Freedom of Information

Operational Information

The Information Publication Scheme requires Australian Government agencies which are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to publish a range of information on their websites. This includes the agency's operational information.

Under subsection 8A(1) of the FOI Act (as in force from 1 May 2011), the ‘operational information’ of an agency is:

... information held by the agency to assist the agency to perform or exercise the agency’s functions or powers in making decisions or recommendations affecting members of the public (or any particular person or entity, or class of persons or entities).

Such information can include documents which:

are available to agency officers to assist them make decisions or recommendations under legislation or schemes that the agency administers;
contain decisions or recommendations which concern a right, privilege or benefit of a member of the public, or an obligation, penalty or detriment to which a person may be subject;
are in the nature of a manual, or contains an interpretation, rule, guideline, practice or precedent, including a letter of advice; the particulars of a scheme administered by the agency; a statement as to how legislation or a scheme will be administered or enforced; or a procedure followed by the agency in investigating breaches or evasions of legislation and schemes.