Right to information

Accessing government information

Right to Information (RTI) is the Queensland Government's approach to giving the community greater access to information.  RTI aims to make more information available, provide equal access to information across all sectors of the community and provide appropriate protection for an individual’s privacy.

The legislation came into effect on 1 July 2009, namely:

Accessing information from the Office of the Independent Assessor

Before submitting an access application under the RTI or IP Act, you should check to see if the information is already available by other means.

Our publication scheme describes and categorises information routinely made available from the Office of the Independent Assessor.

Some of the OIA’s information may be released administratively. You can access this information without having to lodge a formal application.

Administrative access may be used for:

  • certain types of non-personal information that is not sensitive or confidential
  • an individual’s own information but not that of another person, unless consent has been provided.

Please contact the OIA for any information which may be released administratively.

If you are unable to find the information you are searching for, please contact the Right to Information Team.

Making an application under the RTI or IP Act

The RTI Act provides a formal means of requesting access to general information held by the government that is not normally publicly available.

The IP Act provides a formal means of requesting access to, and amendment of, your personal information.

A formal application for access to government-held information under the RTI Act or IP Act should only be made as a last resort, where information is not otherwise accessible.

Prior to lodging an application we recommend that prospective applicants contact the Right to Information Team.

Application form

You can apply for access to documents held by the Office of the Independent Assessor by submitting the approved RTI application form available on the Queensland Government right to information website.

You can apply to amend personal information held by Office of the Independent Assessor that you believe is inaccurate, misleading, out of date or incomplete by submitting the approved Information Privacy Personal Information Amendment Application form available on the Queensland Government right to information website.

Fees and charges

An application fee is payable to make an application under the RTI Act. This fee cannot be waived.

In addition to the RTI application fee, you may be charged for:

  • processing (if your application takes longer than five hours to process)
  • access to documents if access is given by provision of photocopies (no access charges are payable if documents are provided electronically).

There is no application fee or processing charges for applications made under the IP Act. You may be charged for access to documents if access is given by provision of photocopies (no access charges are payable if documents are provided electronically).

More information about the current fees and charges for applications made under the RTI and IP Acts is available on the Queensland Government right to information website.

Statutory time frames

A formal application under the RTI or IP Act is generally processed within 25 business days, but this period can be extended in some circumstances.

More detailed information about right to information can be found on the Queensland Government right to information website.

Contact a Right to Information Officer

Right to Information  and Privacy unit
Legal Services
Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works (for the OIA)
GPO Box 2457
Brisbane QLD 4001
Phone: 07 3008 3117
Email: rti-privacy@chde.qld.gov.au

More information

Last updated: 25 Jun 2024