Fees and Charges
Photocopy charges apply for a paper copy of 
Right to Information Act 2009 
documents. No charge applies for access on CD. 
The Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) creates a 
Charges estimate notice 
right for individuals to apply for non-personal 
A letter with a charges estimate notice (CEN) will be sent 
documents held by local government.  If you wish to 
to you. You are required to contact Council within 20 
gain access to your own personal information, you need 
business days to 
to apply under the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP 
Act). 
▪
confirm the access charges and agree to pay; or 
▪
amend your application, narrowing the scope, 
The provisions in the RTI Act are substantially similar to 
therefore reducing the charges; or 
the access provisions in the IP Act. 
▪
withdraw your application. 
Application fee required 
If you need an extension in time to consider the CEN, 
There is an application fee of $55.75 that must be paid 
contact Council’s RTI Officer to negotiate an extension. 
when you apply for information under the RTI Act. 
If Council does not hear from you, your application will 
Your application is not valid and no action can be taken 
be taken as withdrawn at the end of the 20 business 
until the fee is paid. There may also be charges relating 
days (or any longer agreed period). 
to processing the application and accessing the 
documents. 
New charges estimate notice 
If you amend your application, narrowing the scope, 
Processing charges 
therefore reducing the charges, Council will send to you 
Processing charges apply to access under the RTI Act, 
a new CEN. No more than two CENs may be given in 
and must be paid if an application for documents takes 
relation to your access application. 
longer than 5 hours to process. The time spent is 
charged at $8.65 for each 15 minutes or part of 15 
You will again have 20 business days in which to 
minutes. You can be charged for 
confirm, amend or withdraw your application. If Council 
does not hear from you, your application will be taken as 
▪ time spent searching for or retrieving the 
withdrawn at the end of this period. 
documents 
▪ for making, or doing things related to making a 
Decision 
decision on your application 
A decision will be sent to you, based on the outcomes of 
the above, outlining the final processing and access 
No processing charge is payable in relation to a 
charges. 
document to the extent the document contains 
Must pay processing and access charges 
information that is your (applicant’s) personal 
information. 
You must pay the processing and access charges 
before access to documents is given. You must also pay 
Access charges 
applicable processing charges, even if access to a 
Access charges apply to applications made under the 
document is refused, or you do not seek access to 
RTI Act. Access charges comprise the total actual cost 
documents within the statutory access period. 
incurred for any of the following 
Processing and access charges may be waived on 
▪
any engagement of another entity to search for and 
grounds of financial hardship for individuals and non-
retrieve the document 
profit organisation that are able to establish, on the basis 
▪
any relocation of the document necessary to allow 
of documentary evidence that they are in financial 
access to be given to the document 
hardship. 
▪
any written transcription of the words recorded or 
Time limit for access 
contained in the form of sound, shorthand writing or 
in codified form 
Your right to access ceases if you don’t access the 
▪
any creation of a written document using equipment 
documents within 40 business days of being notified of 
that is usually available for retrieving or collating 
Council’s decision. 
stored information 
If you need assistance, contact 
▪
reproduction of the document for access 
▪
A4 black and white photocopying 25c per page 
Right to Information Officer
Western Downs Regional Council
Telephone 1300 268 624 
Document Set ID: 1760937
Version: 13, Version Date: 04/07/2023

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