freedom of information

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Freedom of information is freedom of a person or people to publish and consume information. The government of the United Kingdom has theorised it as being an extension of freedom of speech, and a fundamental human right.
It is recognized in international law. It is related to freedom of expression, which can apply to any medium, be it oral, writing, print, electronic, or through art forms.
This means that the protection of freedom of speech as a right includes not only the content, but also the means of expression. Freedom of information is a separate concept which sometimes comes into conflict with the right to privacy in the content of the Internet and information technology. As with the right to freedom of expression, the right to privacy is a recognized human right and freedom of information acts as an extension to this right. Lastly, freedom of information can include opposition to patents, opposition to copyrights or opposition to intellectual property in general. The international and United States Pirate Party have established political platforms based largely on freedom of information issues.

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    Commonwealth Government Freedom Of Information Departments?

    Are Freedom Of Information departments within Commonwealth Government Departments supposed to be independent? Is there a law or a policy that ensures this or something a requestor of government held information can use to ensure this happens? This question is general. For any...
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    WA Contesting Family Violence Restraining Order - Help?

    HI all, I need some help. I am in South Australia and started proceedings to get access/custody of my children in the Federal Circuit Court last month. My wife has left the state and taken our children with her. She has cited Domestic Violence but there has been none. There are no...
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    QLD Are Police Arrest Logs Public Information?

    Hello, I'm interested in knowing if police arrest logs at a (any) police station in Australia or more specifically Queensland are public information and if any citizen is able to simply ask their local police station for the log book to view it? To be more specific in what I'm asking, I'm from...
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    VIC Recovering Daughter and Granddaughter Under Family Law?

    I have been searching for my daughter M S and her daughter C for some years now with no clear result. Freedom of information has rejected my request for information on any grounds. My own enquiries through hospitals, police, welfare, and government housing areas have brought no results. I...
  5. Kerry Smyth

    NSW Can I request my data retention foot print

    Can I access what information is stored about myself with the Australian Government 'Data Retention' programme? I was looking quickly at Freedom of Information Act 1982 Sentences like this make me wonder: Some agencies, such as the six intelligence agencies, are wholly exempt from the FOI...
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    VIC How to access historical writs in Supreme Court (Vic)?

    I'm looking for a copy of a writ lodged in 2011 that was referenced in a news article. I cannot find any information on how to do this on the Supreme Court of Victoria site nor can I find how journalists manage to do this. How can a member of the public have access to a writ that was lodged...
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    VIC Neighbour Threatening to Sue - How to Protect Ourselves?

    My family brought a rural property 7 years ago. The farm next to us have a son that is unstable. He began harassing us all after we complained to the council about the state of the road. The abuse and intimidation included endangering our lives on the road, blocking access to our property and...
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    VIC Accessing Police Evidence - Under the Freedom of Information Act?

    Hi Guys, First time here. Just have a question regarding getting access to police evidence in a murder case. Would this be available through the Freedom of Information Act? If so, what is the process involved? Thanks for any info. I'll go into specifics if required.
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    SA Privacy Breach by Australia Post & Royal Adelaide Hospital

    After being in a car accident and being injured. Allianz needed to get me to sign a freedom of information (FOI) form, so they could get my medical records from the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH). After signing it, we waited a long time to receive them. Allianz phoned the RAH to see where my...
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    NSW Application Under Freedom of Information Act to RSPCA NSW

    I need to obtain a record from the RSPCA NSW in order to identify the "anonymous" person who is continuing to call various organisations in order to harass me. All the organisations inform me that they will not inform me of the name of the person as they wished to be anonymous. However, the...