b0771c28-09cc-4c4e-9e61-9a96f6e3d040 urn:uuid English UTF-8 nonGeographicDataset nonGeographicDataset 2014-07-04T06:17:36 creation ISO 19115 2016 Freedom of information statistics b0771c28-09cc-4c4e-9e61-9a96f6e3d040 The _Freedom of Information Act 1982_ (Cth) provides a right of access to documents held by Australian Government agencies and ministers. Sometimes a charge may apply to an FOI request, and review mechanisms allow people to appeal decisions on an FOI request if they disagree. The data below shows the number of requests received since 1982-83 and the amount of charges notified and collected. This data is sourced from data provided to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and previous FOI annual reports prepared each year from 1983 onwards. The 1982-83 data covers only seven months (December 1982 to June 1983), and the data about requests for personal information compared to other requests has only been collected from 2000-01 onwards. Agencies and ministers are also required to provide to the OAIC quarterly and annual statistical returns on FOI activity, review numbers and estimated costs. The returns data since 2011-12 is available here in CSV format and in a summary Excel spreadsheet. In these files a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. The Excel is optimised for readability and contains additional processing (such as applying a salary multiplier to agency estimated staff time data). Finally, the original survey questions for each year are included: each of the columns in the CSVs can be linked to a survey question asked that year. Commonwealth agency statistics FOI costs Freedom of information FOI requests, costs and charges 1982-2025 documentDigital XLSX Agency FOI data 2024–25 documentDigital XLSX FOI requests, costs and charges 1982-2024.csv documentDigital High-level whole-of-government FOI requests, charges and costs data over the life of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth). CSV Agency FOI data 2023-24.xlsx documentDigital All Australian Government agencies' FOI statistics for 2023-24. Includes FOI request numbers, outcomes, timeliness, charges, practical refusals, exemptions applied, amendment applications, disclosure log and IPS. Also includes staffing for FOI functions and associated non-labour costs. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. XLSX Agency FOI data 2022-23.xlsx documentDigital All Australian Government agencies' FOI statistics for 2022-23. Includes FOI request numbers, outcomes, timeliness, charges, practical refusals, exemptions applied, amendment applications, disclosure log and IPS. Also includes staffing for FOI functions and associated non-labour costs. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. XLSX Agency FOI data 2021-22.xlsx documentDigital All Australian Government agencies' FOI statistics for 2020-21. Includes FOI request numbers, outcomes, timeliness, charges, practical refusals, exemptions applied, amendment applications, disclosure log and IPS. Also includes staffing for FOI functions and associated non-labour costs. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. XLSX Agency FOI data 2020-21.xlsx documentDigital All Australian Government agencies' FOI statistics for 2020-21. Includes FOI request numbers, outcomes, timeliness, charges, practical refusals, exemptions applied, amendment applications, disclosure log and IPS. Also includes staffing for FOI functions and associated non-labour costs. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. XLSX Agency FOI data - 2019-20 (Excel).xlsx documentDigital All Australian Government agencies' FOI statistics for 2019-20. Includes FOI request numbers, outcomes, timeliness, charges, practical refusals, exemptions applied, amendment applications, disclosure log and IPS. Also includes staffing for FOI functions and associated non-labour costs. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. excel (.xlsx) FOI quarterly returns data 2018-19.csv documentDigital FOI requests numbers (broken into 'personal' and 'other' requests), outcomes, exemptions applied, charges levied, practical refusals, timeliness, disclosure log and the information publication scheme. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. CSV FOI annual returns data 2018-19.csv documentDigital Dataset includes staffing numbers and costs associated with FOI work and non-staff costs such as legal and litigation expenses, general administrative and training costs. CSV Agency FOI data - 2018-19 (Excel).xlsx documentDigital All Australian Government agencies' FOI statistics for 2018-19. Includes FOI request numbers, outcomes, timeliness, charges, practical refusals, exemptions applied, amendment applications, disclosure log and IPS. Also includes staffing for FOI functions and associated non-labour costs. In this file a column identified by either 'P' or 'personal' refers to FOI requests for predominantly personal information in relation to the criteria in row 1 above that heading. Similarly the adjacent column to the right identified by 'O' or 'other’ refers to all other FOI requests for that particular criteria. The column immediately adjacent, to the right of 'O' headed by 'T', contains the total of the 'P' and 'O' columns. XLS Guide to quarterly and annual statistical returns 2019.rtf documentDigital Guide to adding FOI statistics to the FOIstats portal administered by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. All agencies subject to the FOI Act are required to provide quarterly and annual FOI statistics within the statutory timeframes in the Freedom of Information (Prescribed Authorities, Principal Offices and Annual Report) Regulations 2017. rtf FOI quarterly returns data 2017-18 CSV documentDigital Data from Commonwealth agencies and ministers for the quarterly FOI statistical returns to the OAIC for 2017-18 CSV FOI annual returns data 2017-18 CSV documentDigital Data from Commonwealth agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2017-18. CSV FOI data 2017-18 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2017-18 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations. XLSX FOI quarterly returns data 2016-17 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about the number of FOI requests, use of exemptions, internal review and disclosure log activity in 2016-17. CSV FOI annual returns data 2016-17 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2016-17. CSV FOI data 2016-17 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2016-17 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations. XLSX FOI quarterly returns data 2015-16 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about the number of FOI requests, use of exemptions, internal review and disclosure log activity in 2015-16. CSV FOI annual returns data 2015-16 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2015-16. CSV FOI data 2015-16 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2015-16 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations excel (.xlsx) Guide to quarterly and statistical returns 2016 documentDigital Each question in this RTF document can be linked to a column in the quarterly and annual returns CSVs. rtf FOI quarterly returns data 2014–15 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about the number of FOI requests, use of exemptions, internal review and disclosure log activity in 2014-15. CSV FOI annual returns data 2014–15 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2014-15. CSV FOI data 2014-15 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2014-15 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations. excel (.xlsx) FOI quarterly returns data 2013–14 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about the number of FOI requests, use of exemptions, internal review and disclosure log activity in 2013-14. CSV FOI annual returns data 2013–14 CSV documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2013-14. CSV FOI data 2013–14 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2013-14 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations. excel (.xlsx) FOI quarterly returns data 2012–13 documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about the number of FOI requests, use of exemptions, internal review and disclosure log activity in 2012-13. CSV FOI annual returns data 2012–13 documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2012-13. CSV FOI data 2012–13 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2012-13 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations. XLSX Guide to the quarterly and statistical returns 2012–15 documentDigital Each question in this RTF document can be linked to a column in the quarterly and annual returns CSVs. RTF FOI quarterly returns data 2011–12 documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about the number of FOI requests, use of exemptions and internal review activity in 2011-12. CSV FOI annual returns data 2011–12 documentDigital Data from agencies and ministers about estimated FOI staff and other costs in 2011-12. CSV FOI data 2011–12 Excel documentDigital Human-readable version of 2011-12 annual and statistical returns data with additional formatting and calculations. XLSX Guide to the quarterly and statistical returns 2011–12 documentDigital Each question in this RTF document can be linked to a column in the quarterly and annual returns CSVs. RTF