Department ofLocal Government, Water and Volunteers

How to access information

If you are seeking access to local Council records, you should lodge your application directly with the relevant local council.

Right to Information is the Queensland Government’s approach to giving the community greater access to information. We are committed to provide access to information held by the government, unless on balance it is contrary to the public interest to provide that information.

The Right to Information Act 2009 and Information Privacy Act 2009 came into effect on 1 July 2009, replacing the Freedom of Information Act 1992.

Right to Information reforms aim to make more information available, provide equal access to information across all sectors of the community, and provide appropriate protection for individuals' privacy.

Searching for information

Before submitting a Right to information application, you should check to see if the information is already available. The disclosure log publishes information that has been released in response to other Right to Information requests, while our publication scheme describes and categorises information we routinely make available.

Some of our information may be released administratively by business units. You can access this information without having to lodge a formal application

Administrative access may be used for the following information:

  • certain types of non-personal information devoid of sensitivity and confidentiality
  • an individual's own information but not that of another person, unless consent has been provided.

Where a document contains the personal or commercial information of more than one person, the information will only be accessible through administrative access when all parties have given prior written consent.

Please contact the relevant business unit directly for any information which may be released administratively.

If you are unable to find the information you are searching for, please contact rtiservices@dlgwv.qld.gov.au.

Requesting information

You can request information by applying online.

Alternatively, you can download the Right to information and information privacy information access application form and submit it:

Fees and charges

There is an initial $59.60 (excl. GST) application fee for all Right to Information applications. This fee cannot be waived.

There is no application fee for Right to Information applications which solely contain the personal information of the applicant, and the validity requirements are fulfilled.

No processing charges are payable if the agency spends 5 hours or less processing an application. If the agency spends more than 5 hours the charge is calculated at $9.25 for each 15 minutes (or part thereof) spent processing the application.

The applicant is not charged for processing of the component of documents that contains their personal information.

The department may also charge 30 cents per A4 page if the applicant wishes to receive black and white photocopies. No charge will apply if the applicant wishes to access documents via email or electronic access (e.g. a OneDrive link).

Credit card details will not be accepted for payment of the application fee via mail, email, hard copy via post, facsimile or telephone. Credit card payments can only be accepted as part of an online application process or following the provision of a unique BPOINT payment link, issued by our office.

Cheques for these payments are no longer able to be accepted and processed by this agency. Any cheque that is received will be returned to sender and you will be advised to utilise a BPOINT payment link, issued by our office.

Statutory time frames

Valid applications must be processed within 25 business days of receipt. A further 10 business days can be added if we need to consult with third parties.

The department may negotiate a further extension of time with the applicant if additional processing time is required. This extension of time does not affect an applicant's right of review.

Right of review

You have the right to a review of your application If you are dissatisfied with our decision.

You can apply to have a decision examined under internal review:

  • This application for internal review must be received within 20 business days of the date of the letter communicating the original decision.
  • Internal reviews are conducted by an officer within the department of equal or higher level to the officer who made the original decision.

You may make a request that the Office of the Information Commissioner conduct an external review if you are dissatisfied with the department's decision/s. You can also elect to seek an external review irrespective of whether the department has internally reviewed the decision.

  • Your external review application must be made in writing to the Information Commissioner using the External Review Application Form.
  • This application must be received within 20 business days of the date of the internal review decision, or within 20 business days of the original decision if you elect to bypass internal review and proceed direct to external review.

Please contact Right to Information Services at rtiservices@dlgwv.qld.gov.au for more information.

Amending personal information held by government

You can apply to have any of your personal information held by the Queensland Government amended if you believe it is:

  • inaccurate
  • incomplete
  • out of date
  • misleading.

If you wish to amend the information, you must first complete the Information Privacy Personal Information Amendment Application Form and submit it to Right to Information Services at rtiservices@dlgwv.qld.gov.au.

More information

Last updated: 03 Sep 2026