Annual Australian FOI report is released to public

Image by Michael McDonough via Flickr

Annual FOI report is released to public

The latest annual report on the operation of the Freedom of Information laws has been released by the Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner.
According to the report, Australian Government Agencies received 29,019 FOI access requests in 2007-08, spending $29.5 million processing them at an average cost of $940 per request.
Senator Faulkner

Senator John Faulkner - Image via Wikipedia

said just two per cent of the cost of the scheme was recovered in fees and charges.
“The majority of requests were directed to Centrelink (9,849), the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (7,912) and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (6,491),” Senator Faulkner said.
He said 85 per cent of the requests received by Agencies were for personal information about the applicant or other people.
“The remaining 15 per cent were for documents containing other information, such as documents concerning policy development and government decision-making,” he said.
“Some 96 per cent of FOI requests finalised in the reporting period were granted in full or in part.”
Senator Faulkner said 38 per cent of the FOI requests for non personal information were granted in full, 53 per cent in part and nine per cent were denied.

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