What is freedom of information?
The Freedom of Information Act 1992 (the FOI Act) is Queensland legislation designed to extend as far as possible the right of the community to have access to information held by the Queensland Government and its agencies.
As a statutory authority, QUT must comply with the provisions of the FOI Act.
Your legal rights under the FOI Act
The FOI Act provides individuals with the legal right to:
- request access to documents held by QUT;
- request amendment to personal affairs information contained in a University document if the information is inaccurate, incomplete, out-of-date or misleading; and
- appeal if dissatisfied with the University's response to these requests.
Administration of FOI at QUT
The University's responsibilities under the FOI Act are administered by the FOI Officer, based in Governance Services.
Documents held by QUT
Each year, QUT produces a Statement of Affairs, which describes the University's structure and functions, the types of documents the University keeps and its FOI procedures.
Access to documents outside of FOI process
It is QUT's intention to provide access to documents outside of the FOI process where possible. The University has established an administrative access scheme which provides access to relevant documents for the following categories of people.
- Students may inspect their student records by contacting Student Business Services.
- Staff may inspect their personnel records by contacting the HR advisor for their organisational area.
- Clients of the University's Health Services, Counselling Services, Disability Services or clinics may make arrangements to inspect their records by contacting the relevant service.
No fees are charged for access to personal files under this scheme; however, the University reserves the right to charge for photocopies of documents where a large numbers of photocopies are requested. In certain circumstances, the University may refuse to provide photocopies of documents requested under this scheme.
Making an FOI application to QUT
An FOI request must be made in writing. The following steps should be followed when applying for access under FOI:
- Download the application form or make a written request by either letter or email
- Provide as much information as you can to enable identification of the documents of interest to you
- State whether you wish to inspect the documents, obtain a copy or transcript
- Post, deliver or email your application to the University through the FOI Officer
- Pay the relevant application fee if you are requesting non-personal documents
On receiving your application, the University will:
- acknowledge, within 14 days, receipt of your request
- consult with you about any difficulties in dealing with your request
- give you access within 45 days to the documents or give you specific written reasons for refusing access. If the University must consult with a third party before releasing the documents, the University has 60 days to respond to your request.
Frequently asked questions about FOI at QUT
For further information about your FOI rights and QUT's FOI procedures, refer to the FOI FAQs.
Contacting the FOI Officer at QUT
You may contact the FOI Officer via email on foi@qut.edu.au or by phone on 3138 2902.