After you make an RTI application
Once you have submitted your request for information, we will review your application to make sure it contains everything we need to process it.
If we need more information, we will contact you within 15 working days of receiving your application.
If you do not give us the requested information within the allocated timeframe, we will refuse to process your application due to noncompliance.
Once your application is compliant we will send you a written acknowledgement.
Processing times
We must decide your application within 25 business days of receiving an application.
This period may be extended by 10 business days if another person or agency needs to be consulted.
We may also negotiate an extension with you if there are problems locating documents, or with staff availability or workload.
If we have not reached a decision on your application by the end of the processing period, we are taken to have refused access to the requested documents.
You may then apply to the Information Commissioner for an external review.
Notice of decision
Once we’ve processed your request, we’ll send you a letter explaining the decision and the reasons behind it. It will explain which documents were found and why you may have been refused access to certain documents (or parts of documents).
This letter will also include a final charges notice (if applicable).
Accessing the documents
You have 40 business days after the date of the decision to access any released documents.
Review rights
You can dispute our decision about your application if:
Access applications
- we decide
- it is outside the scope of the Act (except for a judicial function decision)
- it does not comply with the application requirements
- charges are payable (but you can’t dispute the amount)
- we won’t deal with the application
- we won’t grant access to the documents (either in full or part)
- we won’t waive processing or access charges
- the documents don’t exist or can’t be found
- you believe insufficient searches were conducted
- we provide you notice about a ‘deemed’ decision (i.e. too much time has lapsed, so the application expired) (external review only).
Another party can also dispute the decision if:
- we decide to release documents contrary to their views
- you believe we should have taken steps to consult them about the release of documents
Amendment applications
Each of the following decisions relating to an amendment application is a reviewable decision—
- the application or a part of the application is outside the scope of the Act (except for a judicial function decision)
- the application does not comply with all relevant application requirements
- refusing to deal with the application
- refusing amendment of a document
- is not information in relation to which the applicant was entitled to apply to the agency or Minister for amendment of the document
- a deemed decision.
You may apply for an:
- apply for an internal review of the decision. An internal review will be conducted by an officer no less senior than the original decision-maker
- external review of the decision—apply directly to the Information Commissioner.
You must apply for a review in writing within 20 business days after the date of the written notice of decision.
Judicial functions decisions may only be reviewed by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) Appeal Tribunal.