How do I access information?

On this page:

What is Right to Information?
What is a Publication Scheme?
What you can access
What is a Disclosure Log?
How to make a 'non-personal' application
How to make an application for access to or amendment of your 'personal information'
How long will it take to process and information access or amendment application?
Applications made on behalf of children
Further information

What is Right to Information?

The Right to Information is the Queensland Government's approach to giving the community greater access to information.

The Queensland Government has made a commitment to provide access to information held by the Government, unless on balance it is contrary to the public interest to provide that information.

New legislation replacing the Freedom of Information Act 1992 came into effect on 1 July 2009, namely:

The Right to Information Act 2009 (new window)
The Information Privacy Act 2009 (new window)

The Right to Information reforms aim to make more information available, provide equal access to information across all sectors of the community, and provide appropriate protection for individuals' privacy.

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What is a Publication Scheme?

Our Publication Scheme sets out the following seven classes of information:

About Us
Who we are and what we do
Our Services
Services we offer
Our Finances
What we spend and how we spend it
Our Priorities
What our priorities are and how we are doing
Our Decisions
How we make decisions
Our Policies
Our policies and procedures
Our Lists
Lists and registers

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What you can access

Access to documents
The Department values the principles and practices of openness and accountability to its clients, staff and members of the public about departmental operations and record-keeping.

Documents held by the Department of Education and Training
Due to the size and complexity of the Department, a large number of documents are held at various locations.

Departmental publications
The Department of Education and Training has a number of publications available to the public.

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What is a Disclosure Log?

A disclosure log makes non-personal information disclosed to an applicant under the RTI Act available to a wider public audience.

If you have been unable to find the information you are seeking on our Publication Scheme or Disclosure Log, please contact the department to discuss whether the information is able to be released under our Administrative Access Policy.

If you wish to make a formal application for documents under the RTI Act or Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) (IP Act) - please refer to the following sections.

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How to make a 'non-personal' application

If you wish to access to documents that do not concern your personal information, please submit your application under the RTI Act.

"Personal information" is information or an opinion, including information or an opinion forming part of a database, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.

If you want to couple your non-personal application with an additional request for documents containing your personal information in the same application - you can apply under the RTI Act for the entire set.

Please note though, there are no application fees or processing charges if you apply for your personal information under the IP Act. If you apply under the RTI Act - there are cost implications (see section below entitled "Charges under the RTI Act").

If you are not sure which Act you should apply under - please contact the Manager, RTI & Information Privacy for help.

Lodgement information

You can lodge your request by filling out the Queensland Government's online Right to Information Application Form. It will be forwarded automatically to this department for processing.

Alternatively you can download the form here (new window) and lodge it with:

Manager, RTI & Information Privacy
Legal & Administrative Law Branch
Department of Education and Training
PO Box 15033
City East QLD 4002

Telephone: (07) 3237 0819
Facsimile: (07) 3247 5286
Email: rti@deta.qld.gov.au

All applications under the RTI Act must:

be in the approved form and accompanied by the application fee;
give sufficient information concerning the documents to enable a responsible officer of the department to identify the documents;
state an address to which notices under the RTI Act may be sent;
(if you are also seeking access to your personal information) provide evidence of your identity within ten (10) business days; and
(if you are an agent applying on behalf of someone else) provide evidence of your identity and evidence of your authorisation (eg. court order) within ten (10) business days.

Charges under the RTI Act

Applications under the RTI Act (whether non-personal or coupled with a request for personal information) incur the following charges:

$38.00 application fee;
$23.20 per hour processing charge for applications taking longer than 5 hours to process; and
$0.20 per A4 page access charges.

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How to make an application for access to or amendment of your 'personal information'

The Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) (IP Act) provides safeguards for the handling of personal information in the public sector and allows access to and amendment of that personal information.

Personal information access application

If you wish to access to documents held by the department containing your personal information or if you wish to amend the personal information that the department holds about you, we recommend you apply under the IP Act.

Lodgment information

You can lodge your request by filling out the Queensland Government's online Right to Information Application Form. It will be forwarded automatically to this department for processing.

Alternatively you can download the form here (new window) and lodge it with:

Manager, RTI & Information Privacy
Legal & Administrative Law Branch
Department of Education and Training
PO Box 15033
City East QLD 4002

Telephone: (07) 3237 0819
Facsimile: (07) 3247 5286
Email: rti@deta.qld.gov.au

All applications under the IP Act must:

be in the approved form and accompanied by the application fee;
give sufficient information concerning the document to enable a responsible officer of the department to identify the document;
state an address to which notices under the IP Act may be sent;
provide evidence of your identity within ten (10) business days; and
(if you are an agent applying on behalf of someone else) provide evidence of your identity and evidence of your authorisation (eg. court order) within ten (10) business days.

Personal information amendment application

If you have had access to a document that contains your personal information that is inaccurate, incomplete, out-of-date or misleading, you can apply to have the information amended.

Your application should specify:

what particulars you wish amended
why you believe the information to be incomplete, incorrect, out-of-date or misleading
the amendments you wish to make
your address and telephone number so you can be advised of the result of your application.

Lodgment information

You can lodge your request by filling out the Queensland Government's online Right to Information Application Form. It will be forwarded automatically to this department for processing.

Alternatively you can download the form here (new window) and lodge it with:

Manager, RTI & Information Privacy
Legal & Administrative Law Branch
Department of Education and Training
PO Box 15033
City East QLD 4002

Telephone: (07) 3237 0819
Facsimile: (07) 3247 5286
Email: rti@deta.qld.gov.au

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How long will it take to process an information access or amendment request?

You will receive acknowledgement of receipt of your request within fifteen (15) business days.

The Department is required to respond to your application within 25 business days of receipt. If consultation with another person or entity is required under the RTI Act or IP Act, another ten (10) business days is permitted to process the application. You will be advised if consultation is necessary.

Also, if the decision-maker needs more time to consider your application for other reasons, you will be notified and your permission will be requested to extend the processing period.

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Applications made on behalf of children

Section 25 of the RTI Act and section 45 of the IP Act provides that a parent or guardian of a child may make an application on behalf of the child for access to documents. In making an application pursuant under the RTI or IP Act the parent or guardian must:

specify in writing that the application is made on behalf of the child;
state his/her name and the names of the child or children concerned; and
provide documents proving his or her identity and evidence of their relationship to the child or children concerned.

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Further information

The RTI and IP Acts are available from the Government Printing Office (Goprint) in Brisbane. More information is available on the Queensland Government Right to Information website. In addition, you can contact the agency's Legal and Administrative Law Branch by telephoning 07 3237 0819.

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