❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on Freedom of Information requests processed by Ministerial Offices, including timeliness and extensions. The answer largely deflects, stating the data isn't tracked as it wasn't previously required by the Information Commissioner.
AnsweredQoN 3019Legislative Assembly
Asked
10 April 2018
Member
Portfolio
Premier; Minister for Public Sector Management; State Development, Jobs and Trade; Federal-State Relations
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Unit in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and I ask for the following information in respect of the 2014/15 and 2015/16 financial years and for the period since the commencement of the term of this Government to date: (a) how many applications have the FOI Unit dealt with on behalf of Ministerial Offices (please provide a breakdown of the total number of applications by Ministerial Office); (b) in how many cases (by a Ministerial Office) was the Notice of Decision provided to the applicant within the 45 calendar day deadline as required under the Freedom of Information Act 1992 ; and (c) for each case (by a Ministerial Office) that failed to meet the 45 day deadline: (i) how many requests were made to extend each deadline; and (ii) how many days were taken to issue each Notice of Decision?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 May 2018
Response time
5 days
Section 111 of the FOI Act requires the Information Commissioner to provide a report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the President of the Legislative Council on the operation of the legislation during the financial year. As part of this report, statistical information is provided to the Information Commissioner by each government agency at the end of each financial year.
Since 2012, the FOI Unit in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (the Department) has provided support for the coordination and processing of FOI applications in Ministerial Offices. The responsibility for decisions on access remains with the relevant Minister. The FOI Unit maintains a statistical database for the Department and each Ministerial Office for the purpose of responding to the statistical requirements of Section 111 of the FOI Act.
(a) The number of FOI applications dealt with by Ministerial Offices is available in the Information Commissioner’s relevant annual reports. The statistical information for the current financial year will be provided to the Information Commissioner at the end of the financial year.
(b) In accordance with Section 13(3) to the FOI Act, the permitted period is 45 days after the access application is received or such other period as is agreed between the agency and the applicant or allowed by the Commissioner. The number of access applications dealt with within the permitted period has not been requested by the Information Commissioner and has not been tracked.
(c) The statistical information for applications not dealt with within the permitted period has not been requested by the Information Commissioner until this financial year and was not previously tracked. The statistical information for applications not dealt with within the prescribed period for this financial year will be provided to the Information Commissioner at the end of the financial year.
(i)-(ii) these statistics have not been requested by the Information Commissioner and have not been tracked.
Since 2012, the FOI Unit in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (the Department) has provided support for the coordination and processing of FOI applications in Ministerial Offices. The responsibility for decisions on access remains with the relevant Minister. The FOI Unit maintains a statistical database for the Department and each Ministerial Office for the purpose of responding to the statistical requirements of Section 111 of the FOI Act.
(a) The number of FOI applications dealt with by Ministerial Offices is available in the Information Commissioner’s relevant annual reports. The statistical information for the current financial year will be provided to the Information Commissioner at the end of the financial year.
(b) In accordance with Section 13(3) to the FOI Act, the permitted period is 45 days after the access application is received or such other period as is agreed between the agency and the applicant or allowed by the Commissioner. The number of access applications dealt with within the permitted period has not been requested by the Information Commissioner and has not been tracked.
(c) The statistical information for applications not dealt with within the permitted period has not been requested by the Information Commissioner until this financial year and was not previously tracked. The statistical information for applications not dealt with within the prescribed period for this financial year will be provided to the Information Commissioner at the end of the financial year.
(i)-(ii) these statistics have not been requested by the Information Commissioner and have not been tracked.
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