❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Attorney General about the backlog of external reviews by the Information Commissioner, its causes, and potential solutions. The Attorney General provides data on the backlog, explains the Commissioner's independence, and details past budget increases.
AnsweredQoN 1006Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
INFORMATION
COMMISSIONER — EXTERNAL REVIEWS BACKLOG
1006. Hon GIZ WATSON to the Attorney General:
I refer to the
article in The West Australian on 20 November 2012, ''State
blocks Spratt compo bid'', which reported that the time frame for an
external review of freedom of information decisions by the Information
Commissioner is now an average of eight and a half months.
(1) What is the
current backlog for external reviews by the Office of the Information
Commissioner?
(2) What strategies does the Attorney General
have to assist the Information Commissioner in addressing this backlog?
(3) What additional funding has been or will
be provided to the Information Commissioner to address this backlog?
COMMISSIONER — EXTERNAL REVIEWS BACKLOG
1006. Hon GIZ WATSON to the Attorney General:
I refer to the
article in The West Australian on 20 November 2012, ''State
blocks Spratt compo bid'', which reported that the time frame for an
external review of freedom of information decisions by the Information
Commissioner is now an average of eight and a half months.
(1) What is the
current backlog for external reviews by the Office of the Information
Commissioner?
(2) What strategies does the Attorney General
have to assist the Information Commissioner in addressing this backlog?
(3) What additional funding has been or will
be provided to the Information Commissioner to address this backlog?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of question.
(1) The Information Commissioner advises that
as at yesterday's date—27 November—there are 106 external
review applications before him; 64 of those matters, or 60 per cent, are
assigned to an officer for resolution; and 42 of those matters, or 40 per cent,
are not yet assigned. The average age of all 106 external review applications
is 221 calendar days. The Information Commissioner publishes performance
statistics on his website that show the number of external reviews currently on
hand, their average age and the number of external review applications received
and completed every financial year. This information is updated monthly.
(2) To ensure the independence and integrity
of the external review process, the Information Commissioner is independent of
government and reports directly to the Parliament. While I retain full
portfolio budget responsibility for the commissioner's budget, it would
be inappropriate of me to purport to exercise any direction or control over the
management or operation of the commissioner's office.
(3) The government provided the Information
Commissioner with an ongoing budget increase of $300 000 per annum in the 2011–12
state budget over and above previous allocations. The budget also increased the
commissioner's full-time equivalent ceiling from 10 to 12. I understand
that the commissioner has created two additional full-time positions dedicated
to the external review function.
honourable member for some notice of question.
(1) The Information Commissioner advises that
as at yesterday's date—27 November—there are 106 external
review applications before him; 64 of those matters, or 60 per cent, are
assigned to an officer for resolution; and 42 of those matters, or 40 per cent,
are not yet assigned. The average age of all 106 external review applications
is 221 calendar days. The Information Commissioner publishes performance
statistics on his website that show the number of external reviews currently on
hand, their average age and the number of external review applications received
and completed every financial year. This information is updated monthly.
(2) To ensure the independence and integrity
of the external review process, the Information Commissioner is independent of
government and reports directly to the Parliament. While I retain full
portfolio budget responsibility for the commissioner's budget, it would
be inappropriate of me to purport to exercise any direction or control over the
management or operation of the commissioner's office.
(3) The government provided the Information
Commissioner with an ongoing budget increase of $300 000 per annum in the 2011–12
state budget over and above previous allocations. The budget also increased the
commissioner's full-time equivalent ceiling from 10 to 12. I understand
that the commissioner has created two additional full-time positions dedicated
to the external review function.
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