Summary
Introduced with the Australian Information Commissioner Bill 2010, the bill amends: the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to: establish a statutory framework for an information publication scheme for certain Commonwealth agencies; remove fees for applications under the Act; enable the Australian Information Commissioner to extend time periods for processing requests in certain cases; provide for consultation processes when responding to onerous requests; provide that documents held by certain contracted service providers are subject to the Act; and limit access to certain intelligence agency information and documents of the Department of Defence; the Archives Act 1983 to reduce open access periods for certain Commonwealth records; the Archives Act 1983, Freedom of Information Act 1982 and Privacy Act 1988 to: amend exemption provisions; and provide for a public interest test; the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and Ombudsman Act 1976 to provide that the Australian Information Commissioner has: a merits review and an investigatory function; and the power to declare a person to be a vexatious applicant; and 17 Acts consequent on the establishment of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Also makes consequential and transitional amendments.