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Department of Premier & Cabinet

Routine Disclosures and Right to Information


How to make an RTI application

The Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) commenced on 1 July 2010 and gives you the right to request access to government-held information.

This includes access to information about you or about government policies and decisions.

Right to Information for Applicants

Your Rights to Information

You have a right to obtain information that:

  • is held by public authorities
  • is about the operations of Government
  • is not exempt information under the RTI Act

The aim of the Act is to improve the operation of democracy in the State by:

  • increasing the accountability of Government to the people of Tasmania
  • increasing the ability of the people to participate in government decision making
  • acknowledging that the information held by Tasmanian public authorities belongs to the people of the State and has been collected for them and on their behalf.

A copy of the RTI Act is available at View - RTI Act.

What is your right to information?

The RTI Act gives you a right to access documents held by the Tasmanian government agencies and ministers, unless an exemption applies. You also have rights when someone requests a document under the RTI Act that contains information about you or your business.

Information is a valuable and powerful resource which is at the heart of every government decision and activity. Right to Information means the right of the public to access information Tasmanian Government ministers and Tasmanian Government agencies hold, with some exceptions. This right is promoted and enforced by the RTI Act. The RTI Act recognises that the information government holds is a state resource and is managed for public purposes, and that public access to it should be prompt and at the lowest reasonable cost.

Each state and territory in Australia has a right to information law that covers the agencies of the state or territory.

RTI decisions are made by the Departmental staff with specific Delegations under the RTI Act.

Types of disclosure

The RTI Act establishes four categories of information disclosure:

  • Required Disclosure – information that is required by law to be published, such as an annual report.
  • Routine Disclosure – information of interest to the public that is released on a routine basis, such as statistics.
  • Active Disclosure – information that is released upon request without the need for submitting an application for assessed disclosure.
  • Assessed Disclosure – information that is released on application after it has been formally assessed under the provisions of the RTI Act.

Assessed Disclosure is meant to be the method of last resort. Public authorities are expected to release as much relevant information as possible in response to enquiries (Active Disclosure) or that may be of public interest (Routine Disclosure)// without the need for a formal application and assessment process.

Finding Government information

Finding Government Information

There is a large amount of Government information publicly available online.

Before you lodge an RTI request you should check whether the information is already available somewhere else.

Information may be readily available in other places including:

  • The Department's website.

The Department’s disclosure log contains information already released under RTI.

Other Department’s websites that might be useful

There are several ways to access government-held information under right to information, one of which is making a right to information request. You can request access to a document a Tasmanian Government agency holds under the RTI Act. However, some documents may be exempt from disclosure. Some agencies are also exempt from the RTI Act, while other agencies are exempt from disclosing certain documents.

Under the RTI Act you can also request access to a document a minister holds.

Your reason for seeking access to a document is not relevant to the decision whether to release it.

What information can I access under RTI?

You can request access to a document held by a Tasmanian Government agency or minister, such as:

  • a document that contains your personal information
  • a policy-making document
  • an administrative decision-making document.

The RTI Act only applies to information a Tasmanian Government agency or minster holds in the form of a document.

Documents Definition

The RTI Act defines a document as:

  • any paper or other material on which there is writing or a mark, figure or symbol
  • electronically stored information
  • a map, a plan, a drawing or a photograph
  • any article from which sounds, images or writing are capable of being produced.

It also sets out what documents you can access and what documents you can’t access.

You can ask for access to a document in the form you prefer, such as in an electronic form rather than a hard copy.

Documents a minister holds

You can only request access to official documents of a minister. This doesn’t include a:

  • personal document of theirs
  • party political document
  • document that relates to their electorate affairs.

A minister’s office is separate from the Tasmanian Government agency the minister is responsible for. Any RTI request sent to the minster is handled by the minister’s office (a minister may authorise an employee to handle an RTI request). Even if a minister’s office asks for the minister’s agency for help processing an RTI request, they’re still responsible for making sure the request is properly handled.

Documents you can't access under the RTI Act

You can't access a document a Tasmanian Government agency or minister holds that is ;

  • exempt under the RTI Act.

Documents under the RTI Act do not apply to information in the possession of the following unless the information relates to the administration of the relevant authority.

  • the Governor
  • a court
  • a tribunal
  • the Integrity Commission
  • a judge
  • an associate judge
  • a magistrate
  • the Solicitor General
  • the Director of Public Prosecutions
  • the Ombudsman
  • the Auditor-General
  • the State Service Commissioner
  • the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner
  • the Public Guardian
  • the Health Complaints Commissioner
  • Parliament
  • A Member of Parliament
  • The Law Society of Tasmania
Exemptions

If a document is exempt under the RTI Ac, an agency or minister can refuse to disclose it. Exemptions may apply to a document:

  • of the Executive Council
  • of Cabinet
  • that is an internal briefing of a Minister
  • that is information not relating to official business
  • that is information affecting national or state security, defence or international relations
  • relating to the enforcement of the law
  • concerning legal professional privilege
  • relating to closed meetings of council

However, an agency or minister may decide to disclose a document even if an exemption applies.

If a document meets an exemption, the agency or minister must also decide if disclosing the document would be against the public interest. They can’t refuse access to a document solely because it meets an exemption. It must also be against the public interest.

Exemptions may apply to a document that has:

  • information communicated by other jurisdictions
  • internal deliberative information
  • personal information of a person
  • information relating to business affairs of third party
  • information relating to business affairs of public authority
  • information obtained in confidence
  • information on procedures and criteria used in certain negotiations of public authority
  • information likely to affect State economy
  • information likely to affect cultural, heritage and natural resources of the State
The Public Interest Test

When deciding whether disclosing a document is against the public interest, an agency or minister must weigh up factors favouring access and those favouring non-disclosure.

Factors favouring access are set out in the RTI Act and are specified in Schedule 1 View - Schedule 1 of the Act. They include whether giving access will promote:

  • the aims of the RTI Act (such as the scrutiny of government, inform debate, promote oversight of government spending)
  • public participation in government decision-making

The RTI Act also sets out what factors an agency or minister can’t take into account. These matters are set out Schedule 2 of the RTI Act that are irrelevant to the assessment of Public Interest. For example:

  • embarrassment to or loss of confidence in the government
  • misunderstanding
  • confusion or unnecessary debate
  • seniority of the document’s author

Options for accessing my personal information

Accessing your information under the Personal Information Protection Act

When a Tasmanian Government agency or minister collects, stores, uses and discloses any personal information about an individual, they must comply with the Australian Privacy Principles. Australian Privacy Principles quick reference | OAIC. You have the right to access your personal information under the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 and if needed, have it corrected. View - Personal Information Protection Act 2004.

You can access your personal information by:

  • asking the agency that holds your personal information for it
  • requesting access to it under the [Personal Information Protection Act]
  • requesting access to it under the RTI Act

Both the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 and the RTI Act define personal information in the same way: information or opinion in any recorded format about an individual whose identity is apparent or is reasonably ascertainable from the information or opinion: and who is alive or has not been dead for more than 25 years.

Acting on behalf of someone else

You can access the personal information of someone else if you have their authority to do so. The agency or minister that holds their personal information will let you know what proof they need.

Ask the agency that holds your personal information

Most agencies have arrangements in place for you to access your personal information if you ask. So, try contacting the agency first and asking for access to it.

Accessing other information

If you want access to non-personal information, try searching the website of the agency that holds the information. An agency may often make some statistics and data sets available for public use and re-use and may also make them available on their website. If you can’t find the information on the agency’s website, contact the agency. They may supply the information if you ask.

Here are some links to other government websites;

Tasmanian Department of Health | Tasmanian Department of Health

Department of Justice

Department for Education, Children and Young People

Department of State Growth

Department of Natural Resources and Environment | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania

Department of Treasury and Finance | Treasury and Finance Tasmania

The RTI Act also requires an agency to publish certain types of information, including routinely accessed information and operational information on disclosure logs.

If you want access to information that an agency hasn’t published, you can make an RTI request. If your RTI request includes information that may be exempt under the RTI Act, such as someone else’s personal or business information, then the agency may have to consult them before deciding to disclose the document.

Accessing older government documents

An agency doesn’t need to keep all its documents forever. They send documents they’re required to archive to the Office of the Tasmanian Archives under the Archives Act 1983 View - Archives Act 1983.

The State Library and Archives of Tasmania has some useful information.

Services Tasmania may also have information for you.

Making a right to information request

How to submit a right to information request

Before making a right to information RTI request, check if the information you want is already available on the website of the agency you think holds the information. For example, the Department of Premier and Cabinet actively disclosures information on the business of government. Or, if you want to access your personal information, try contacting the agency you think holds the information first. They may supply the information if you ask (without needing you to make an RTI request).   Your request must be in writing

You must put your request in writing to the agency or minister that holds the document you want to access. Some agencies have an RTI request form on their website for you to complete and send to them. Here is the Department of Premier and Cabinet's RTI form. Application for assessed disclosure

When you write to the agency or minister:

  • state your you’re requesting access to information under the Right to Information Act 2009
  • state the document(s) you want, giving enough detail to help the agency or minister to identify the document(s)
  • give an address or email address where the agency or minister can send you the document.

You don’t need to give any reasons why you want the information.

Email or post your letter to the agency or minister’s address on their website. Here are the dedicated RTI email addresses for some government departments you might need to send your application to.

Department of Health rti@health.tas.gov.au

Department of State Growth rti@stategrowth.tas.gov.au

Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania right2info@nre.tas.gov.au

Department of Education Children and Young People RTI.PIP@decyp.tas.gov.au

Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management rti@dpfem.tas.gov.au

Department of Justice rti@justice.tas.gov.au

Assessed disclosure application requirements

You can make an RTI application as long as it:

  • is in writing
  • includes your name and an address for correspondence
  • gives enough detail to identify the information you want
  • includes sufficient proof of your identity and
  • includes the application fee (if necessary).
Application form

You don’t have to fill in a form to make an application as long as you satisfy the requirements above, however, to make the process easier, some government departments have their own forms for making an application.

The postal address for the Department of Premier and Cabinet to send your assessed disclosure application to is

Right to Information
Department of Premier and Cabinet
GPO Box 123
Hobart  TAS 7001

Or email: righttoinformation@dpac.tas.gov.au

Describing the information, you want

Public authorities or Ministers have a lot of information, so the more specific you can be about the information you want the better.

It helps to give the public authority or Minster as much information about your request as you can so that it can find the information you want more quickly. Useful information can include:

  • the date the information was created
  • the reason the public authority has the information (for example you visited a hospital, you applied for a job, someone made a complaint)
  • the quantity and kind of information you want
  • if the information is correspondence, the parties to that correspondence
  • anything else you might think would help to search for the information

Just saying “I want my file” or “I want everything about me” can make searching difficult.

Contacting the public authority or Minister before you make an application can give you a guide about how to ask for the information you want. Make sure you have looked for the information before you make a formal application, because if the information is otherwise available your application may be refused without the return of your application fee.

The above application form should be used for both Department of Premier and Cabinet applications and for applications to the Premier, Minister for Planning, Minister for Science and Technology, and Minister for Local Government, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Veteran’s Affairs, Minister for Disability Services, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Women, and Minister for Community Services and Development.

If you are not using the form, please note that your applications must be made in writing and include the information that is requested in the form - this is a requirement of regulation 5 of the Right to Information Regulations 2021.

Fees and charges

There is an application fee of $47.75 for 2025 that must be accompanied with your application for assessed disclosure unless you are claiming a fee waiver.

The application fee can be paid by:

  • direct deposit, EFT Account name: DPAC Collections Account BSB 037-001, Account Number 268569 Reference RTI [your name]
  • credit card or
  • cheque or money order.

You may apply for a fee waiver if:

  • You are in financial hardship – we would usually ask to see evidence that you are in receipt of a Centrelink or Veterans Affairs payments.
  • You are a Member of Parliament, and the application is in connection with your official duty.
  • You are a journalist acting in connection with your personal duties; or
  • You are able to demonstrate that you intend to use the information for a purpose that is of general public interest or benefit.
What we will do for you

We will tell you within 5 days that we have received your request.

We will review your application to ensure it meets the minimum requirements according to the RTI Act. If you are seeking personal information, please include identification. We will check that the application fee is paid or if you are eligible for it to be waived

The Department will locate all information relevant to your request.

A delegated RTI Officer will assess this information against the RTI Act to see whether or not it can be provided to you. If your request is complex or is for a large amount of information, we have 10 working days to negotiate with you. We may ask to give us more time to complete the request. Other options may include splitting the request or releasing information in stages.

We may contact you to confirm the exact nature of the information you want or to transfer your request to a more appropriate public authority or Minister.

We may provide this information to you actively.

We may need to assess if the information is exempt under the Right to Information Act 2009.

A delegated RTI Officer has 20 working days to assess your application against the RTI Act. If the document contains information about a third party, we will need to consult them and may need to extend the time to give your decision by another 30 days. We may also seek your agreement to extend the time by up to 30 days if your request is complex.

If your request is complex or is for a large amount of information we may work with you to amend your request or ask you to grant us more time to make the decision.

We can refuse your application if our resources are unreasonably diverted but we will discuss this with you first.

We can refuse your application if we decide it is a repeat application or it is vexatious.

You will receive a written decision, called a Notice of Determination. If your request is refused, or part of it is refused, the notice will explain why this has happened.

If we do not provide you with a decision within the timeframe allowed you are entitled to apply to the Ombudsman for a resolution of the matter.

Your review rights

If you disagree with our decision

When we have decided about your RTI request, we will send you a letter explaining our decision and your review and appeal rights.

You can ask for the following decisions to be reviewed if we:

  • refuse to give you access to all or part of a document or if we defer giving you access
  • impose a change
  • refuse to change or annotate information about you that you claim is incomplete, incorrect, out of date or misleading.

A third party who disagrees with our decision to give you documents that contain information about them can also ask for our decision to be reviewed.

If you disagree with the outcome of a decision, you may be able to request a review of that decision within 20 working days from the date you received your decision.

Internal review

If you disagree with our decision on your RTI request, you have the right to apply for an internal review of the decision. An internal review will be conducted by another member of our staff who did not make the original decision.

If you wish to apply for an internal review, you must do so in writing within 20 days of receiving notice of our decision. There is no application fee for internal review.

External review

If you disagree or you are still unhappy with the Department’s handling of your matter or the outcome of your internal review, you can apply to the Ombudsman within 20 working days for a resolution of the matter.

Ombudsman

Contact details for the Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman can be contacted by telephone on (03) 6166 4566 or 1800 001 170 (cost of a local call outside the Hobart area) or by email at rti@ombudsman.tas.gov.au

Office of the Ombudsman

A manual and guidelines published by the Ombudsman provide more detail on making requests under the Act and how they are processed by the agency to which the request is sent.

You can find past decisions of the Ombudsman here Right to Information Decisions.

Additional information

RTI Act and Regulations

You can view, download and print the ​Right to Information Act 2009 andR​ig​ht to Information Regulations 2021​​​ from the Tasmanian Legislation website.​

Right to Information Statistics

These reports contain statistical information on right to information requests for all public authorities.

Right to Information Decisions Disclosure Log

The Department may publish information it releases to you on its Disclosure Log.

We will do this if it is in the public interest to do so and supports the Department’s commitment to making information available to a wider audience.

We will not publish:

  • statements of reasons
  • personal information
  • commercially sensitive information

Your identity will not be published, however we will identify the category of applicant, such as Member of Parliament, media representative or private individual. Here is the link for past RTI decisions Department of Premier and Cabinet

Links to Department of Premier and Cabinet Routine Disclosure Logs Department of Premier and Cabinet

References