Right to Information Policy

Purpose

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) is committed to giving the community greater access to information. The Right to Information reforms strengthen the community’s right to access government-held information, unless, on balance releasing the information would be contrary to the public interest.

The Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) (RTI Act):

keeps the community informed of government’s operations and promotes open discussion of public affairs
enhances the accountability of government, and
increases the participation of the community in democratic process leading to better informed decision-making.

Scope

This policy applies to all individuals employed or engaged by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), including but not limited to, permanent, temporary, casual and part-time employees, contractors, agency staff, volunteers and consultants.

This policy is applicable to all activities, operations and interactions undertaken in the course of performing duties for or on behalf of QRA, regardless of location. This includes activities conducted on QRA premises, during remote work, at off-site locations, and while using QRA resources or representing QRA in any capacity.

Policy statement

QRA is committed to the proactive disclosure of information and facilitating access to government held information unless, on balance, disclosure would be contrary to the public interest. Decisions regarding access to information will be made in accordance with applicable legislation, principles of administrative fairness, and relevant policies.

QRA recognises the right of individuals to apply for amendment of their personal information held by QRA if the information is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, or misleading. Applications will be assessed in accordance with the RTI Act.

Access to information

The methods QRA uses to disclose and provide access to information include:

Administrative Access Scheme

QRA has established and maintain an Administrative Access Scheme to facilitate the release of information through administrative means, where appropriate, rather than requiring a formal access application.

Publication Scheme

QRA has established and maintain a Publication Scheme to proactively publish information of public interest, ensuring it is accurate, up to date, and easily accessible.QRA’s Publication Scheme must be made available on QRA’s website, unless doing so is not reasonably practicable. The required content of a Publication Scheme is outlined in section 21(1) of the RTI Act.

Disclosure Log

Establish and maintain a Disclosure Log, an online publicly accessible register, listing information that has been officially released following a formal RTI application. The requirements relating to disclosure logs are outlined in sections 78A and 78B of the RTI Act.

Formal RTI access applications

Before submitting a formal RTI access application, applicants should check whether the information is available online.

Where the information is not available, an application may be made under the RTI Act by completing the printable Right to information access application form and submitting it to RTI@qra.qld.gov.au along with any required certified identification and the application fee, if applicable.

An application fee applies unless the application relates solely to personal information. Processing charges may also apply if processing exceeds five hours and are calculated per 15 minutes (or part thereof). All fees and charges are calculated in accordance with the Right to Information Regulation 2025 (Qld).

Valid applications must be processed within 25 business days of receipt. This timeframe may be extended by 10 business days where consultation with a third party/parties is required, and further extensions may be agreed with the applicant where necessary.

QRA will provide written notice of all decisions on formal RTI access applications, including reasons for the decision and any applicable review rights.

Amendment of personal information

The methods QRA uses to amend personal information include:

Informal requests

Where appropriate, QRA will facilitate the correction of personal information through informal administrative processes before a formal amendment application is required under the RTI Act.

Formal amendment applications

Where an administrative amendment is not appropriate, individuals may make a formal application for amendment by completing the Right to Information personal information amendment application form and submitting it to RTI@qra.qld.gov.au.

QRA will provide written notice of all decisions on formal amendment applications, including reasons for the decision and any applicable review rights.

Review rights

Applications are entitled to seek internal and external review of reviewable decisions under the RTI Act. QRA will advise applicants of their review rights and manage review applications in accordance with the RTI Act.

Authority

Delegations

For the current delegations applicable to this policy, refer to the Delegations Register.

Roles and responsibilities

Role / Body	Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer	Principal officer for QRA under the RTI Act.
Executive and Senior Leadership	Foster a culture of openness and transparency by encouraging proactive disclosure of information, reducing the need for formal RTI applications. Ensure adequate resources are available to effectively locate relevant information within their areas of responsibility.
Delegated decision makers (delegated under section 30(2) and 78H(2) of the RTI Act)	Exercise their powers independently and free from improper influence. Assess and process RTI applications in accordance with the legislative requirements of the RTI Act inc. the principle of maximum pro-disclosure. Make informed decisions on whether to release, refuse or exempt information, ensuring a balanced consideration of public interest factors. Provide written reasons for decisions, including details of any exemptions applied.
RTI Officer (Governance & Performance Team)	Coordinate and administer the RTI functions including: Administrative Access Scheme Publication Scheme Disclosure Log Access and amendment applications. Ensure accurate records of decisions and disclosures are maintained. Primary point of contact for RTI-related inquiries, applications, complaints and internal review requests. Liaise with applicants to clarify requests and assist them in accessing information, where possible. Provide training and guidance to staff on RTI obligations. Liaise with regulatory bodies such as Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland (OIC) on RTI matters.
Staff	Understand and comply with QRA’s RTI policy and procedures. Identify and proactively release information, where appropriate, in line with QRA’s administrative access scheme. Respond to internal requests for information to support RTI applications in a timely and accurate manner. Protect information that is exempt or restricted from disclosure. Maintain proper recordkeeping practices.
Applicants	For access applications, check whether the information is already publicly available. Submit clear and specific RTI applications to facilitate efficient processing. Provide any additional information requested by QRA to assist with processing the application. Pay any applicable fees or charges associated with the access application.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Considered decision (on an access application)	Defined in section 45 of the RTI Act as a decision made, after considering the application – whether access is to be given to the document; and if access is to be given—whether any charge must be paid before access is given.
Considered decision (on an amendment application)	Defined in section 78Q of the RTI Act as a decision made, after considering the application, whether amendment of the document is to be permitted or refused.
Contrary to public interest	Information the disclosure of which would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest under section 49 of the RTI Act.
Personal information	Defined in section 12 of the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) and means information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable from the information or opinion— a) whether the information or opinion is true or not; and b) whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not. Examples of personal information include a person’s name, address, date of birth or telephone number. An individual does not need to be directly identified in the information for it to be personal information. It is sufficient if an individual can be reasonably identified by reference to other information.
Reviewable decisions	Decisions related to an access or amendment application that meet the criteria set out in schedule 4A of the RTI Act.

Review

The Chief Executive Officer will review this policy within twelve months of the initial approval date, then at least once every three years, and as required to consider changes to relevant legislation, government policy and practices, changing trends, and feedback.

Document control

Version no.	Date	Approved by	Next scheduled review date
1.0	18 July 2026	Major General Jake Ellwood (Rtd), CEO	July 2027

Contact

For further information, please contact:

Corporate Services, Governance & Performance

Email: governance@qra.qld.gov.au

Download RTI Policy pdf

Last updated 24 July 2026. CM Reference: DOC/26/34333