The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA) replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989 and Section 12 of the Local Government Act on 1 July 2010.  Under GIPA you have a right, with limited exceptions, to access documents held by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation. 

You can request to view any document held by Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation.  Due to the nature of some documents access may be refused either in full or in part.  Documents include those held on electronic and paper files.

MAKING AN APPLICATION

Informal access application

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation may release information following an informal request – a request that is not a formal access application – unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure. 

The release of information may be subject to any reasonable conditions imposed by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation and may be made in any format.

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation retains the discretion to require a formal access application in certain circumstances which could include: 

• where request involves a significant diversion of resources 

• the requested material contains information about a third party that cannot be deleted easily or without rendering the information useless and consultation would need to occur, or 

• the material is sensitive in nature and requires careful balancing of public interests.

To make an informal access application, email us on info@isjo.nsw.gov.au with the following details: 

• your full contact details including preferred method of contact

• sufficient information to allow the information requested to be identified.

Formal access application

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation may release information following the lodgement of a formal access application. Applications must be made in writing, contain sufficient information to enable the information requested to be identified and be accompanied by a $30 application fee.  A $40 per hour research fee may also be applied.  Both charges are subject to annual review as detailed in our Statement of Revenue Policy (available on this website) 

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation has 20 working days to decide an application (with provision for that time limit to be extended by a maximum of 15 days if the records need to be retrieved from archives or third parties need to be consulted). 

If you make a formal application you have a legally enforceable right to be provided with the information unless there is an overriding public interest against its disclosure. 

Decisions about formal access applications are subject to internal review by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation as well as to external review the Information Commissioner and / or the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.

An application form can be downloaded by clicking on the image below.