Freedom of Information

All Freedom of Information applications must be in writing and cannot be accepted by phone.

Applications may be submitted:

• Online for non-Personal Information (which includes secure credit card payment of mandatory fees)
• Online for Personal Information only (no fees applicable)
• By completing the Freedom of Information Application Form and lodging it by email, post or in person.
• If writing to the City your correspondence should be addressed to:
  FOI Coordinator, City of Melville Locked Bag 1, Booragoon WA 6954

Please note legislation requires that in all cases you provide an Australian address for any correspondence.

We cannot commence processing your application until the required fees (if applicable) have been paid. To assist in initial assessment and avoid commencement delays, please include as much relevant information as possible.

Applications should always be completed within 45 calendar days unless an altered timeframe is agreed with the City.

If your application relates to either your personal information or that of other people, proof of identification will be required. Suitable identification includes:

• Photo ID (Driver’s Licence, Passport, Proof of Age Card, etc.);
• Aged Pensioner Concession or Seniors Card;
• Birth Certificate or extract (and Marriage Certificate if name has changed); or
• If representing an organisation your designation in that organisation and an application made on organisational letterhead.

All fees and charges are set in accordance with the Freedom of Information legislation and regulations.

The application fee of $30.00 for non-personal information must be paid in full. Application fees cannot be waived or reduced.

Access to personal information relating only to the applicant and/or amendment to that personal information is free of charge.

A scale of fees, charges and deposits set under the FOI Act Regulations appears below. Except for the application fee, all other fees are discretionary. Further information on costs can be found at the Office of the Information Commissioner

Deposits

• 25% - Advance deposit which may be required by an agency under Section 18(a) of the Act, expressed as a percentage of the estimated charges which will be payable in excess of the application fee
• 75% - Further advance deposit which may be required by an agency under Section 18(4) of the Act, expressed as a percentage of the estimated charges which will be payable in excess of the application fee
• 25% - For financially disadvantaged applicants or those issued with prescribed pensioner concession cards, the charge payable maybe reduced by 25%

The Freedom of Information Statement is published by the City of Melville in accordance with the requirements of Section 96(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 1992. The City of Melville is pleased to comply with the legislation and welcomes enquiries. An updated Information Statement will be published every 12 months. This statement was released in May 2018.

The following documents are available for public inspection at the Melville Civic Centre free of charge. Members of the public may purchase copies of these documents.

The charges for these documents are set annually by the Council. The Fees and Charges Schedule may be inspected at the City of Melville Offices and at the City of Melville Libraries during their normal opening hours. 

• Community Planning Scheme No.5 (maps and CD's are also available from Council Offices)
• Council & Committee Minutes (unless classified as confidential) are also available from the Civic Centre and/or our five public libraries
• Customer Services Officers Manual
• Delegated Authority Manual
• Details of Representation on Committees
• Electoral Rolls: Individual Wards
• Rates and Charges
• Local Laws Manual
• Mosaic Publication
• Residents/Packs, Other Schools, Councils Organisations
• Policy Manual
• Register of Properties Exempt from Rates
• Various leaflets and brochures outlining the programs and services of the City of Melville

The City of Melville holds a number of different types of documents for which a Freedom of Information request should be submitted. These include letters and general correspondence, internal reports, external reports to other agencies, plans, memorandums, drawings and videos.

Information is held in the City's document management system, which is grouped into functional areas.

Personal information is held either on personnel files or in client files held by Employee Services.

Where information is considered to be personally identifying people who are not employed by the City or part of the freedom of information request, specific protections apply within legislation. Unless otherwise authorised by Legislation and/or City Policy, access to documents created that contain personally identifying information will be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (FOI Act).