Page:Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Australia).pdf/4

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Freedom of Information Act 1982

No. 3 of 1982



An Act to give to members of the public rights of access to official documents of the Government of the Commonwealth and of its agencies

[Assented to 9 March 1982]

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:

PART I—PRELIMINARY

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

Commencement

2. The several Parts of this Act shall come into operation on such respective dates as are fixed by Proclamation.

Object

3. (1) The object of this Act is to extend as far as possible the right of the Australian community to access to information in the possession of the Government of the Commonwealth by—

(a) making available to the public information about the operations of departments and public authorities and, in particular, ensuring that