As of July 1, 2016, OAIC resumed the investigation of complaints involving agency actions relating to the handling of Freedom of Information ("FOI") matters. Since November 2014, the Commonwealth Ombudsman had been assigned FOI complaints following the Australian government's decision to abolish the OAIC and the associated reduction in OAIC resources. However, the government's 2016–2017 budget allocated A$37 million over the next four years to fund OAIC's privacy and FOI regulatory functions, allowing it to review FOI complaints moving forward. The Commonwealth Ombudsman will retain all complaints it is currently overseeing.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
