Freedom of Information

How to make an FOI request

Requests for access to our documents under the FOI Act must be in writing. Your request must:

• state that the request is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act
• provide sufficient information about the document/s you would like to access to allow the department to identify it
• provide information about how notices we provide in relation to the FOI request can be sent to you.

You can make FOI requests to us by email or in writing.

Email: FOI@dss.gov.au 

Write to:
Freedom of Information Team
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
GPO Box 9820
Canberra ACT 2601

Before you make an FOI request

Our primary function is to develop policy and maintain national programs to enhance Australia’s social security framework. If you’re not seeking documents related to these policies or programs, the below sets out some better options for you.

Requests for your own personal information

In many cases you won’t need to make a FOI request for your own personal information.

If your personal information isn't described above, we may not hold it.

Tips for making an FOI request

To get the best results from your FOI request:

• read this page to confirm your request is being sent to the right place
• remember that you can only request documents we have, not documents we might need to make to answer your request, or general information, or answers to questions you might have about the department’s work
• describe exactly what you’re after, including:
  • the type of documents (for example, reports, briefs)
  • the subject matter discussed within them
  • approximately when you think they were created
• avoid using terms like ‘all documents related to’ as this may cause the request to be too large
• check our FOI disclosure log as we may have already released the documents you’re seeking.

What happens after you make a request

We’ll acknowledge your request within 14 days and make a decision on your request within 30 calendar days of receipt. In some cases, the 30-day timeframe can be extended, including if we need to consult with a third party. We’ll let you know if this happens. 

If you’re not happy with our decision on your FOI request, you can seek an internal review of the decision. Make the internal review request to the FOI Team in writing, within 30 days of being notified of the decision. 

Alternatively, you can write to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)(Opens in a new tab/window) seeking a review of our decision. 

Our decision will include information about how to seek a review.

If you would like us to call you to discuss your request:

• provide your preferred telephone contact number with your request
• advise that you would like us to call you.

You can also visit the OAIC website for more information about FOI(Opens in a new tab/window).