Outcomes - Selected Case Summaries
Categories
Statistics on DOE Prosecutions and Training
Informal Resolution | 26 January 2021
Department of Environment
An applicant requested a wide variety of records from the DOE, including statistics on prosecutions. The DOE disclosed some records while claiming that other records were not held. Disclosure of the statistics was claimed to involve an unreasonable diversion of resources, thus excluding this part of the request from the application of the FOI Act.
The applicant appealed the DOE’s exclusion of the statistics. During our investigation we asked the DOE to consider exporting the information contained in their database to a spreadsheet and disclose the requested statistics in that format. We also encouraged the IM to provide an additional explanation of the limited scope of the statistics, which meant that some of the request could not be answered. The DOE agreed with this approach, and also disclosed additional records. The case was then closed.