Notification of decision and reasons
54 Notification of decision and reasons
An agency or Minister must give a prescribed written notice to an applicant for an access application of—
the decision on the application, including a decision to refuse to deal with the application; and
if the application relates to a document that is not a document in the possession, or under the control, of the agency or Minister—the fact that the document is not a document in the possession, or under the control, of the agency or
Minister.
In addition to the details that must be stated in a prescribed written notice, the notice must also specify the following—
if access to a document is to be given—
an itemisation of any processing and access charges payable by the applicant; and
the period within which the applicant may access the document under section 69 (the
access period);
and
details of the publication of the document, or of information about the document, that is required or permitted by section 78A, if the applicant accesses the document within the access period and the document does not contain personal information of the applicant; and
details of the publication of the document, or of information about the document, that is required or permitted by section 78A, if the applicant fails to access the document within the access period and the document does not contain personal information of the applicant;
if access is to be given to a copy of a document subject to the deletion under section 73 of irrelevant information—the fact that the document is such a copy;
if access is to be given to a copy of a document subject to the deletion under section 74 of exempt information—
the fact that the document is such a copy; and
the provision of schedule 3 under which the information is exempt information; and
the reasons for the decision classifying the information as exempt information;
if access is to be given to a copy of a document subject to the deletion under section 75 of contrary to public interest information—
the fact that the document is such a copy; and
the factors identified as favouring disclosure and the factors identified as favouring nondisclosure under section 49; and
the reasons for the decision that, on balance, disclosure would be contrary to the public interest under section 49;
if access is to be given to a copy of a document subject to the deletion under section 75A of the personal information of a child—
the fact that the document is such a copy; and
the reason under section 50 the agency or Minister considers disclosure of the information would not be in the best interests of the child;
if access is to be given to a copy of a document subject to the deletion under section 75B of relevant healthcare information of the applicant—
the fact that the document is such a copy; and
the reason under section 51 the agency or Minister considers disclosure of the information to the applicant might be prejudicial to the physical or mental health or wellbeing of the applicant;
if access to a document is to be given subject to deferral under section 72—
the reason for the deferral;
and
the day on which the agency or Minister expects the document to be presented or released as mentioned in section 72;
if dealing with the access application is refused under section 40—
the provision of schedule 3 under which the information in the document is exempt information; and
the reasons for the decision classifying the information as exempt information;
if access to a document is refused under section 47(3)—
the processing charges payable by the applicant; and
the provision of section 47(3) under which access is refused; and
if access is refused under section 47(3)(a)—
the provision of schedule 3 under which the information in the document is exempt information; and
the reasons for the decision classifying the information as exempt information;
and
if access is refused under section 47(3)(b)—
the factors identified as favouring disclosure and the factors identified as favouring nondisclosure under section 49; and
the reasons for the decision that, on balance, disclosure would be contrary to the public interest under section 49; and
if access is refused under section 47(3)(c)—the reason under section 50 the agency or Minister considers access would not be in the best interests of the child; and
if access is refused under section 47(3)(d)—the reason under section 51 the agency or Minister considers that the disclosure to the applicant might be prejudicial to the physical or mental health or wellbeing of the applicant;
and
if access is refused under section 47(3)(e)—the provision of section 52(1) under which the document is nonexistent or unlocatable; and
if access is refused under section 47(3)(f)—the type of access to the document under section 53 that is available.
An agency or Minister is not required to include any exempt information or contrary to public interest information in the notice.
Subsection (2)(a)(ii) does not apply if the document is given with the notice.
This section does not apply in relation to a deemed decision.
This Act’s bill:Explanatory memorandumSecond reading speech
The statute text is free to read above. View subscription options to unlock the case-law research tools for each provision.