Right to Information

What is the Right to Information?

As a State-owned company, Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd (TI) is required by the RTI Act to make information available to the public through proactive disclosure. This means we must routinely make information available which will assist the public in understanding what we do and how we do it.

The RTI Act:

Authorises and encourages greater routine disclosure of information held by public authorities without the need for requests or applications
Authorises and encourages greater active disclosure of information held by public authorities in response to informal requests without the need for applications
Gives members of the public an enforceable right to information held by public authorities; and
Provides that access to information held by government bodies is restricted in only limited circumstances which are defined in the Act

How do I get access to information?

Before lodging an RTI Application, prospective applicants are encouraged to directly seek access to information through mediums such as TI’s website, publications and reports such as the Annual Report.

Some information is not released in this way, either because it is not of general public interest or because it is information that TI would need to assess against the exemptions in the RTI Act prior to disclosure.

You may find information relating to TI in one of the following ways:

Direct from Tasmanian Irrigation:

Search TI’s website at http://www.tasmanianirrigation...
Annual Reports – these are available on our website or able to be provided in hard copy form by request
TI’s publications including brochures, newsletters and media releases which are available on our website or able to be provided in hard copy form by request
Email your information request to TI via our website

How do I make a Right to Information Application for an assessed disclosure?

An RTI application for assessed disclosure must be made to the department, authority or council holding the relevant information or most closely linked to the information.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use an RTI Request Form to help ensure that the necessary details are provided. A copy of the form can be obtained from this website. Select this link and print.

If you do not use the form provided, please note that your application must be made in writing and include the same information as is required in the request form. This is a requirement of Regulation 4 of the Right to Information Regulations 2010.

Applications for Tasmanian Irrigation are to be addressed and sent to:

Right to Information
Tasmanian Irrigation
PO Box 84
Evandale TAS 7212

Or email:

enquiries@tasirrigation.com.au

Please make sure you have looked for the information before you make a formal application, because if the information is otherwise available, your application may be refused without the return of your application fee.

Right to Information Application Fee

All RTI Applications are subject to an application fee. This is indexed annually in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act.

The 2021-22 fee for RTI applications is at $41.25. Upfront payment of the fee is required when you lodge your application.

The application fee may be reduced or waived in certain circumstances, including where:

You are in financial hardship and on income support payments;
You are a Member of Parliament and the application is in connection with your official duty; or
You require the information for a purpose that is of general interest or benefit.

If you make an application for a reduction or waiver of the fee for any of these reasons, it is a requirement that you provide supporting evidence.

What if my Right to Information Application is rejected?

If your RTI Application, or any part of it, is refused, the reasons for the refusal to provide that information must be provided as part of the decision, together with details on your rights to seek a review of that decision by TI’s Principal Officer.

This is done by writing to:

The Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer Right to Information Act (2009)
Tasmanian Irrigation
PO Box 84
Evandale TAS 7212

Or by addressing an email to the Principal Officer via

If the Delegated Officer assessing your request does not respond to you within the timeframes allowed, TI is taken to have refused the application. In these circumstances, you are able to make an application for review to the Ombudsman if you choose.

Information on reviews by the Ombudsman under the RTI Act is available on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman www.ombudsman.tas.gov.au