Free Community Service Highlights What’s on the Horizon for 2026, 01.01.2026
NSW Freedom of Information is giving the heads up on a new feature of its free public service, designed to get up close and personal with cases of significant public importance in the access to information arena.
The feature titled FOI Forensic Series will be an exercise in storytelling, with extensive details of each step of particular cases from start to finish wrapping things up with an epilogue.
Each Series will be broken down into episodes; making a timeline of events during the life of a case, with explanation and commentary about what’s happening, who’s doing what, and the implications and outcomes of NCAT and agency decisions along the way.
Each episode will showcase documentation including applications, statements, submissions, and evidence provided in the NCAT forum in the context of primarily the GIPA Act 2009, with the players in each case expecting to be profiled in some way. A light will shine on individual actions and attitudes by legal representatives separating those who conduct themselves ethically from the standover cowardly bullies the general public often encounter.
“This unique approach to dissecting cases, exposing what happens and giving in-depth commentary and insight into the background of what the public experience is, will be insightful into the NCAT’s processes, NSW government agency responses and methodologies, and of course the long-term distress and trauma suffered by those brave enough to take matters to NCAT particularly as self-represented parties,” stated the Site Administrator of NSW Freedom of Information, Telina Webb.
“This Site is testimony to my willingness and commitment to sharing my experiences from every ugly perspective, evidencing what happens to the public when we try to access our beneficial legislation. I’m hoping to lead by example in that sharing, encouraging others to effectively diarise and / or blog their experiences for the benefit and assistance of others. It’s only through sharing our stories and being able to support each other that we can better cope with and survive the response strategies of our public servants who interact with us in the NCAT arena. Yes, we will be accused of consorting and communicating with each other, heaven forbid! It’s also crucial to supporting petitions for change. I am not a solicitor, nor am I legally trained, and in this regard my submissions won’t be perfect or to any standard I regularly see from experienced agency barristers and special counsels exceedingly far more richly resourced than I am." "But I’m willing to share everything I’ve done in order to ensure a factual representation. I would expect agencies who currently act like trolls and scour this Site to seek confidentiality orders in administrative matters. But the public needs to know NCAT has no authority or jurisdiction to dictate where you, as unrepresented parties to proceedings, seek out counsel and guidance. NCAT is also powerless to police such orders. If they’re going to pursue anyone I’ll be first on the list, there’s no question about that. I’m not concerned and will face that if and when it happens.” "But I'm willing to share everything I’ve done in order to ensure a factual representation. I would expect agencies who currently act like trolls and scour this Site to seek confidentiality orders in administrative matters. But the public needs to know NCAT has no authority or jurisdiction to dictate where you, as unrepresented parties to proceedings, seek out counsel and guidance. NCAT is also powerless to police such orders. If they’re going to pursue anyone I’ll be first on the list, there’s no question about that. I’m not concerned and will face that if and when it happens.” And I'll be doing all that with a large side-helping of sattire.,,,,,...This Site is testimony to my willingness and commitment to sharing my experiences from every ugly perspective, evidencing what happens to the public when we try to access our beneficial legislation. I’m hoping to lead by example in that sharing, encouraging others to effectively diarise and / or blog their experiences for the benefit and assistance of others. It’s only through sharing our stories and being able to support each other that we can better cope with and survive the response strategies of our public servants who interact with us in the NCAT arena. Yes, we will be accused of consorting and communicating with each other, heaven forbid! It’s also crucial to supporting petitions for change. I am not a solicitor, nor am I legally trained, and in this regard my submissions won’t be perfect or to any standard I regularly see from experienced agency barristers and special counsels exceedingly far more richly resourced than I am." "But I’m willing to share everything I’ve done in order to ensure a factual representation. I would expect agencies who currently act like trolls and scour this Site to seek confidentiality orders in administrative matters. But the public needs to know NCAT has no authority or jurisdiction to dictate where you, as unrepresented parties to proceedings, seek out counsel and guidance. NCAT is also powerless to police such orders. If they’re going to pursue anyone I’ll be first on the list, there’s no question about that. I’m not concerned and will face that if and when it happens.” "The public can expect some satire thrown in to soften the bureaucratic blow of reality as they read every detail of this case of control and retaliation,"The first in this series will narrate the latest multi-agency application seeking a Section 110 Restraint Order under the GIPA Act 2009; an application only possible when NSW government agencies collude and covertly breach the public’s privacy. This particular application was filed on 04th October 2024.
Shamefully, this kind of unethical and unlawful management strategy directed towards access applicants was recommended by ex-NSW Police Superintendent Jodie Cobbin who now sits in the position of Director / Business Unit Manager Dept of Communities & Justice Open Government Information & Privacy Unit (yes that’s a big mouthful). It is not a formal departmental policy which has seen any due process, it is Ms Cobbin’s own personal recommendation; something she presented and circulated to the whole of the state in March 2019. The strategy titled “Tale of a Fixated Applicant” incorporated the personal information of a member of the public, breaching their privacy. It suggested personal writing styles, the following up on correspondence, and the cc’ing of Ministers into communications qualified as fixated and unacceptable behaviours. Ms Cobbin’s audience totalled approximately (500) five hundred.
“There can be no mistaking the whole of the state is anxiously awaiting the outcome of this precedent Application, as each and every Right to Information & Privacy Officer looks to the Dept of Communities & Justice as the tip of the spear in all things GIPA.”
“This first series titled ‘How to orchestrate a Section 110 Application under the GIPA Act 2009’, the direct result of Ms Cobbin’s management strategy, will highlight the precedent case of three NSW government agencies colluding to snare a group of people in the one Section 110 Order net. The Applicants in this matter are Dept of Communities & Justice, Port Stephens Council and Goulburn Mulwaree Council. The Respondents are myself, my husband, and my husband’s company. The Dept of Communities & Justice is representing all the Applicants. So far it has cost approximately $300,000.00 of public monies to get this case to the NCAT.”
“The Section 110 Application seeks orders in perpetuity across the whole of the state of NSW; that is every agency forever and without reprieve. This actually denies the possibility of parole; let’s get that into its proper perspective,” stated Webb.
“This case has huge implications such that a community group or club might find they are facing if this application is successful and left unchallenged,” stated Webb. “It would be totally convenient for the government if NSW agencies could effectively deal with a whole group of people in one swipe, shutting down their enquiries and effectively silencing them.”
“This is an exciting project for me! It will dive deep into the case, storyline the government actors, and reveal what happens when the Tribunal Member is out of the Hearing Room and agency actors unleash their antagonism! I’ll also be breaking down the GIPA Act 2009 Section 110, showing how agencies twist it and misrepresent it to the Tribunal without any flicker of conscience.”
“If this particular Section 110 Application IS successful I’ll be appealing it. I have no choice. If it wasn’t about myself and my husband, I’d be openly supporting any other group of Respondents to fight this. We cannot allow this kind of retributive militant action by our public servants; people hell-bent on manipulating the legislation for a pre-determined agenda. Clearly they are very angry I have published the indisputable evidence of agencies corrupting the GIPA Act 2009 and they want me silenced and shut down. This was not the Parliament’s intention in freely gifting the GIPA Act to the public of NSW. The GIPA Act was implemented to open up government, making it more accountable to the public it serves. Currently the reverse is the public’s reality.”
To ensure the FOI Forensic Series’ integrity, this first episode will not be published until the NCAT has issued its decision. This is to ensure the Series is full and complete at the time of publication. The case was heard in March 2025 over (2) two days. NCAT indicates decisions are issued by about (3) three months, this one is approaching a year. However one of Webb’s cases took almost (2) two years to finally see its decision.
At the date of this article the decision has been reserved for (10) ten months.
If you have a well-documented NCAT case concerning access to government information and you want to share it, please contact Telina at info@nswfreedomofinformation.net.
Contact:
Jodie Cobbin, Jodie.cobbin@dcj.nsw.gov.auMichael McIntosh, Michael.mcintosh@dcj.nsw.gov.auJustin Cahill, justin.cahill@dcj.nsw.gov.auJonathan Franklin, Jonathan.franklin@dcj.nsw.gov.auTony Wickham, tony.wickham@portstephens.nsw.gov.auLisa Marshall, lisa.marshall@portstephens.nsw.gov.auMaria Timothy, maria.timothy@goulburn.nsw.gov.au
The feature titled FOI Forensic Series will be an exercise in storytelling, with extensive details of each step of particular cases from start to finish wrapping things up with an epilogue.
Each Series will be broken down into episodes; making a timeline of events during the life of a case, with explanation and commentary about what’s happening, who’s doing what, and the implications and outcomes of NCAT and agency decisions along the way.
Each episode will showcase documentation including applications, statements, submissions, and evidence provided in the NCAT forum in the context of primarily the GIPA Act 2009, with the players in each case expecting to be profiled in some way. A light will shine on individual actions and attitudes by legal representatives separating those who conduct themselves ethically from the standover cowardly bullies the general public often encounter.
“This unique approach to dissecting cases, exposing what happens and giving in-depth commentary and insight into the background of what the public experience is, will be insightful into the NCAT’s processes, NSW government agency responses and methodologies, and of course the long-term distress and trauma suffered by those brave enough to take matters to NCAT particularly as self-represented parties,” stated the Site Administrator of NSW Freedom of Information, Telina Webb.
“This Site is testimony to my willingness and commitment to sharing my experiences from every ugly perspective, evidencing what happens to the public when we try to access our beneficial legislation. I’m hoping to lead by example in that sharing, encouraging others to effectively diarise and / or blog their experiences for the benefit and assistance of others. It’s only through sharing our stories and being able to support each other that we can better cope with and survive the response strategies of our public servants who interact with us in the NCAT arena. Yes, we will be accused of consorting and communicating with each other, heaven forbid! It’s also crucial to supporting petitions for change. I am not a solicitor, nor am I legally trained, and in this regard my submissions won’t be perfect or to any standard I regularly see from experienced agency barristers and special counsels exceedingly far more richly resourced than I am." "But I’m willing to share everything I’ve done in order to ensure a factual representation. I would expect agencies who currently act like trolls and scour this Site to seek confidentiality orders in administrative matters. But the public needs to know NCAT has no authority or jurisdiction to dictate where you, as unrepresented parties to proceedings, seek out counsel and guidance. NCAT is also powerless to police such orders. If they’re going to pursue anyone I’ll be first on the list, there’s no question about that. I’m not concerned and will face that if and when it happens.” "But I'm willing to share everything I’ve done in order to ensure a factual representation. I would expect agencies who currently act like trolls and scour this Site to seek confidentiality orders in administrative matters. But the public needs to know NCAT has no authority or jurisdiction to dictate where you, as unrepresented parties to proceedings, seek out counsel and guidance. NCAT is also powerless to police such orders. If they’re going to pursue anyone I’ll be first on the list, there’s no question about that. I’m not concerned and will face that if and when it happens.” And I'll be doing all that with a large side-helping of sattire.,,,,,...This Site is testimony to my willingness and commitment to sharing my experiences from every ugly perspective, evidencing what happens to the public when we try to access our beneficial legislation. I’m hoping to lead by example in that sharing, encouraging others to effectively diarise and / or blog their experiences for the benefit and assistance of others. It’s only through sharing our stories and being able to support each other that we can better cope with and survive the response strategies of our public servants who interact with us in the NCAT arena. Yes, we will be accused of consorting and communicating with each other, heaven forbid! It’s also crucial to supporting petitions for change. I am not a solicitor, nor am I legally trained, and in this regard my submissions won’t be perfect or to any standard I regularly see from experienced agency barristers and special counsels exceedingly far more richly resourced than I am." "But I’m willing to share everything I’ve done in order to ensure a factual representation. I would expect agencies who currently act like trolls and scour this Site to seek confidentiality orders in administrative matters. But the public needs to know NCAT has no authority or jurisdiction to dictate where you, as unrepresented parties to proceedings, seek out counsel and guidance. NCAT is also powerless to police such orders. If they’re going to pursue anyone I’ll be first on the list, there’s no question about that. I’m not concerned and will face that if and when it happens.” "The public can expect some satire thrown in to soften the bureaucratic blow of reality as they read every detail of this case of control and retaliation,"The first in this series will narrate the latest multi-agency application seeking a Section 110 Restraint Order under the GIPA Act 2009; an application only possible when NSW government agencies collude and covertly breach the public’s privacy. This particular application was filed on 04th October 2024.
Shamefully, this kind of unethical and unlawful management strategy directed towards access applicants was recommended by ex-NSW Police Superintendent Jodie Cobbin who now sits in the position of Director / Business Unit Manager Dept of Communities & Justice Open Government Information & Privacy Unit (yes that’s a big mouthful). It is not a formal departmental policy which has seen any due process, it is Ms Cobbin’s own personal recommendation; something she presented and circulated to the whole of the state in March 2019. The strategy titled “Tale of a Fixated Applicant” incorporated the personal information of a member of the public, breaching their privacy. It suggested personal writing styles, the following up on correspondence, and the cc’ing of Ministers into communications qualified as fixated and unacceptable behaviours. Ms Cobbin’s audience totalled approximately (500) five hundred.
“There can be no mistaking the whole of the state is anxiously awaiting the outcome of this precedent Application, as each and every Right to Information & Privacy Officer looks to the Dept of Communities & Justice as the tip of the spear in all things GIPA.”
“This first series titled ‘How to orchestrate a Section 110 Application under the GIPA Act 2009’, the direct result of Ms Cobbin’s management strategy, will highlight the precedent case of three NSW government agencies colluding to snare a group of people in the one Section 110 Order net. The Applicants in this matter are Dept of Communities & Justice, Port Stephens Council and Goulburn Mulwaree Council. The Respondents are myself, my husband, and my husband’s company. The Dept of Communities & Justice is representing all the Applicants. So far it has cost approximately $300,000.00 of public monies to get this case to the NCAT.”
“The Section 110 Application seeks orders in perpetuity across the whole of the state of NSW; that is every agency forever and without reprieve. This actually denies the possibility of parole; let’s get that into its proper perspective,” stated Webb.
“This case has huge implications such that a community group or club might find they are facing if this application is successful and left unchallenged,” stated Webb. “It would be totally convenient for the government if NSW agencies could effectively deal with a whole group of people in one swipe, shutting down their enquiries and effectively silencing them.”
“This is an exciting project for me! It will dive deep into the case, storyline the government actors, and reveal what happens when the Tribunal Member is out of the Hearing Room and agency actors unleash their antagonism! I’ll also be breaking down the GIPA Act 2009 Section 110, showing how agencies twist it and misrepresent it to the Tribunal without any flicker of conscience.”
“If this particular Section 110 Application IS successful I’ll be appealing it. I have no choice. If it wasn’t about myself and my husband, I’d be openly supporting any other group of Respondents to fight this. We cannot allow this kind of retributive militant action by our public servants; people hell-bent on manipulating the legislation for a pre-determined agenda. Clearly they are very angry I have published the indisputable evidence of agencies corrupting the GIPA Act 2009 and they want me silenced and shut down. This was not the Parliament’s intention in freely gifting the GIPA Act to the public of NSW. The GIPA Act was implemented to open up government, making it more accountable to the public it serves. Currently the reverse is the public’s reality.”
To ensure the FOI Forensic Series’ integrity, this first episode will not be published until the NCAT has issued its decision. This is to ensure the Series is full and complete at the time of publication. The case was heard in March 2025 over (2) two days. NCAT indicates decisions are issued by about (3) three months, this one is approaching a year. However one of Webb’s cases took almost (2) two years to finally see its decision.
At the date of this article the decision has been reserved for (10) ten months.
If you have a well-documented NCAT case concerning access to government information and you want to share it, please contact Telina at info@nswfreedomofinformation.net.
Contact:
Jodie Cobbin, Jodie.cobbin@dcj.nsw.gov.auMichael McIntosh, Michael.mcintosh@dcj.nsw.gov.auJustin Cahill, justin.cahill@dcj.nsw.gov.auJonathan Franklin, Jonathan.franklin@dcj.nsw.gov.auTony Wickham, tony.wickham@portstephens.nsw.gov.auLisa Marshall, lisa.marshall@portstephens.nsw.gov.auMaria Timothy, maria.timothy@goulburn.nsw.gov.au
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