The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) provides members of the public with an enforceable right to access information held by the University, unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information. Requests for information that are issued under court order (Subpoena, warrants), should follow the procedure as outlined at ‘Serving a subpoena on UOW’.
If you wish to access your own personal information, please contact the relevant University department:
Third party requests for personal information must:
Under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) UOW is authorised to make any information it holds available to the public, unless there is an overriding public interest against its disclosure.
UOW is committed to making its information available to the public on its website.
If you are seeking access to University information that is not available on the website, you may lodge an informal request for information with the UOW's Right to Information Officer (RIO) who will consider whether the information you are seeking can be released.
Where the University decides the information cannot be released informally, you may lodge a formal access application.
For more information, please call the Information Compliance Unit on (02)4221 4368 or email icu-enquiry@uow.edu.au
Under the GIPA Act, UOW is required to publish open access information on its website for free (unless doing so would impose an unreasonable additional cost to UOW).
The information provided on this site facilitates UOW’s obligation to make its open access information publicly available, free of charge.
Open access information includes the following:
UOW policy documents - documents used by UOW in connection with the exercise of its functions that affect or are likely to affect the rights, privileges or other benefits, or obligations, penalties or other detriments, to which members of the public are or may become entitled, eligible, liable or subject.
Annual reports - information about UOW contained in any document tabled in Parliament by or on behalf of UOW.
Agency Information Guide (PDF) - contains information about UOW's structure and functions, identifies the kind of information held by UOW and specifies the ways that the public can engage with UOW.
Disclosure Log (PDF) - contains information about access applications where UOW has decided to provide access to the information and considers that it may be of interest to other members of the public. Access applicants will be consulted prior to the release of information being published on the Disclosure Log.
UOW Contracts Register - contains details about contracts:
between an agency and a private sector entity;
signed after 1 January 2007;
worth $150,000 or more, and involve the:
contractor undertaking a specific project, for example: construction, infrastructure or property development; or
contractor agreeing to provide specific goods or services; or
transfer or lease of real property.
Details of research grants awarded to UOW, are available on the Research pages.
UOW is also required to publish the following additional information, when such information exists:
UOW's record of open access information that it does not make publicly available on the basis of an overriding public interest against disclosure.
A formal request for access to information held by the University must:
Once UOW receives your application, a Right to Information Officer will decide whether the application is valid and will notify you of their decision within 5 working days of receiving the application. If your application is deemed not valid, a Right to Infromation Officer will notify you of the reasons and will assist you in making the application valid.
For ease of reference, please review the flow chart on the formal application process.
If you are requesting access to information that:
UOW is required to consult with the person before you are granted access to their information. The purpose of consultation is to ascertain whether the person involved has any objection to the disclosure of the information and the reasons.
UOW must decide an access application within 20 working days after the receipt of a valid application. If consultation is required or if information is to be retrieved from a records archive, this period may be extended. UOW will inform you of any required extension.
UOW’s decision and its reasons will be outlined in a Notice of Decision. Most decisions are reviewable.
You will be notified of your review rights and the decisions that are reviewable when you receive your Notice of Decision.
An internal review application form is to be completed and accompanied by a fee of $40, if you choose to seek an internal review of the Decision.
Access to UOW information may be conditional on payment of any fees and processing charges.
Payment for access applications and internal review applications made by made via UOW's online payment portal.
A formal access application must be accompanied by an application fee of $30.
UOW may also impose a processing charge for dealing with a formal access application at a rate of $30 per hour for each hour of processing time.
Processing time is the total amount of time it takes a Right to Information Officer to efficiently deal with your application and provide you with access in response to the application. This fee covers actions such as searching for records, reviewing records, consultation with third parties and decision making.
A request for internal review of an access application decision must be accompanied by a $40 application fee (except where the decision was a refusal to deal with the application).
No processing charges will be incurred for an internal review.