRMPA will contact you with a view to resolving the difficulty.
Correction of personal records
The FOI Act provides that a person can apply to the GBRMPA to request that a document in its possession be amended or annoted if he/she has lawfully obtained access to the document, and it contains personal information about him/her that:
- Is incomplete, incorrect, out of date or misleading and
- Has been used, is being used, or is available for use by the GBRMPA for an adminstrative purpose.
Enquiries about corrections of personal records can be made to the FOI Officer.
Further information
If you require further information about the freedom of information process, please contact:
The FOI Officer
c/- Legal Services Unit
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
PO Box 1379
Townsville Qld 4810
Telephone: (07) 4750 0700
Facsimile: (07) 4772 6093
Further information can also be obtained by visiting the Attorney-General’s Department website.