Our Right to information policy

Our commitment to you

The Queensland Government has committed to proactively making information available to the public, and information not made publicly available may be requested via a right to information (RTI) access or amendment request. The Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) (RTI Act) requires government agencies to make information available to the public unless it is appropriate not to.

The National Injury Insurance Agency Queensland (NIISQ Agency) will assist in providing open and accountable government by proactively assessing information when it becomes a record. If, based on the RTI Act and guidance provided by the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC), the information is assessed to be suitable for public release, it will be released via the NIISQ Agency’s publication scheme.

What legislation applies to us?

The NIISQ Agency routinely releases data and information as part of our commitment to transparency and working in The RTI Act gives people the right to access information held by the NIISQ Agency, including the right for an individual to access, and to amend, their personal information held by the NIISQ Agency, subject to some exceptions and limitations. Other laws which guide how the NIISQ Agency manages information and protects personal information include:

Queensland Human Rights Act 2019.

Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act)

Public Records Act 2023

Public Sector Act 2022

National Injury Insurance Scheme (Queensland) Act 2016 (NIISQ Act)

National Injury Insurance Scheme (Queensland) Regulation 2016

Key principles

The following table defines the key principles which apply to RTI and how the NIISQ Agency’s ensures compliance:

1. Proactive disclosureWe will proactively release information to the public wherever possible, without requiring a formal RTI application.
We will publish and maintain a publication scheme on our website and information made available will be regularly reviewed for accuracy and currency and updated accordingly.
2. Right of accessInformation will be made available subject to certain exemptions only (e.g. legal privilege, or information that could harm public interest).
Information will be categorised by ‘class’ based on the publication scheme, when created or updated.
3. Balancing the public interestDecisions to release or withhold information will be based on a public interest test (which provides the factors to be considered in determining whether, on balance, disclosure of information would be contrary to the public interest or not).
4. Protection of personal informationWe will protect personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the IP Act.
We will provide individuals with access to their personal information and the ability to amend their personal information on request
5. Accountability and integrityWe will handle personal and sensitive information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the IP Act.
6. Timeliness and efficiencyRTI applications will be processed within statutory timeframes, ensuring timely access to information.
7. Transparency in Government operationsInformation disclosed via an RTI access application will, if deemed suitable, be made available to the public via the NIISQ website, after release to the applicant and on expiration of all review rights.

  • We routinely release data and information as part of our commitment to transparency and working in accordance with Queensland Government requirements. Our information may be accessed via any of the following means:

    • Publication scheme – routinely released information i.e. annual reports, strategic plans, etc.
    • Disclosure log– previously released responses to RTI requests that we regard as having a wider public interest
    • Administrative release – information requests that have not been released publicly, but may be able to be released informally or administratively in accordance with our Administrative Release Policy
    • RTI requests – formal application for information, including individual access and amendment to their personal information, under the RTI Act.

    Members of the public who wish to access NIISQ Agency’s information should review the information available on our website prior to making a formal RTI application.

  • The RTI application process can be used for three key purposes:

    1. obtaining access to NIISQ Agency information
    2. obtaining access to your personal information held by us
    3. amending your personal information held by us.

  • Where NIISQ Agency information is not readily available through our publication scheme or disclosure log, an RTI Access application must be made to us in writing.

    In order to be considered a valid application, it must:

    • be accompanied by the application fee
    • include sufficient detail to enable the NIISQ Agency to identify the relevant document/s
    • include an address to which notices can be sent (email or postal).

    Applications may be submitted directly to our RTI and Privacy Officer via email (rti@niis.qld.gov.au) or post to:

    RTI and Privacy Officer
    National Injury Insurance Agency Queensland
    GPO Box 1391
    Brisbane QLD 4001

  • You have the right to request access to your personal information held by us. There are different ways for you to request access to your personal information.

    Administrative access

    In some cases, personal information of individuals can be released without the need for a formal access application to be made under the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) (RTI Act). Where possible, we seek to facilitate the proactive release of information through administrative release as a faster and easier way for you to access your information.

    If you would like to discuss applying for administrative release of your personal information, please contact us by email on RTI@niis.qld.gov.au addressed to the RTI and Privacy Officer.

    Application for access under the RTI Act

    If we hold personal information about you and we consider access via administrative release is not available to you, you can request access to your information under the RTI Act. You can apply to access your personal information by either:

    You will need to provide certified identification with your application (certification obtained within the last 12 months). In most instances, we can give you access to your personal information. However, the RTI Act may prevent us from releasing the information if it is exempt or not in the public interest to release. If this applies to you, we will provide you with a decision letter explaining why the information cannot be released to you.

  • We take all reasonable steps to ensure the personal information we hold about you is current and accurate. However, if you consider the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading, you can request that we amend it. There are different ways for you to request amendment of your personal information.

    Administrative amendment

    In some cases, personal information can be amended without the need for a formal amendment application to be made under the RTI Act. If you would like to discuss applying for administrative amendment of your personal information, please contact us and we will assess your request:

    • by phone on 1300 607 566 (NIISQ Agency Enquiry Line – leave a message for the RTI and Privacy Officer)
    • by email on RTI@niis.qld.gov.au addressed to the RTI and Privacy Officer.

    Application for amendment under the RTI Act

    If we hold personal information about you and we consider amendment via administrative amendment is not available to you, you can request an amendment to it under the RTI Act. You can apply to amend your personal information by either:

    You will need to tell us what document you want amended, the amendments you want made, and provide certified identification (certification obtained within the last 12 months) with your application. If an agent is acting for you, the agent will need to provide evidence of their authority to act for you. If you are a parent, requesting amendment of your child’s information, you will need to provide proof of relationship, for example, a birth certificate.

  • All RTI applications for non-personal information have an initial fee. This fee cannot be waived. The application fee is payable by credit card. The application fee for RTI applications must be paid before your application can be processed. There is no application fee for personal information applications (i.e. this fee does not apply to access or amendment of personal information).

    In addition to the RTI application fee, you may be charged for:

    • processing (if your application takes longer than five hours to process)
    • access to documents (no access charges are payable if documents are provided electronically).

    Where processing and/or access charges are expected, a charges estimate notice will be supplied to you prior to processing an application.

    Learn more about fees and charges.

  • Valid RTI applications must be processed within 25 business days. This timeframe may be extended if:

    • processing charges are required, or
    • the request for information is unclear or too large to process, or
    • third party consultation is required in relation to the release of information.

    The applicant must be advised if an extension is required by us.

    The processing period starts on the business day after an application is received and considered compliant. An additional five (5) days are added if the applicant only provided a postal address.

  • If you have received a reviewable decision under the RTI Act that you do not agree with, you have the right to seek a review. Reviewable decisions include a decision:

    • that your application does not comply with all the requirements of the relevant Act
    • to refuse access to information contained in a document
    • to release documents over the objections of a consulted third party.

    You also have the right to seek a review if you have been consulted as a third party under either of those Acts and documents are going to be released over your objections. Where an applicant does not agree with the decision made by us on their RTI application, they may seek a review of the decision either internally or externally.

    Internal review

    Internal reviews must be undertaken by a NIISQ Agency employee of the same or higher seniority than the original decision-maker. All decisions can be internally reviewed except for:

    • a judicial function decision
    • a decision on an internal review application
    • a decision made personally by the principal officer or Minister
    • a healthcare decision
    • a deemed decision, because it is taken to have been made by the principal officer or Minister; and
    • a decision about the amount of the charge in a charges estimate notice.

    An application for internal review can be made emailing your request to RTI@niis.qld.gov.au. The request must:

    • be lodged with us within 20 business days of the date of the reviewable decision
    • include an address to which notices can be sent (email or postal)
    • meet identity requirements (with reliance on evidence provided in the initial application stage).

    The internal review processing period will initially be 20 business days. It will begin once we have a valid internal review application and may be extended if we only have a postal address; need to consult with a third party; or we request extra time.

    Prescribed written notice of the internal review decision must be given to the applicant by the end of the internal review processing period.

    External review

    External reviews are to be undertaken by the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). The OIC is Queensland’s independent regulatory body for RTI and privacy matters.

    An external review application must be made within 20 business days of the date of our internal review decision or, if you choose not to apply for an internal review, 20 business days from the date of the decision made by us on your application.

    Contact details for the OIC are as follows:

    Phone: (07) 32347373                                     Email: administration@oic.qld.gov.au
    Post:
    PO Box 10143
    Adelaide Street, Brisbane
    Queensland 4000
    In person:
    Level 11
    53 Albert Street
    Queensland 4000

    Refer to the OIC’s website for more information on your rights in the review process.

  • We may refuse to deal with an access application (or part of an application) if:

    • the document is a class of exempt documents
    • responding to the application would substantially or unreasonably divert the resources of the Agency
    • the applicant makes an application to the NIISQ Agency for access to one or more of the same documents applied for under a previous application and the applicant does not give a reasonable basis for applying again.

  • The OIC has developed a number of information sheets to assist applicants with navigating RTI access and amendment processes. Refer to the OIC website for further information.

Last updated: June 2025