The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) received almost 40 per cent more Freedom of Information (FOI) complaints in 2020-21 than in the previous financial year, according to its annual report.
Australian Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner, Angelene Falk said the OAIC finalised the increased number of FOI complaints in an average time of 6.8 months, compared to an average of 11.6 months the previous year.
Commissioner Falk (pictured) said the OAIC received 151 FOI complaints (up 39 per cent) and finalised 174 FOI complaints (up 145 per cent).
She said the Office’s Annual Report 2020-21 also showed that it received 1,224 applications for Information Commissioner (IC) review of FOI decisions (up 15 per cent) and finalised 1,018 IC reviews (up 23 per cent) in an average time of 8.3 months.
Commissioner Falk said the OAIC finalised 2,151 of the 2,474 privacy complaints received, handled 11,647 privacy enquiries and 1,824 FOI enquiries.
“We finalised a number of Commissioner-initiated investigations into significant privacy matters and worked with the UK Information Commissioner on our joint investigation into Clearview AI Inc.’s facial recognition app,” she said.
“Our investigation into the Department of Home Affairs’ compliance with statutory timeframes for processing freedom of information requests for non-personal information also resulted in Home Affairs agreeing to implement all our recommendations,” Commissioner Falk said.
The OAIC’s 171-page Annual Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
