The Queensland Right to Information Act 2009 and the Information Privacy Act 2009 started in July 2009. The Acts provide the community with a legally enforceable right to access documents subject to a limited number of exemptions.
If you're seeking access to your personal information, you can apply under the Information Privacy Act 2009. If you're seeking access to non-personal information, or the personal information of a person other than yourself, you should apply under the Right to Information Act 2009.
An application must:
- be in the approved form
- provide sufficient information concerning the document(s) as is reasonably necessary to enable a responsible officer of the agency to identify the document(s)
- specify an address for notification of a decision.
Where an application is made for documents that concern your personal information, certified identification will be required before documents can be released. An example of appropriate identification is a photocopy of your birth certificate, passport or driver's licence. The document must be certified by a qualified witness as being a correct copy of the original document.
A qualified witness means:
- a lawyer or notary public
- a commissioner for declarations
- a justice of the peace.
Applications should be addressed to:
The Manager
Right to Information and Information Privacy Unit
Queensland Fire Department
Right to Information and Privacy
GPO Box 1425
Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone: (07) 3635 3303
Email QFES.RTI@qfes.qld.gov.au
Fees and charges
Application fee
In line with the Acts Interpretation (Fee Unit) Regulation 2022, the Right to Information Act 2009’s application fee will increase on 1 July 2023 to $55.75 per application. This fee cannot be waived and must be paid before your application can be processed.
There is no application fee payable for an application under the Information Privacy Act 2009. However, an application under the Information Privacy Act 2009 may be dealt with under the Right to Information Act 2009 if you seek access to non-personal information or information which does not concern your personal information.
Processing charges
Applications for documents that don't relate to your personal affairs may also attract additional charges for time spent by members in searching for and processing the documents applied for. The charges are $8.65 per fifteen minutes spent working on the application.
Access charges
A photocopy fee of 25 cents applies to each photocopied single sided non-personal document. If access is sought by way of inspection of the documents, a charge of $8.65 for each 15 minutes or part thereof is payable.
You may not have to pay the processing and copy charges if you have a:
- Centrelink Health Care Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession Card.
Form of payment
Cheque or money order made payable to the State of Queensland.
Time taken to process applications
You will receive either written or verbal acknowledgement from the Right to Information and Information Privacy Unit within 10 business days of your application being received. Generally you will receive a final response to your application within 25 business days of the service receiving your application. If a document you requested is from another party, for example another government agency or someone who may have concerns with the release of the information, consultation with this other party may be required. In these circumstances the service has an additional 10 business days to finalise your application.
Reviewing a decision
If you are dissatisfied or “aggrieved” with the decision of the service made under the Right to Information Act 2009 or the Information Privacy Act 2009 regarding access or amendment to documents you can apply to the service for an internal review of its decision, or alternately apply to the Information Commissioner for an external review of the decision.
To apply for an internal review of a decision you must apply in writing within 20 business days of receiving the decision.
Applications for internal review should be addressed to:
The Manager
Right to Information and Information Privacy Unit
Queensland Fire Department
GPO Box 1425
Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone: (07) 3635 3303
Email: QFES.RTI@qfes.qld.gov.au
Your internal review application will then be referred to a senior officer for decision.
Application for external review should be addressed to:
Office of the Information Commissioner
PO Box 10143
Adelaide Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000
For more information visit the Office of the Information Commissioner website.