Freedom of information

To access documents under the FOI Act, an access application to the City of Swan has to:

• Be in writing
• Provide enough information to identify the requested documents, general requests such as ‘all documents’ take up additional charges for dealing with the request if extensive searches are conducted. Consider including information such as reference numbers, property address, date range and subject matter
• An Australian postal address and contact details including telephone number, physical address and email address.

To assist potential applicants an Information Statement has also been published in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1992.  It details information made available to the public outside of the FOI process.

Fees and charges

An application fee of $30 applies to the processing of a non-personal application to access information. Note personal information has no fee attached.

Application can be made online or in writing addressed to the City of Swan:

Coordinator FOI
PO Box 196
MIDLAND WA 6936
Telephone: (08) 9267 9267 

The Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA) (FOI Act) gives the public the right to apply for access to documents held by the City of Swan within the limitations of the FOI Act. This right to access means by which the objects of the FOI Act are achieved, including to enable the public to participate more effectively in government the State.

Limitations under the FOI Act may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Personal information - documents are exempt under clause 3(1) if their disclosure would reveal personal information about an individual (whether living or dead)
• Business and commercial information – the exemptions under clause 4 intend to protect commercial or business information supplied to the City by third parties and about third parties dealing with the City.

Part 5 of the FOI Act requires the City of Swan to prepare and publish an Information Statement to include:

• Mission statement
• Details of legislation administered
• The City’s structure and functions
• The Decision making function, affecting the public
• Public participation in the formulation of policy and performance of the City of Swan
• Documents held by the City
• FOI procedures and access arrangements
• Freedom of information applications
• FOI Fees and Charges
• Deposits
• Access arrangements
• Notice of Decision.

For further information regarding the application of the FOI Act please contact:

Office and postal address
Office of the Information Commissioner
Albert Facey House
469 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000

Entry to Albert Facey House is off Forrest Place

Phone
(08) 6551-7888
Freecall (WA country landline callers only) 1800 621 244

Email
info@oic.wa.gov.au

If you need more information about the FOI Act, please contact:

Office of the Information Commissioner
Albert Facey House
469 Wellington Street
PERTH  WA  6000

Phone: 6551 7888
Email: info@foi.wa.gov.au

Further information can be provided by contacting the City of Swan’s FOI Coordinator at foi@swan.wa.gov.au or by contacting (08) 9267 9267.

5.94 . Public can inspect certain local government information
A person can attend the office of a local government during office hours and, unless it would be contrary to section 5.95, inspect, free of charge, in the form or medium in which it is held by the local government and whether or not it is current at the time of inspection —

1.  any code of conduct;
2.  any register of complaints referred to in section 5.121;
3. any register of financial interests;
4.  any register of gifts;
5. any annual report;
6. any annual budget;
7.  any list of fees and charges imposed under section 6.16;
8. any plan for the future of the district made in accordance with section 5.56;
9. any proposed local law of which the local government has given local public notice under section 3.12(3);
10. any local law made by the local government in accordance with section 3.12;
11. any regulations made by the Governor under section 9.60 that operate as if they were local laws of the local government;
12. any text that —
13. is adopted (whether directly or indirectly) by a local law of the local government or by a regulation that is to operate as if it were a local law of the local government; or
14. would be adopted by a proposed local law of which the local government has given local public notice under section 3.12(3);
15. any subsidiary legislation made or adopted by the local government under any written law other than under this Act;
16. any written law having a provision in respect of which the local government has a power or duty to enforce;
17. any rate record;
18. any confirmed minutes of council or committee meetings;
19. any minutes of electors’ meetings;
20. any notice papers and agenda relating to any council or committee meeting and reports and other documents that have been —
21. tabled at a council or committee meeting; or
22. produced by the local government or a committee for presentation at a council or committee meeting and which have been presented at the meeting;
23. any report of a review of a local law prepared under section 3.16(3);
24. any business plan prepared under section 3.59;
25. any register of owners and occupiers under section 4.32(6) and electoral rolls;
26. a report on a supplementary audit prepared under section 7.12AH(1);
27. such other information relating to the local government —
28. required by a provision of this Act to be available for public inspection; or
29. as may be prescribed.