Exemptions

The right to access documents held by government is subject to certain limitations that ensure that sensitive information is properly protected. If you request a document from the department or the minister under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), you may not be given access to all or part of the document if it falls within one of the categories of exemptions under the FOI Act.

Release of documents under the FOI Act

The decision maker decides to release documents subject to appropriate exemptions under the FOI Act, namely:

Section	Exemption
7	Exemption of certain persons and bodies
21	Deferment of access
22	Access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted
24	Power to refuse - diversion of resources
24A	Documents cannot be found, do not exist or have not been received
33	Documents affecting national security, defence or international relations
34	Cabinet documents
37	Documents affecting enforcement of the law and protection of public safety
38	Documents to which secrecy provisions of enactment apply
42	Documents subject to legal professional privilege
45	Documents containing material obtained in confidence
46	Documents disclosure of which would be contempt of Parliament or contempt of court
47	Documents disclosing trade secrets or commercially valuable information
47A	Electoral rolls and related documents
47B	Public interest conditional exemptions - Commonwealth-state relations
47C	Public interest conditional exemptions - deliberative process
47D	Public interest conditional exemptions - financial property of the Commonwealth or Norfolk Island
47E	Public interest conditional exemptions - certain operations of agencies
47F	Public interest conditional exemptions - personal privacy
47G	Public interest conditional exemptions - business
47H	Public interest conditional exemptions - research
47J	Public interest conditional exemptions - the economy

Call 1800 900 090 Make a general inquiry
Report a biosecurity concern
Contact the media team

Last reviewed:

24 Mar 2017