The release of Aboriginal Housing Office documents is managed in accordance with the GIPA Act and under the guidelines set out in our Right to Information policy.
Certain information is legally required to be made openly available – for instance, on the AHO website – without the need for a request. This is defined under the law as 'Open Access Information'.
For all other information, government agencies such as the AHO are legally required to grant access unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.
Depending on the nature of the information being sought, access can be granted in response to a formal application or an informal request for which there may or may not be a charge.
Informal requests
You have the right to make an informal request for information from the AHO that:
- does not disclose specific information about another person (such as copies of your correspondence with the AHO), or
- has been made available previously by the AHO (for example, on this website).
An informal request can be made verbally at an AHO office, or you can contact us by phone or email.
There is usually no charge – however, the GIPA Act does not require the AHO to release information informally, and we reserve the right refuse such requests or insist on completion of an Informal Request for Information form.
To apply, use the Informal Request for Information Form
Formal requests
If there is excessive work involved in responding to a request, or a review is required on whether the information can be released, the AHO may ask that a Formal Access Application form be lodged.
Information held by other government agencies can also be applied for through the AHO, if it is related to housing assistance you are receiving from us.
Some information cannot be released, such as if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure, or if it is prescribed in Schedule 1 of the GIPA Act (2009).
Formal access applications must follow set criteria and may be subject to a fee, as described in the AHO's Right to Information policy.
To apply, use the Formal Request for Information Form
Right to Information Officer
All applications and enquiries related to accessing AHO information and documents should be directed to:
Right to Information Officer
(02) 8836 9444
[email protected]
Aboriginal Housing Office
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124
For further advice on your rights under GIPA, you may wish to contact the Information & Privacy Commission NSW.
