Make a formal request to access information

Step 1.Search our website

Only complete a formal access request if you are unable to access the information through other means, such as:

• finding the information already on the website
• completing an informal access request

Formal release applications are the most involved type of application, and have an associated processing cost that has the potential to be quite expensive, so a formal release should be the last resort after all informal avenues have been tried.

Step 2.Plan ahead

A formal information request should be a last resort under the GIPA Act, and only necessary if you are asking for a large volume of information, if providing access would involve an extensive search, or if the information you seek involves personal or business information about third parties who must be consulted before the information can be released.

• Council will notify applicants of the decision on a Formal application within 20 Council working days, unless the applicant agrees to extend the time
• Council may also extend the time by up to 15 working days where consultation with a third party is required or if Council needs to retrieve records from archives
• Council charges an hourly processing fee for the provision of information under informal GIPA application where the information requested is Development information from 2010 and prior, and is charged at $30 per hour

Step 3.Be aware of the costs involved

The GIPA Act sets a fee for the lodgement of and processing time for access applications under GIPA Act pt 4 div 5 s64 - Processing charge for dealing with access application.

Please click here to view the GIPA related fees and charges on Council's website. Relevant information will not be provided to the applicant until receipt of payment has been made to the invoice issued by Council.

• there is an application fee of $30.00 per application for lodging formal information applications that counts towards the first hour of processing
• there is a processing charge of $30.00 per hour of processing time for the next 20 hours after the initial first hour

Step 4.Read the Privacy Protection Notification

By continuing to submit a formal access to information request, you are providing consent to the following notice:

In accordance with S9 of GIPA Act council cannot be required to disclose information pursuant to an informal request and cannot be required to consider an information request. Council can impose reasonable conditions with respect to the release of information and can decide by what means the information is to be released. Public access to a record may be facilitated by deleting any information if the inclusion of that information would otherwise result in there being an overriding public interest against disclosure of the record.

The information provided on your application is being collected by Shoalhaven City Council and supports your request for access to personal information from a public register. The declaration will be used by Council staff for the purpose of determining your request. The provision of this information is voluntary however, without it Council may not be able to process your request. You may apply to Council for access to this information at any time.

The Council will use your personal information for the purpose for which it was collected and may use it as is necessary for the exercise of other council functions where it is satisfied that the personal information is reasonably necessary for the exercise of such functions.

For further information on how Shoalhaven City Council manages personal information, please refer to our Privacy Management Plan.

Step 1.You will receive a confirmation email about your submission

Make sure you check your spam folder if it doesn’t appear in your inbox. 

Step 2.We will send you an invoice for payment

Upon submitting your online application request, Council will raise an invoice that will be emailed to you. If no email address has been provided, this will be posted to your mailing address held on Council's records.

You can find more information on fees and charges related to GIPA requests on the apply for access to Council documents page.

The application will not be actioned until payment has been received for the initial application.

Step 3.We will process your application

Council has up to 5 working days to acknowledge your application request. Council then has 20 working days to decide on an application (with provision for that time limit to be extended by a maximum of 15 days if records need to be retrieved from archives or third parties need to be consulted).

Step 4.The release will be recorded in the disclosure log

Council's Disclosure Log records information about formal access applications made to Council that may be of interest to other members of the public.