Letter to the Attorney-General

Hon Kyam Maher MP

Deputy Premier
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Attorney-General
Minister for Industrial Relations
Minister for Arts 
Special Minister of State

This annual report will be presented to Parliament to meet the statutory reporting requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1991 (FOI Act) and the requirements of Premier and Cabinet Circular PC013 Annual Reporting.

This is the thirty-fifth freedom of information annual report to be tabled in Parliament since the commencement of the FOI Act in January 1992.

This report is verified to be accurate for the purposes of annual reporting to the Parliament of South Australia.

Submitted on behalf of State Records of South Australia on the Administration of the Freedom of Information Act 1991 by:

Stephanie Coleman
Director, State Records of South Australia

From the Attorney-General

This report provides an overview on the administration of the Freedom of Information Act 1991 (FOI Act) and details FOI application data for the 2025-26 financial year, as reported by agencies subject to the FOI Act. Agencies include South Australian state and local government agencies and universities.

This year agencies reported receiving 16,225 FOI applications, a 5% increase on FOI applications received in 2024-25 and, for the fourth year in a row, a record in applications received in South Australia. This is attributed to another increase in applications for personal information – 1,252 more than last year.

Applications for non-personal information, which are often more complex and time consuming, decreased for the third year in a row, this year by 19%.  This result was largely influenced by a 50% reduction in applications submitted by Members of Parliament (MPs). Statistics show MP applications often drop significantly during an election year.

72% of all applications were determined within legislated timeframes, a reduction on last year’s 80%.  Additionally, formal extensions of time reduced by 44%, internal reviews increased by 31% and the rates of information release has seen partially released information increase and fully released information decrease.

Many agencies reported applicants using artificial intelligence (AI) to draft applications and review determinations received.  Application scopes drafted by AI regularly required FOI officers to spend considerable time assessing the validity of applications and resulted in the need to seek clarify or narrow complex scopes, putting additional pressure on staff.

I thank the agency staff, in particular those designated as Accredited FOI Officers and other FOI support staff, as they continue to assist and serve the community by providing access to government information.

Hon Kyam Maher MP
Attorney-General

Overview: Freedom of Information Act 1991

The objects of the FOI Act include a responsibility to:

  • promote openness in government and accountability of Ministers and other agencies and thereby enhance respect for the law and further good government in South Australia, and
  • facilitate more effective participation by members of the public in the processes involved in the making and administration of laws and policies.

This is achieved by:

  • ensuring that information concerning the operations of government is readily available to members of the public, Members of Parliament and the media
  • *providing a legally enforceable right of access to documents held by South Australian state and local government and universities, subject only to such restrictions that are consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy
  • enabling each member of the public to apply for the amendment of government records concerning their personal affairs if those records are incomplete, incorrect, out-of-date or misleading.

The FOI Act and its subordinate regulations can be accessed via the South Australian legislation website at www.legislation.sa.gov.au.

State Records of South Australia (State Records) is a business unit within the Attorney-General’s Department and has within its remit responsibility for supporting the Minister (the Attorney-General) in the administration of the FOI Act.

This support includes:

  • provision of policy and legislative advice to agency FOI enquiries
  • development of information sheets and guidelines
  • preparation of the FOI annual report
  • management and support for FOI reporting
  • provision of regular and ad hoc reports to the Minister
  • provision of FOI training and advice to agencies
  • responding to public FOI enquiries.

To produce the FOI annual report, all agencies subject to the FOI Act are required to make available to State Records statistical information relating to FOI applications and determinations as well as the number of contracts entered into containing approved confidentiality clauses.

Section 4 of the FOI Act defines those agencies that are subject to the FOI Act. The definition of ‘agency’ is inclusive of most South Australian state government agencies and statutory authorities, local government councils (municipal and district) and universities.

Schedule 2 of the FOI Act and the Freedom of Information (Exempt Agency) Regulations 2008 prescribe those agencies that are exempt from the FOI Act.

Throughout this report a reference to agencies includes all entities subject to the FOI Act across the three sectors, i.e. state government, local government and universities.

Performance

Key objectiveAgency's contribution
Open and Transparent Government
  • Provide access to government information in accordance with the FOI Act.
  • Provide training, resources and advice to agencies to enable them to comply with the requirements of the FOI Act.

Agency objectiveIndicatorPerformance
Agencies and members of the public receive FOI advice
Agency staff and the community have timely access to information and assistance relevant to accessing government information.
State Records responded to 399 FOI enquiries.
124 from members of the public and 275 from agencies.
Guidelines and information sheets are published
FOI Information sheets, brochures and forms are maintained.

A review of the following key resources was completed:

  • Consultation and the FOI Act Guideline
  • FOI and Administrative Change, Caretaker Periods and Elections webpage
  • PC045 Disclosure logs webpage
  • All FOI document and letter templates.

State Records also developed and published the new Processing Internal Reviews Guideline.

Accredited training for FOI officers is delivered
Accredited and non-Accredited officer training is offered and conducted.
103 participants completed the Accredited and non-Accredited Officer training (including 6 interactive webinars). This participation is a slight increase on the previous year.
FOI education – FOI General Awareness and
FOI Refresher education is available
Centralised education is available to support FOI officers undertake their roles.
The online FOI General Awareness and FOI Refresher courses were accessed 561 times during the reporting year, an increase on last year.
These courses are also available for agencies to upload into their internal training systems. These statistics are unavailable.
Submission and payment for online FOI applications
An online mechanism is available for the community to lodge and pay for FOI applications.
State government agencies received 6,954 applications through the online FOI Application Form, 1 less than the 2024-25 reporting period.

Reporting required under the Act

Freedom of Information Act 1991

Section 54 – Reports to Parliament

    (1)  The Minister administering this Act must –

    1. as soon as practicable after 30 June and in any case before 31 October in each year prepare a report on the administration of this Act for the 12 months ending on 30 June; and
    2. cause a copy of the report to be laid before both Houses of Parliament within six sitting days after preparation of the report is completed.

FOI Act statistical information 2024-25

Pursuant to Section 54AA of the FOI Act, FOI reporting requirements were gazetted on 26 June 2022. Agencies are required to manage their own FOI statistical information.

State Records has produced resources to assist agencies with the management of their reporting requirements.

The data collated by agencies, including the costs incurred by agencies in the administration of the FOI Act, is provided to State Records via an online form at the completion of the reporting period. The accuracy of the data is reliant on agencies.

Statistical information is available in Attachment 1 to this report and also on Data.SA.

FOI Statistical Data

The following statistical data has been compiled by State Records of South Australia from information provided by South Australian state and local government agencies and universities bound by the Freedom of Information Act 1991 (FOI Act).

FOI data sets for prior financial years can also be found at Data.SA, and in past FOI annual reports on the State Records website.

TABLE 1    Applications received in 2025-26

Application

State

Local

University

All Sectors

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

Personal

13 922

12 720

222

176

48

44

14 192

12 940

Non-Personal

1 634

2 075

381

406

18

20

2 033

2 501

Total

15 556

14 795

603

582

66

64

16 225

15 441

TABLE 2   Access applications received by applicant type

Applicant type

State

Local

University

All sectors

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

Member of the Public

8 732

7 457

520

443

57

56

9 309

7 956

Lawyer / Agent

5 980

5 836

66

98

3

0

6 049

5 934

Member of Parliament

715

1 427

16

37

4

5

735

1 469

Media

129

77

1

4

2

3

132

84

Graph depicting the number of applicant types by application types

TABLE 3   Response times

Application

State

Local

University

All Sectors

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

Within timeframe
(not extended)

9 919

10 383

518

483

43

45

10 480

10 912

Within timeframe (extended)

444

624

52

64

9

21

505

709

Outside of timeframe (deemed refusal)

4 094

2 974

15

582

12

64

4 121

3 012

Graph depicting the percentage of applications responded to within timeframe per sector

TABLE 4  Formal extensions of time

Extension reason

State

Local

University

All Sectors 2025-26

All Sectors 2024-25

Section 14(1)(a) – searching

215

25

10

250

432

Section 14(1)(b) – consultation

71

28

1

100

266

Total

286

53

11

350

698

Graph showing the ratio of extended applications compared to overdue applications

TABLE 5   Access application outcomes

Sector

Full Release

Partial Release

Refused

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

PERSONAL APPLICATIONS

State Government

3 399

3 997

6 611

5 414

1 217

1 182

Local Government

46

33

92

97

22

26

Universities

12

1

24

37

8

2

All Sectors

3 457

4 031

6 727

5 548

1 247

1 210

NON-PERSONAL APPLICATIONS

State Government

257

410

551

805

363

458

Local Government

81

154

181

164

66

23

Universities

1

7

8

16

5

0

All Sectors

339

571

740

985

434

481

Graph depicting the percentage of application outcomes per application type per sector

TABLE 6   Access application outcomes (cont.)

Outcome

State

Local

University

All Sectors
2025-26

All Sectors
2024-25

Transferred

358

2

0

360

278

Withdrawn/closed

1 702

95

6

1 803

1 412

Total

2 060

97

6

2 163

1 690

TABLE 7 Reasons for rejecting or refusing access

REJECTING

State

Local

Uni

Total
2025-26

Total
2024-25

Section 20(1)(b)(c)(d) – Documents otherwise available *

165

18

0

183

214

Document does not exist/lost

804

49

6

853

729

REFUSING

Section 15 - Application incomplete/wrongly directed*

1

8

0

9

8

Section 18(1) - Unreasonable diversion of an agency’s resources *

93

2

3

98

32

Section 18(2(a)) - Abuse of right of access *

19

1

0

20

9

Section 18(3) - Fees not paid

73

6

1

80

36

Section 19(2) - Deemed refusal - over 30 days to respond

75

0

0

75

77

Section 20(1) - Exempt *

4 804

81

25

4 910

4 454

Exempt agency

11

2

0

13

28

* The number of applications where the reason for rejection/refusal has been applied.

TABLE 8   Exemptions

Most commonly applied exemptions

2025-26

2024-25

Clause 1&2 – Cabinet and/or Executive Council documents

46

63

Clause 3 – exempt documents communicated by another government

1

3

Clause 4 – documents affecting law enforcement and public safety

850

1 153

Clause 5 – Inter-government or local government relations

16

16

Clause 6 – documents affecting personal affairs

3 177

3 959

Clause 7 – documents affecting business affairs

121

224

Clause 8 – conduct of research

4

3

Clause 9 – internal working documents

348

311

Clause 10 – documents subject to legal professional privilege

51

137

Clause 11 – documents relating to judicial functions

155

97

Clause 12 – documents the subject of secrecy provisions

891

848

Clause 13 – documents containing confidential material

97

225

Clause 14&15 – economy/financial or property interests

9

8

Clause 16 – documents concerning the operations of agencies

463

374

Clause 17 – subject to contempt

15

41

Clause 18 – companies and securities

1

3

TABLE 9 Amendment applications

Outcome

2025-26

2024-25

New applications

121

174

TABLE 10 Amendment application outcomes

Outcome

2025-26

2024-25

Amendment in full

17

64

Partial amendment

2

13

Notation added

16

8

Amendment refused

53

17

Withdrawn/closed

22

49

TABLE 11 Amendment application response times

Time

2025-26

2024-25

Within timeframe

106

144

Outside of timeframe

4

7

TABLE 12 Contracts reported with approved confidentiality clauses

Sector

2025-26

2024-25

State Government

30

97

Local Government

24

128

Universities

0

0

Total

54

225

TABLE 13 Applications for review received

Review applications received  

2025-26

2024-25

Internal review

440

335

External review - Ombudsman

248

176

External review - South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal

30

32

Total

718

543

TABLE 14 Internal review application outcomes

Outcome

2025-26*

2024-25*

Decision confirmed

246

226

Decision varied

130

78

Decision reversed

19

18

* Internal Review application outcomes include applications carried over from the previous reporting year

TABLE 15 Cabinet docs 10 years or older - requests for access

Requests

2025-26

2024-25

2023-24

MPs

0

0

12

Public

31

13

8

Media

0

34

0

Lawyer/Agent

0

0

0

Total

31

47

20

TABLE 16 Cabinet docs 10 years or older – access determinations

Determination

2025-26

2024-25

2023-24

Released in full

32

16

11

Released in part

15

11

8

Refused in full

4

1

1

Withdrawn

0

0

0

Total

51

27

20

TABLE 17 Overall cost of administering FOI

Cost category

2025-26 $

2024-25 $

2023-24 $

Salary

$12 367 140

$11 433 936

$11 884 569

Other expenses

$837 670

$1 311 869

$919 970

Total

$13 204 810

$12 746 805

$12 804 539

TABLE 18 Staffing

Sector

Number of staff

Full-time equivalent

2025-26

2024-25

2025-26

2024-25

State Government

286

327

97.92

97.9

Local Government

204

130

16.14

15.1

Universities

15

14

2.79

2.5

Total

505

471

116.85

115.5

TABLE 19 Application and processing fees assessed versus collected

Sector

2025-26

2024-25

2023-24

ASSESSED*

State Government

$508 453

$441 083

$504 869

Local Government

$67 894

$53 775

$37 158

Universities

$3 311

$2 770

$3 255

Total

$579 658

$497 628

$545 282

COLLECTED

State Government

$362 895

$338 364

$430 478

Local Government

$39 514

$39 054

$23 389

Universities

$559

$884

$1 161

Total

$402 968

$378 302

$455 028

* Assessed fees and charges is defined in the FOI Annual Reporting Guideline as: Aggregation of all access application fees and charges that could be levied. Excludes exempt fees and charges i.e. application fees for concession card holders and MPs.

TABLE 20 Applications still open as at 30 June 2026

Sector

Within 30 day timeframe

Outside 30 day timeframe

Total

State Government

943

1 105

2 048

Local Government

37

2

39

Universities

4

0

4

Total

984

1 107

2 091

TABLE 21 Overdue applications still open as at 30 June 2026

Sector

Personal

Non-Personal

Total

State Government

1 039

66

1 105

Local Government

1

1

2

Universities

0

0

0

Total

1 040

67

1 107

Portfolio/Agency

Personal

Non-Personal

Total

Aboriginal Affairs; Attorney-General;
Industrial Relations; Arts; Special Minister of State

320

170

490

Adelaide Festival Corporation

0

10

10

Art Gallery of South Australia

2

2

4

Attorney-General's Department

99

92

191

Courts Administration Authority

60

26

86

Electoral Commission of South Australia

0

11

11

Equal Opportunity SA

3

0

3

First Nations Voice to Parliament - State Voice

0

2

2

Legal Services Commission

12

3

15

Office of the Attorney-General, Hon Kyam Maher MLC

10

13

23

Office of the Public Advocate

5

0

5

ReturnToWorkSA

127

5

132

South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT)

0

1

1

South Australian Museum

0

1

1

State Library of South Australia

2

3

5

The Law Society of South Australia

0

1

1

Child Protection; Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence

827

49

876

Department for Child Protection

816

45

861

Office of the Hon Alice Rolls MP

11

4

15

Climate, Environment and Water; Tourism

43

201

244

Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board

1

0

1

Coast Protection Board

1

0

1

Department for Environment and Water

15

80

95

Environment Protection Authority

2

32

34

Green Adelaide

0

1

1

Green Industries SA

0

3

3

Hills and Fleurieu landscape board

1

3

4

Limestone Coast Landscape Board

1

0

1

Climate, Environment and Water; Tourism (cont.)

   

Native Vegetation Council

0

3

3

Northern and Yorke Landscape Board

2

0

2

Office of the Hon Emily Bourke MP

0

10

10

SA Water

20

56

76

South Australian Arid Lands Landscape Board

0

1

1

South Australian Tourism Commission

0

12

12

Education, Training and Skills; Autism; City of Adelaide

366

75

441

Department for Education

339

54

393

Education Standards Board

1

3

4

History Trust of South Australia

1

0

1

Office of the Minister for Education, Training and Skills

3

15

18

Office of the South Australian Skills Commission

1

0

1

SACE Board of South Australia

1

0

1

TAFE SA

17

2

19

Teachers Registration Board of SA

3

1

4

Emergency Services; Local Government;
Recreation, Sport and Racing

111

23

134

Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing

1

5

6

Office of the Hon Rhiannon Pearce MP

1

0

1

South Australian Country Fire Service

63

3

66

South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission

13

4

17

South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service

27

11

38

South Australian State Emergency Services

6

0

6

Health and Wellbeing

7717

277

7994

Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network

271

13

284

Central Adelaide Local Health Network

2445

55

2500

Department for Health and Wellbeing

78

61

139

Drug and Alcohol Services SA

67

0

67

Eyre and Far North Local Health Network

149

4

153

Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network

221

1

222

Limestone Coast Local Health Network

266

7

273

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

1356

10

1366

Office of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing

12

43

55

Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network

133

8

141

SA Ambulance Service

567

20

587

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

1397

24

1421

Women's and Children's Health Network

599

27

626

Yorke and Northern Local Health Network

156

4

160

Housing and Urban Development;
Housing Infrastructure; Planning

125

146

271

Department for Housing and Urban Development

16

70

86

Office of the Hon Nick Champion MP

4

33

37

Renewal SA Urban Renewal Authority

0

10

10

SA Housing Trust

105

33

138

Human Services; Seniors and Ageing Well

187

22

209

Department of Human Services

186

13

199

Office of the Minister for Human Services

1

9

10

Infrastructure and Transport

63

97

160

Department for Infrastructure and Transport

63

82

145

Office of the Hon Joe Szakacs MP

0

8

8

Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator

0

7

7

Police; Correctional Services;
Consumer and Business Affairs

4112

160

4272

Department for Correctional Services

684

29

713

Office of the Hon Michael Brown MP

4

12

16

South Australia Police

3424

119

3543

*FOI applications submitted to Consumer and Business Services are processed by the Attorney-General's Department and included in their reported data.

   

Premier and Cabinet

13

120

133

Department of Premier and Cabinet

4

75

79

Infrastructure SA

0

1

1

Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment

5

6

11

Office of the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP

4

35

39

Premier's Delivery Unit

0

2

2

South Australian MotorSport Board

0

1

1

Primary Industries and Regional Development;
Forest Industries

4

85

89

Department of Primary Industries and Regions

4

63

67

Office of the Hon Clare Scriven MLC

0

22

22

Small and Family Business; Multicultural Affairs

2

7

9

Office of the Hon Nadia Clancy MP

1

7

8

South Australian Small Business Commissioner

1

0

1

State Development; Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy; Defence and Space Industries; Veterans Affairs

3

27

30

Defence SA

2

4

6

Department of State Development

1

15

16

Office of the Hon Chris Picton MP

0

8

8

Treasurer; Energy and Mining; Public Sector

29

175

204

Australian Energy Market Commission

0

1

1

Department for Energy and Mining

0

87

87

Department of Treasury and Finance

20

45

65

Essential Services Commission of SA

1

0

1

HomeStart Finance

0

6

6

Lifetime Support Authority

0

8

8

Office of the Hon Tom Koutsantonis MP

1

21

22

State Superannuation Office (Super SA)

7

7

14

Council

Personal

Non-pers

Total

Adelaide Hills Council

0

17

17

Adelaide Plains Council

1

0

1

Alexandrina Council

0

8

8

Barunga West Council

2

0

2

Berri Barmera Council

4

1

5

Campbelltown City Council

0

1

1

City of Adelaide

9

20

29

City of Burnside

0

21

21

City of Charles Sturt

0

35

35

City of Holdfast Bay

0

43

43

City of Marion

0

24

24

City of Mitcham

7

16

23

City of Mount Gambier

0

9

9

City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters

0

11

11

City of Onkaparinga

31

60

91

City of Playford

22

0

22

City of Port Adelaide Enfield

6

35

41

City of Prospect

5

5

10

City of Salisbury

8

7

15

City of Tea Tree Gully

14

5

19

City of Unley

5

1

6

City of Victor Harbor

2

4

6

City of West Torrens

11

6

17

City of Whyalla

5

0

5

Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council

0

1

1

Coorong District Council

1

0

1

Copper Coast Council

32

0

32

Corporation of the Town of Walkerville

0

14

14

District Council of Ceduna

0

1

1

District Council of Cleve

0

1

1

District Council of Coober Pedy

4

0

4

District Council of Grant

0

1

1

District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula

0

1

1

District Council of Mount Remarkable

1

0

1

District Council of Robe

2

2

4

District Council of Yankalilla

5

0

5

Kangaroo Island Council

1

0

1

Mid Murray Council

11

0

11

Mount Barker District Council

12

5

17

Northern Areas Council

1

0

1

Port Augusta City Council

0

1

1

Port Pirie Regional Council

0

4

4

Regional Council of Goyder

0

2

2

Renmark Paringa Council

3

0

3

Tatiara District Council

1

0

1

The Barossa Council

2

2

4

The Rural City of Murray Bridge

2

11

13

Town of Gawler

1

1

2

Wakefield Regional Council

0

1

1

Wattle Range Council

0

1

1

Wudinna District Council

1

0

1

Yorke Peninsulas Council

6

1

7

University

Personal

Non-pers

Total

Adelaide University

8

5

13

Flinders University

25

3

28

UniSA

5

4

9

University of Adelaide

10

6

16

AgencyTotal

South Australia Police

67

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

11

Department for Child Protection

10

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

5

Courts Administration Authority

4

Department for Correctional Services

4

Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board

4

Women’s and Children’s Health Network

3

Attorney-General’s Department

2

Department for Education

2

State Library of South Australia

2

SA Housing Trust

2

City of Onkaparinga

1

District Council of Cleve

1

Office of the Attorney-General, Hon Kyam Maher MLC

1

SA Ambulance Service

1

State Superannuation Office (Super SA)

1

* Refer to tables 9 and 10 for totals and outcomes.

Page last updated: 3 November 2026