Monthly FOI update :: Sparke Helmore

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) provides the public with a legal right to access documents and information held by Commonwealth Government and Ministers, subject to the application of exemption provisions. Our brief monthly update will keep you informed about recent FOI decisions of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) and Federal Court of Australia (FCA). We will also share our insights on FOI trends and some practical FOI processing tips, which we hope will assist agencies in navigating the processing of FOI requests.

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29 January 2026 | Case note: 'AZG' and Services Australia (Freedom of information)

This Information Commissioner review concerned whether a practical refusal reason existed in relation to a request for documents held by Services Australia relating to the Applicant.

23 January 2026 | When will an agency be required to generate a document in response to an FOI Request? Section 17 of the FOI Act explained

The FOI Act provides every person with a legally enforceable right to obtain access to documents of an agency or a Minister. Generally, this does not require an agency to give information or to answer questions.

22 January 2026 | Case note: 'AVH' and Prime Minister of Australia (Freedom of Information)

This interesting IC review matter explored what constitutes 'an official document of a Minister'. Excitingly, this IC review matter involved the world's favourite pop sensation – Taylor Swift!

16 December 2025 | Ex tempore decision in Services Australia v Anatoly Kern

In this proceeding the Services Australia contended that the disclosure of positional email inboxes should be conditionally exempt under section 47E(d) of the FOI Act.

11 December 2025 | 12 Days of (Christmas) FOI

Our Information Law team has put together the FOI version of the 12 Days of Christmas.

8 December 2025 | FOI Secondees – letters 'home' for Christmas

Read an FOI story from four of our secondees.

4 December 2025 | Case note: Endacott v Chief Executive Officer, Services Australia

This recent decision by the Administrative Review Tribunal will be of interest to Agencies that deal with s 38 of the FOI Act, which exempts documents to which certain secrecy provisions apply.

4 December 2025 | Information as to existence of certain documents – s 25 of the FOI Act

Section 25 of the FOI Act provides that in certain circumstances an agency can make a decision to neither confirm nor deny the existence of documents within the scope of an access request.

3 December 2025 | Case note: Aveo Group Limited and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Freedom of information)

This recent decision of FOI Commissioner finds against a third-party's contentions that certain business information subject to an FOI request addressed to the ACCC should be conditionally-exempt under s 47G(1)(a) of the FOI Act.

26 November 2025 | Sparke Helmore's 2025 FOI wrap up webinar

Thank you to all the FOI practitioners and lawyers who joined Chantal Tipene and Molly Campbell for the Full Disclosure – 2025 FOI wrap up webinar on 5 November 2025.

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Contact

Chantal Tipene
Partner
t: +61 2 9260 2542+61 2 9260 2542
m: +61 447 795 892+61 447 795 892
o: Sydney

Katherine Whittemore
Partner
t: +61 3 9291 2384+61 3 9291 2384
m: +61 400 943 836+61 400 943 836
o: Melbourne

Molly Campbell
Special Counsel
t: +61 2 6263 6337+61 2 6263 6337
m: +61 493 332 614+61 493 332 614
o: Canberra