Agency plan

Our Agency plan sets out how we will make information available under the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). The IPS is established under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).

Purpose and objectives

Our IPS Agency plan outlines:

  • the administration and structure of the Department’s IPS
  • information required to be published
  • other information we will publish
  • how we will comply with the IPS

The department will continue to foster a culture within the agency, in which appropriate proactive disclosure of its information holdings is embraced. This recognises that public sector information is a national resource managed for public purposes.

Administering the Department’s IPS

The General Counsel of the Information, Litigation, Employment and Commercial Law Branch is the senior officer responsible for leading the department’s compliance with the IPS, supported by the Information and Employment Law team. However, all business areas of the department are accountable for ensuring that their area complies with the department’s IPS obligations.

Business areas are responsible for ensuring that:

  • information required to be published (including operational information) and other information is published on the department’s website or linked portfolio websites, as appropriate;
  • published information relevant to their responsibilities is accurate, up-to-date, and complete; and
  • appropriate resources are dedicated to complying with their area’s IPS obligations.

The General Counsel of the Information, Litigation, Employment and Commercial Law Branch, with the support of the Information and Employment Law team is responsible for:

  • ensuring all business areas of the department are aware of their IPS responsibilities; and
  • reviewing and updating this Plan as necessary and at the latest by October 2028.

Accessibility

The Communication and Media Branch is responsible for ensuring all material published to the department’s website is, as far as possible, accessible and conforms with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (Version 2) (WCAG 2.1).

Charging

We may charge a person for accessing any IPS document which is impracticable to publish online. If we charge a person, it’s:

  • at the lowest reasonable cost
  • to reimburse the department for specific reproduction costs or other specific incidental costs.

Any charges imposed will be consistent with charges in the Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations 2019.

Information we must publish

Subsection 8(2) of the FOI Act sets out what we must publish on our website.

We will publish or link to information under these headings:

  • Agency plan
  • Who we are
  • What we do
  • Public consultations
  • Freedom of information
  • Reports and responses to Parliament
  • Contact us

This information will include:

  • this Plan
  • our organisational structure
  • our functions, including our decision-making powers and other powers affecting the public
  • appointments of officers of the department made under Acts (other than APS employees)
  • our Annual Report
  • how members of the public can comment on our policy proposals
  • information in documents that we routinely are requested to gives access to, except if it contains:
    • personal information
    • information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person
    • other information determined by the Information Commissioner to be unreasonable to publish
  • information routinely provided to the Parliament in response to requests and orders
  • contact details of an officer who can be contacted about access to information and documents held by the Department
  • our operational information

Other information we will publish

We will also publish other information that is not exempt under the FOI Act when appropriate to do so.

We will publish or link to other information under these headings:

  • Senate order lists
  • Public data
  • Other reporting

Accessing the information

This information will be available on our website. We will:

  • make it downloadable (where practicable to do so)
  • link to another website if it’s available there
  • include details of who to contact to access this information if it’s not published

We may provide this information to particular classes of persons or entities if we consider it appropriate to do so.

IPS Compliance Review

The department will review and revise this Plan as appropriate and at the latest by October 2028, having regard to relevant guidelines issued by the Information Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act.

The department endeavours to publish information consistently with the objects of the FOI Act. Our publication practices are balanced against other legal obligations, including with respect to personal information, confidential commercial information, and other information sharing restrictions.

Feedback on the IPS Plan can be sent to foi@aff.gov.au.