You have a legal right to:
- seek access to documents from a state government agency, local council or university
- request amendments to documents relating to you that are incomplete, incorrect, out-of-date or misleading.
You can apply to most state government agencies online. It should take about ten minutes to complete the process.
Before making an application you may wish to speak to the FOI officer in the agency that holds the information. They will be able to tell you if making an FOI application is the best approach.
If you want medical records, the hospital you attended will hold these documents.
When FOI is not the right process
The information types listed here are not available through FOI - phone the agency listed for assistance.
| Type of information | Contact details |
|---|---|
| Court documents | Courts Administration authority - phone 8204 2444 |
| Vehicle registration and licensing | Department for Infrastructure and Transport - phone 8260 0531 |
| Tribunal documents | South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal - phone 1800 723 767 |
| Fire cause investigation report | SA Metropolitan Fire Service - email SAMFSincidentrecords@sa.gov.au |
| Medical records | Contact the treating facility; or SA Health may hold Electronic Medical Records. |
What you'll need
When you make your application you'll need to provide enough information to enable the correct documents to be identified. If you're uncertain about this, speak to the FOI officer at the agency concerned.
If the documents relate to your personal affairs, you may need to provide proof of your identity.
If the documents relate to the personal affairs of someone else, and you're making the application on their behalf, you may need written consent signed by them.
Fee
There is usually a fee for making an application - currently this is $40.75.
If you hold a current concession card or can show that paying the fees would cause financial hardship, the agency must waive or reduce them.
Individual agencies may also charge additional processing fees. They will advise you of this once they receive your application.
The decision
Freedom of information (FOI) requests are processed by the agency that holds the information.
You'll receive a written decision, called a Notice of Determination. If your request is refused, or part of it is refused, the notice will explain why this has happened.
If your application is for non-personal information and it's successful, details of your application and the documents disclosed may be published in a disclosure log on the agency's website. The policy that authorises this is Cabinet Circular PC045.
Review
If you don't agree with the agency's decision or you don't receive a response, you can lodge an application for review. Speak to the FOI officer in the agency concerned about how to do this.
Related information
Other websites
Access records using Freedom of Information - State Records of South Australia
Freedom of information - South Australia Police
