A disenchanted GIPA user provided this account of the experience in response to last week's post. Only one story I know, and in this arena, knockbacks are common and often/sometimes (depending on your perspective) for good reason. Interests for and against disclosure need to be balanced. But I'm aware of others in NSW frustrated by delay and the run around. In the absence of more extensive published information about agency and OIC performance, snapshots such as this provide a sliver of the big picture.
This blog takes an interest in issues associated with Freedom of Information (FOI) and privacy legislation in Australia. Information contained on this site is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Follow Peter Timmins on Twitter: @foiguru Follow the open government cause through the Australian Open Government Partnership Network. www.opengovernment.org.au and @opengovau
My question is why requests such as "all documents related to X" aren't immediately met with "your request was not specific enough / did not reasonably describe the document sought in specific detail", like it would be in the US?
ReplyDeleteSteve, all you are required to do is provide sufficient information for the agency to be able to determine what you are after. Thus "all documents" may be OK in some circumstances but not others. And unless some time period is specified there is the additional risk that the application will run into the "unreasonable diversion of resources" problem-agencies being the bower-birds they are.
ReplyDeleteAh that makes more sense, but surely then it's in both parties' interests - requestee and requester - to palm off ill though out requests and target requests which specifically target a document or group of documents? That way, it discourages opposition staffers, cranks and loonies from wild fishing expeditions, does it not?
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