Understanding Your FOI Rights

Navigating Freedom of Information (FOI) laws can feel daunting — especially when you’re up against delays, red tape, or vague refusals. At Clearview FOI, we help you cut through the noise. Whether you’re requesting records for personal reasons, research, journalism, or accountability — we’re here to ensure your request is clear, lawful, and taken seriously.

What You Can Access

Most Australian government bodies — federal, state, and local — are subject to FOI laws. This means you may be entitled to access:

• Internal documents and correspondence
• Policy or procedural material
• Contracts, reports, or audits
• Notes or decision-making records related to you

Even where documents are sensitive or exempt, you’re often still entitled to partial access, reasons for refusal, or a formal review.

How We Help

Our team is experienced in framing FOI requests to avoid common pitfalls. We help you:

• Clarify what you’re entitled to and what might be excluded
• Identify the right agency (e.g. OVIC, VCAT, or a federal body)
• Avoid language that triggers vague refusals
• Prepare persuasive, valid, and properly scoped applications

If your request has already been refused or delayed, we can also step in to review the response and lodge a complaint or appeal where justified.

Don’t Let Delay or Refusal Stop You

Government agencies are legally required to respond to FOI requests within strict timelines. If you’ve been waiting too long — or received a confusing, partial, or unjustified response — don’t give up. We can:

• Analyse the response against legal standards
• Identify breaches of the FOI Act
• Help you lodge an internal review, OVIC complaint, or VCAT appeal

Most importantly, we do the work so you don’t have to.

Contact Us

Want to find out whether your issue qualifies for FOI? Not sure how to word your request? Book a free introductory call and let’s talk it through.