Information Statement 2009.
The Freedom of Information Act 1992 created a general right of access to documents held by state and local government agencies. The Act requires agencies to make available details about the kind of information they hold and enables persons to ensure that personal information held by Government agencies about them is "accurate, complete, up to date and not misleading".
It is the aim of the Department to make information available promptly, for the least possible cost, and wherever possible documents will be provided outside the Freedom of Information process.
Click here for Freedom of Information Statement 2009, including Receipt of Applications, Fees and Charges , Rights of Review, and types of documents held by the Department (PDF 42 kB).
Freedom of Information Applications for 2007-08
As at the end of June 2008, 84 valid applications were received by the Department, through the State Housing Commission. Of these, 56 sought access to personal information and 28 sought access to non-personal information. A more comprehensive breakdown of this agency’s statistics is provided in the Information Commissioner of Western Australia’s Annual Report http://www.foi.wa.gov.au/
Information available for release outside the FOI Act
Not all documents held by the Department of Housing need to be accessed through the Freedom of Information Act application procedures.
Some information that is held on a client’s personal file (especially documents which our clients have provided to us) can be given to them outside the Act, subject to the usual checks of identity.
The important exception to this is any document that contains third party information(information about a person other than the client and Department officers, including names and addresses), for example letters of complaint about the client made by third parties. Such information should not be released outside the FOI process, to protect the privacy of the third party.
Information concerning the commercial or business affairs of third parties (including companies) should not be released outside the FOI process.
The Department advocates the following information being released to clients without having to apply under the FOI Act:
- Copies of any application, income statements, rental subsidy forms etc. submitted by the client
- Copies of any agreement signed by the client (tenancy agreements, loan agreements, etc)
- Copies of letters sent to the client (e.g. notices of breach, property condition reports)
- Printouts of clients’ account statements, correspondence, maintenance and comments history (as long as they do not name or refer to any third parties)
For further information: Contact the Freedom of Information Unit (phone 9222 4501, 9222 8156 or 9222 8145) for advice.
Freedom of Information Forms
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| Application for Freedom of Information (PDF 298 kB) |
Application for Amendment of Personal Information (PDF 211 kB) |
Internal and External Review (PDF 257 kB) |
