Right to information
The Department complies with the requirement under Part 3, Division 2 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) to provide guidance to right to information.
How can I access information?
Under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) we are committed to improving open, transparent and easily findable information.
Restrictions apply to accessing information only when there is an overriding public interest against our disclosure of that particular information.
Search on the Department's websites
Our websites contain a large volume of material that covers many policies and projects. We release as much Government information as possible on our websites or by request to: gipa@dpie.nsw.gov.au
Under the GIPA Act, certain information is required by law to be available on our websites, free of charge. This is called "open access information" and includes:
In addition to the "open access information" which the Department is required by law to make available, the Department proactively releases a large volume of other information.
Search our websites to find publicly available information.
Make an informal request
If the information you require has not already been published by the Department, but is information which raises no particular concerns in terms of an overriding public interest as to why it should be kept confidential, then the Department may be able to release it to you on request without having to make a formal application.
If you think this applies to you, contact us at gipa@dpie.nsw.gov.au to make an informal request, or phone on (02) 9860 1440.
Where some information may be released without the need for a formal request, we reserve the right to require an access application to deal with requests for information, particularly if:
- there may be significant public interest considerations that need to be taken into account in deciding whether the information can be released, or
- you request a large volume of information, or there is another reason the Department may take a significant amount of time to consider your request, or
- there is third party information involved about which we would have to consult with the third party.
Make a formal access application
If the information you are seeking is not available on any websites and is not otherwise routinely provided by the Department on request, then you have a right to formally apply for access to specific information.
The GIPA Act states that we are only able to accept access applications that:
- are in writing and sent to us at the address below
- clearly state you are requesting information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009
- enclose the $30 application fee
- state the name of the applicant and a postal or email address as the address for correspondence; and
- include as much specific information as necessary to enable us to identify the information you are asking for.
If your application does not meet these 5 requirements it will be considered an invalid application and will not be processed. If that happens, we will contact you about how to meet the requirements.
We will acknowledge receipt of your valid access application within 5 working days, and will deal with your application within 20 working days (subject to any extensions allowed for under the Act). We will contact you if any extension of time is required to deal with your application.
How to apply
You can make a formal GIPA access application for Government information held by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, and pay the $30 application fee using Visa or Mastercard, using our online form and payment option.
If you need help filling out this form, please contact the Department's Information Access team on (02) 9860 1440 or at gipa@dpie.nsw.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can apply by downloading and completing the Formal application for information access form (DOCX 154.93KB) and sending the completed form to us with a cheque or money order made out to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure at the following address:
Information Access Unit
Locked bag 5022, Parramatta NSW 2150
Email: gipa@dpie.nsw.gov.au
How to make a clear request for information
If it is not clear what information you are seeking access to, we will contact you to clarify the scope of your application. An application can be considered ‘invalid’ and closed without further action if we cannot clarify what you want. Some points to remember are:
- Avoid terms such as “all documents in relation to” or “including but not limited to”. Instead, be clear about exactly what you are seeking.
- GIPA isn’t a mechanism for asking questions, it is only for accessing information that is held in our record systems. If you are asking ‘how’ or ‘why’ something was done, you may be better served by writing to the appropriate part of the Department rather than lodging an application under the GIPA Act.
- If you are seeking correspondence, please clarify whether you intend this to include internal emails.
- Minister’s offices are separate agencies to Departments and the Department does not have access to documents or emails held by Minister’s offices. If you are seeking information held by a Ministerial office, you will need to lodge an application directly with that office.
- It can often be helpful to include some context or background to your request. The Department is made up of thousands of staff across 9 divisions. Understanding the context of your request can help us to pinpoint where we should go to find relevant records.
Application fees and processing charges
The application fee for making an access application is $30. There may be additional processing charges at a rate of $30 per hour. In some circumstances we may require you to pay an advance deposit. We will let you know in writing if that applies to your application.
Certain discounts may apply, including on financial hardship and public interest grounds. If you would like us to apply a discount to processing charges for your application, make sure to include information to support your request with your application.
For more details about what discounts may be available, visit Information and Privacy Commission.
Information that is not available in response to an access application
Although an access application may be made for all Government information held by the Department, we will not be able to release information if there is an overriding public interest against the disclosure of the information.
In addition the GIPA Act does not allow the release of some document types, such as:
- Cabinet information
- Executive Council information
- Documents that are subject to Parliamentary privilege
- Documents that are subject of Legal Professional Privilege.