Making an informal request for information
If the information you are searching for has not already been published by the Commission, but is information which raises no particular concerns in terms of possible public interest reasons why it should be kept confidential, then the Commission may be able to release it to you on request without having to make a formal application. If you think this applies to the information you are searching for you can contact us to make an informal request. We may ask that you provide details of your request in writing.
Generally, we try to release information we hold without the need for you to make a formal access application, unless there are good reasons to require one. Under the GIPA Act, however, Government agencies are not required to release information without an access application. The Commission reserves the right to require you to lodge an access application, particularly if:
- there may be significant public interest considerations that need to be taken into account in deciding whether the information can be released
- you request a large volume of information
- it would otherwise take the Commission a significant amount of time to consider your request.
Information available on informal request
A request may be made at any time for other information held by the Commission. While the Commission reserves the right to require a formal access application to be made under the GIPA Act, the Commission will generally provide the following types of information in response to an informal request, without the need to make a formal access application:
- Copies of correspondence, where the person requesting the correspondence was the person who sent it to the Commission.
- Documents that contain only personal information about a particular individual, and that is the person who is requesting the information.
- Documents that have already been made public in some other way.
- Other reasonable requests for information the release of which would not raise any potential concerns in terms of public interests considerations against disclosure.
The Commission reserves the right to impose conditions in relation to the use or disclosure of information that is released in response to an informal request.