NSW Freedom of Information

A FREE COMMUNITY SERVICE TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS NSW GOVERNMENT INFORMATION FROM THE RIGHT GOVERNMENT AGENCY FULLY STAFFED BY VOLUNTEERS
PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND INFORMATION FREECALL 1300 679 364 OR 1300 NSW FOI
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers," United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) Article 19. International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (1966) Article 19.
"In a democracy, it is not character assassination to call a public official to account, nor subject their performance to public scrutiny," George Brandis, 27th February 2015 (then) Attorney General
Igniting the Flame - May 2025: "When you see corruption, when you see injustice, you speak up. You don't just shut up and say it's none of my business," Manal al-Sharif, Women's Rights Activist
Encouraged to receive confirmation a number of NSW Government Agencies regularly visit and refer to this Site, including the NSW Crown Solicitor's Office, the NSW Dept of Communities & Justice, the NSW Information & Privacy Commissioner, and a few rogue Local Councils.
HOWEVER agencies are now known to shamefully print off or retain our Site information to use against Access Applicants! They also engage in conduct such as trolling, scouring the internet and social media platforms for information to use against the public. By December 2024 these anti-social behaviours were rapidly escalating! View the evidence here! NSW agencies also work actively to secure gag-orders in contradiction to the principles of Open Justice, silencing the public!
Agency personnel do not like what they are seeing, do not want the public to be informed about accessing NSW government information or Agency misconduct, confirming their intention to withhold government information for fear of informing the public and to deny equity in the judicial process! NSW agencies also threaten the Administrator of this Site with defamation suits as a form of bullying and intimidation, at the cost of tax-payer money, as they try to cover up their wrongdoing, here and here. We continue to seek the public's support to ensure this Site remains active and relevant.
Quotable Quotes:
"Legality has taken the place of morality in defining the permissible limits of political and administrative action.....(sic) Corruption that erodes honest administration and the disregard for the rule of law in the pursuit of political power...... are issues that affect the social health of the community," Sir Gerard Brennan, former Australian High Court Chief Justice - co-author of 'Keeping Them Honest', with Dr Catherine Williams and Stephen Charles AO KC - The Centre for Public Integrity @cpi_aus. "Australia is only a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As it has not been ratified by the Australian legislature, this holds no weight [towards the public's rights for the sharing of ideas, information and expression]," Quinn Zhao, Solicitor, Open Government Information & Privacy Unit, NSW Dept of Communities & Justice; Open Submissions to the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal in relation to the website NSW Freedom of Information, May 2024. "Australia is only a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As it has not been ratified by the Australian legislature, this holds no weight [towards the public's rights for the sharing of ideas, information and expression]," Jonathan Ian Franklin, Solicitor, Open Government Information & Privacy Unit, NSW Dept of Communities & Justice; Open Submissions to the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal in relation to the website NSW Freedom of Information, July 2023. ".......those Privacy Statements don't mean anything," Office of the NSW Crown Solicitor's Andrew Bell in oral submissions to NCAT; referring to iCARE's Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 - Access to Information form - Item 12. Privacy Statement. "The NCAT is complex because 34 lawyers contributed to writing the legislation," Mark Robinson SC, Co-Author (with NCAT's Dr Juliet Lucy) NCAT Practice and Procedure 2nd Edition 2020 Thomson Reuters. ".........Publicity is the very soul of justice......... It keeps the judge, while trying (a case), under trial," Jeremy Bentham, 1790. "The time, it is to be hoped, is gone by, when any defence would be necessary of the 'liberty of the press' as one of the securities against corruption or tyrannical government. No argument....can now be needed, against permitting a legislature or an executive, not identified in interest of the pepole, to prescribe opinions to them, and determine what doctrines or what arguments they shall be allowed to hear," John Stuart Mill, 1859. "FOI is necessary to democracy...............," @KatySClark (twitter), 30th November 2022 - Holyrood FOI, @FOIScotland (twitter), Scottish Information Commissioner. "..... let's make sure we get all the rights back we thought we had (pre-C19 Pandemic). Essential to this is our freedom of speech. Our freedom to question authority and to hold our leaders to account. We should be wary of those who would deny this freedom and call for less debate, less openness, and less diversity of opinion. Instead, we should together celebrate, indulge and defend all the Aussie freedoms we cherish......." (emphasis added), Lachlan Murdoch, 29th March 2022 - Institute of Public Affairs. ".......information is increasingly held in digital form and services are increasingly automated. These changes directly impact citizens’ rights, and importantly their right to access information. Accordingly, there is a growing need to promote accountability and transparency and to ensure open government......." (emphasis added), NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd, 16th June 2022 - International Conference of International Commissioners 2022. ".......On the issue of reputation, I think it is important to revisit two of the most important aspects of complaints managment, ie, visibility and accessibility. Monopoly service providers, particularly government agencies and some utilities, are the worst offenders in this area and really need to lift their game and constantly monitor the accessibility and responsiveness of their information and wait times......." (emphasis added), Professor Allan Fels AO on "Reputation and Joining the Dots" - SOCAP (Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business Australia Incorporated) Consumer Directions June 2022 "Citizens have the right to access government information," NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd, 27th September 2021 during launch webinar- Right to Know Week 2021
"Information is key to the investigation and prevention of corruption," Chief Commissioner ICAC Peter Hall, 27th September 2021 during launch webinar- Right to Know Week 2021
"The public can use information to drive improvement," NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman, 27th September 2021 during launch webinar - Right to Know Week 2021 "The government supports the object of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) to advance a system of open and accountable government by providing members of the public with enforceable rights to access government information," Mark Speakman letter to the NSW Law Society, March 2019.
DraftCom Pty Ltd t/as NSW Freedom of Information ABN: 87 076 511 941 PO Box 8030 Marks Point NSW 2280 P: 1300 679 364 or 1300 NSW FOI F: (02) 8246 3484 Hrs: Monday to Friday - 9.30am to 4.30pm
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Acknowledgement of First Nations Australia We acknowledge the Awabakal people as the Traditional Custodians of this area. We recognise their continuing connection and protection of the land, the waterways, and ecosystems since time immemorial. We extend our respect to all First Nations people and we respect the Elders past and present.
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