The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (collectively “the Courts”) are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) in relation to administrative matters and are required in that regard to comply with the Information Publication Scheme (IPS) requirements.
This plan sets out how we will make information available under the Information Publication Scheme (IPS).
We must prepare a plan showing:
- what information we will publish
- how and who will publish this information
- how we will comply with the IPS
Establishing and administering the Courts’ IPS entry
All senior officers of the Courts are responsible for ensuring that the operational information relevant to their work is published on the IPS and kept accurate and up to date.
The Courts will publish any new IPS documents as soon as they are available for publication.
IPS information architecture
IPS information will be available on our website. We will:
- make it downloadable (where practicable to do so)
- link to another website if it’s available there
- include details of who to contact to access this information if it’s not published
To ensure that the Courts’ IPS entry, including individual IPS documents, is easily discoverable, understandable and accessible, the Courts will:
- ensure, to the extent possible, that all IPS documentation available on its website conform to WCAG 2.1;
- provide a search function for our website;
- provide links to documents available for download;
- provide instructions on how to request access to a document, in circumstances where it is impractical to publish a document online.
Information required to be published under the IPS
Subsection 8(2) of the FOI Act sets out what we must publish on our website.
We will publish or link to information under these headings:
- IPS plan (s 8(2)(a))
- who we are (ss 8(2)(b) and 8(2)(d))
- what we do (ss 8(2)(c) and 8(2)(j))
- our reports and responses to Parliament (ss 8(2)(e) and 8(2)(h))
- disclosure log (ss 8(2)(g) and 11C)
- Consultation (s 8(2)(f))
- how to contact us
This information will include:
- this Plan
- our functions, including a list of the statutes which confer jurisdiction on the Courts
- appointments of officers made under Acts (other than APS employees)
- our Annual Report
- how members of the public can comment on our IPS Plan
- information in documents that we routinely are requested to gives access to, except if it contains:
- personal information
- information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person
- other information determined by the Information Commissioner to be unreasonable to publish
- information routinely provided to the Parliament in response to requests and orders
- contact details of an officer who can be contacted about access to permitted information and documents held by the Courts (noting limitations imposed by relevant legislation and the relevant Rules of the Courts)
- our operational information
Other information to be published under the IPS
We will also publish other information that is not exempt under the FOI Act when appropriate to do so noting limitations imposed by relevant legislation and the relevant Rules of the Courts.
IPS Compliance Review
The Courts will review the IPS Plan annually, and the operation of its IPS from time to time and at least every five years, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Information Commissioner about IPS compliance review.
The Deputy Principal Registrar will be responsible for leading the Courts’ work on IPS Compliance.
