20321ab7_nformation_Commissioner___OAIC_reedom_of_Information_Act_1982_Issue_description
[FOI Act Part] Part III — Access to documents [FOI Act section] 29(5) [Recommended action] Refer to Charges Review recommendation 5 about introducing a scale for waiver and reduction decisions and replacing the public interest test with a test about whether access would be of special benefit to the public. [Issue description] 
The two stage test to reduce or waive a charge requires agencies and ministers to consider both whether payment of the charge would cause financial hardship and whether giving access to the document in question is in the public interest. This raises two issues: firstly, that there is no standard for deciding what percentage reduction should apply to any reduction or waiver, and secondly that the reformed FOI Act is built on the underlying philosophy that all disclosure is in the public interest.
Review of freedom of information legislation| Office of the Australian Information Commissioner - OAIC
Issue description