Access to Information

Bland Shire Council is committed to the principle of open and transparent government. Access to information is regulated by the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA), which replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989.

The GIPA Act provides an open and transparent process for giving the public access to information, and encourages the proactive release of information. It requires Council to make information publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure. This involves applying a public interest test.

How do I access Council information?

An explanation of the four main ways in which Council will provide access to information.

What information is Open Access Information?

Council publishes open access, or mandatory release, information on its website unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure or do so would impose an unreasonable additional cost on Council

Publicly available information

Schedule 1 of the GIPA Act also stipulates that the following additional documents are to be provided as open access information by Council.

What information is Council not allowed to release?

Information regarding what information Council is not allowed to release.

Access to Council Information

Members of the public seeking access to Council information have a number of avenues that they can use.

When would a Formal Access Application be required?

Information on how and when to make a formal access application.

Can anyone access my personal information?

Information about the release of information to a third party

Rights of Review

There are rights to review a decision made by the Public Officer. A full list of reviewable decisions is set out in Section 80 of the GIPA Act.

Fees and Charges

An outline of costs involved in the access to information application process.

Government Contracts Register

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 requires Council to record and publish certain information about some contracts with private sector bodies.