62761
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Freedom of Information administration
Unique IDAY-0007DescriptionThe concept of Freedom of Information (FOI) first emerged in Australia in the 1970’s. Following a 1978 Federal Senate report considering and later rejecting arguments supporting the incompatibility of FOI with the Westminister system, the Federal Freedom of Information Act 1982 was passed. This was the first instance of national FOI legislation enacted in a county with a Westminister system of government. State-based legislation soon followed with the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW) coming into effect on 1 July 1989.
In June 1991 the Council resolved to place itself under full coverage of the NSW FOI Act, rather than adopt the limited coverage option open to local government authorities under that Act. The Resolution of Council was on 24 June 1991, with the implementation date 1 September 1991.The intent of the Act was to create a presumption that official records were open for public inspection unless restricted for reasons specified in the Act, and to create a process of application and review through which records could be made available (or withheld). Provision was also made for an applicant to request that a correcting note be attached to personal information considered inaccurate misleading or incomplete.
The FOI Act worked in conjunction with Section 12 of the Local Government Act 1993. The latter was later removed from the Local Government Act and incorporated into Schedule 1 of the Government Information (Public Access) Regulation 2009.
FOI annual reporting requirements were incorporated into the annual reports of compliant organisations including the City of Sydney. The FOI process operated as a parallel access mechanism to the Archives and to the 'one stop shop' customer access point within the Council, in cases where the nature of the records sought was confidential (such as requests for access to personnel records).
By 1992 responsibility within Council for FOI was within the Information Systems Unit, under the Division of Corporate and Community Services. By 1995 responsibility had shifted to the Corporate Secretary. By 1996 responsibility for administering FOI had shifted to the Legal Unit.
In late 2009 the Governance Unit, including the existing Council Business Unit and Public Access Management Unit (previously the FOI Unit), joined the new Legal and Corporate Governance Division. The FOI Unit was renamed the Public Access Management (PAM) Unit to reflect the fact that it also dealt with other matters under the Local Government Act for access to Council documents in addition to pending legislative changes: on 1 July 2010 the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (the GIPA Act) replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW).
In 2010 a new Governance Unit was created, comprising the existing Council Business Unit and the PAM Unit, joining the Legal and Governance Division. In May 2011 following a service review of Governance, the PAM Unit and management of all Informal Access to Information Requests under the Act were shifted to the Information Services Unit. Responsibility for Formal Access to Information Requests under the Act remained with the Governance Unit.
In 2015 the new position of Information Access Team Leader was created within the unit of Information Services. In conjunction with this appointment, remaining responsibility for GIPAA processes were transferred from the Governance Unit to Information Services.
CreationFreedom of Information Act 1989.
Resolution of Council, 24 Jun 1991.
In June 1991 the Council resolved to place itself under full coverage of the NSW FOI Act, rather than adopt the limited coverage option open to local government authorities under that Act. The Resolution of Council was on 24 June 1991, with the implementation date 1 September 1991.The intent of the Act was to create a presumption that official records were open for public inspection unless restricted for reasons specified in the Act, and to create a process of application and review through which records could be made available (or withheld). Provision was also made for an applicant to request that a correcting note be attached to personal information considered inaccurate misleading or incomplete.
The FOI Act worked in conjunction with Section 12 of the Local Government Act 1993. The latter was later removed from the Local Government Act and incorporated into Schedule 1 of the Government Information (Public Access) Regulation 2009.
FOI annual reporting requirements were incorporated into the annual reports of compliant organisations including the City of Sydney. The FOI process operated as a parallel access mechanism to the Archives and to the 'one stop shop' customer access point within the Council, in cases where the nature of the records sought was confidential (such as requests for access to personnel records).
By 1992 responsibility within Council for FOI was within the Information Systems Unit, under the Division of Corporate and Community Services. By 1995 responsibility had shifted to the Corporate Secretary. By 1996 responsibility for administering FOI had shifted to the Legal Unit.
In late 2009 the Governance Unit, including the existing Council Business Unit and Public Access Management Unit (previously the FOI Unit), joined the new Legal and Corporate Governance Division. The FOI Unit was renamed the Public Access Management (PAM) Unit to reflect the fact that it also dealt with other matters under the Local Government Act for access to Council documents in addition to pending legislative changes: on 1 July 2010 the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (the GIPA Act) replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW).
In 2010 a new Governance Unit was created, comprising the existing Council Business Unit and the PAM Unit, joining the Legal and Governance Division. In May 2011 following a service review of Governance, the PAM Unit and management of all Informal Access to Information Requests under the Act were shifted to the Information Services Unit. Responsibility for Formal Access to Information Requests under the Act remained with the Governance Unit.
In 2015 the new position of Information Access Team Leader was created within the unit of Information Services. In conjunction with this appointment, remaining responsibility for GIPAA processes were transferred from the Governance Unit to Information Services.
CreationFreedom of Information Act 1989.
Resolution of Council, 24 Jun 1991.
Description
Start date1st January 1991End date1st January 1991Relationship legacy dataRELATED TO: Council administration FN-0026 (01/09/1991)
Identification
Source system ID7
Relationships
FunctionCouncil administration
Freedom of Information administration [AY-0007]. City of Sydney Archives, accessed 26 Apr 2024, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/62761