{"id":"information-regulations-2003","name":"INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2003","slug":"information-regulations-2003","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176908,"registerId":"nt-information-regulations-2003-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2003","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nINFORMATION REGULATIONS 2003\nAs in force at 25 May 2024\nTable of provisions\n1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\n5 Application fee – section 156(4)(a) .................................................. 1\n6 Processing fee – section 156(4)(a) .................................................. 2\n7 Estimate of processing fee .............................................................. 2\n8 Effect of estimate on response time for application ......................... 3\n9 Deposit for processing fee – section 156(4)(ca) .............................. 4\n10 Difference between estimate and processing fee ............................ 4\nSchedule\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 25 May 2024\n____________________\nINFORMATION REGULATIONS 2003\nRegulations under the Information Act 2002\n1 Citation\nThese Regulations may be cited as the Information\nRegulations 2003.\n2 Commencement\nThese Regulations come into operation on the commencement of\nthe Information Act 2002.\n3 Definitions\nIn these Regulations:\nactual cost, of any service or materials specified in the Schedule,\nmeans the actual cost incurred by a public sector organisation in\nproviding the service or materials.\nnon-personal information, for an application, means government\ninformation that is not the applicant's personal information.\npersonal information, for an application, means government\ninformation that is the applicant's personal information.\nprescribed PSO means a public sector organisation, other than a\nGovernment Business Division, a local government council, or a\nhigher education institution as defined in the Higher Education\nAct 2004.\nsecondary storage, of information, means storage provided for or\non behalf of a public sector organisation by an organisation that is\nnot a public sector organisation.\n5 Application fee – section 156(4)(a)\n(1) Subject to subregulation (2), a public sector organisation may\ncharge the following application fees:\n(a) for an application relating to personal information – nil;\n\nInformation Regulations 2003 2\n(b) for an application relating to non-personal information – $30;\n(c) for an application relating to personal and non-personal\ninformation – $30.\n(2) A prescribed PSO may not charge an application fee as mentioned\nin subregulation (1) if:\n(a) the application is made by a member of the Legislative\nAssembly; and\n(b) the application is for access to government information in a\nreport brought into existence by a public sector employee or a\nconsultant to a public sector organisation; and\n(c) the report describes an event or situation arising from an\ninvestigation, inquiry or observation.\n6 Processing fee – section 156(4)(a)\n(1) Subject to subregulation (1A), a public sector organisation may\ncharge a processing fee equal to the total cost of the services and\nmaterials specified in the Schedule that are provided in response to\nan application.\n(1A) A prescribed PSO may not charge a processing fee as mentioned\nin subregulation (1) if:\n(a) the application is made by a member of the Legislative\nAssembly; and\n(b) the application is for access to government information in a\nreport brought into existence by a public sector employee or a\nconsultant to a public sector organisation; and\n(c) the report describes an event or situation arising from an\ninvestigation, inquiry or observation.\n(2) The cost of a service or any materials provided is the amount, or is\ncalculated at the rate, specified in the Schedule opposite the\nservice or materials.\n7 Estimate of processing fee\n(1) A public sector organisation must if requested, and may otherwise,\ngive an applicant a written estimate of the processing fee for the\napplication.\n\nInformation Regulations 2003 3\n(2) The notice is to state the following:\n(a) the amount of the estimate;\n(b) how that amount was calculated;\n(c) the applicant may consult with a specified officer or employee\nof the public sector organisation with a view to amending the\napplication to reduce the processing fee;\n(d) the applicant may seek a re-calculation of the amount of the\nestimate on the ground that it has been incorrectly calculated;\n(e) the applicant may seek a waiver or reduction of the processing\nfee;\n(f) the amount of the deposit (if any) the applicant is required to\npay for the processing fee;\n(g) within 30 days after being given the estimate, the applicant\nmust notify the organisation in writing that:\n(i) the applicant agrees to pay the processing fee; or\n(ii) the applicant withdraws the application; or\n(iii) the applicant seeks to have the amount of the estimate\nre-calculated or the processing fee waived or reduced\nand the grounds for seeking the re-calculation, waiver or\nreduction;\n(h) if the applicant does not notify the organisation in accordance\nwith paragraph (g), the application will be treated as having\nbeen withdrawn.\n(3) If the applicant does not notify the public sector organisation in\naccordance with subregulation (2)(g), the application is taken to\nhave been withdrawn.\n8 Effect of estimate on response time for application\nThe 30-day period referred to in section 19 of the Act does not\ninclude the period commencing on the day on which the public\nsector organisation gives the applicant a written estimate in\naccordance with regulation 7 and ending on the day on which the\nfirst of the following events occurs:\n(a) the applicant pays the processing fee or the deposit (if any) for\nthe processing fee;\n\nInformation Regulations 2003 4\n(b) if the applicant does not pay the processing fee and is not\nrequired to pay a deposit – the applicant agrees to pay the\nprocessing fee;\n(c) if the organisation waives the processing fee – the\norganisation gives the applicant notice that the processing fee\nhas been waived.\n9 Deposit for processing fee – section 156(4)(ca)\n(1) A public sector organisation may require an applicant to pay a\ndeposit for a processing fee of:\n(a) if the processing fee is estimated to be $100 or less – $25; or\n(b) if the processing fee is estimated to be more than $100 – 50%\nof the estimate.\n(2) If the processing fee is less than the deposit paid for the fee, the\npublic sector organisation must refund the balance of the deposit to\nthe applicant.\n10 Difference between estimate and processing fee\n(1) If a public sector organisation gives an applicant a written estimate\nin accordance with regulation 7 of the processing fee for an\napplication, the organisation must not charge more than the\nestimate for processing the application.\n(2) If the processing fee paid by an applicant exceeds the total cost of\nthe services and materials specified in the Schedule that are\nprovided in response to the application, the public sector\norganisation must refund the difference to the applicant.\n\nSchedule\nInformation Regulations 2003 5\nSchedule\nregulation 6\nServices and Materials Amounts and Rates\nSearching for and retrieving\ninformation and returning it to\nstorage (but not searching for\nmisplaced information)\n(a) Personal information – nil\n(b) Non-personal information\n(i) stored elsewhere than\nin secondary storage –\n$25 for every hour or\npart of an hour\n(ii) stored in secondary\nstorage – actual cost\nConsidering and making decision in\nrelation to application (including\nconsultation)\n(a) Personal information – nil\n(b) Non-personal information –\n$25 for every hour or part of\nan hour\nSupervising examination of\ninformation by applicant\n(a) Personal information\n(i) first 2 hours – nil\n(ii) $25 for every hour, or\npart of an hour, over\n2 hours\n(b) Non-personal information –\n$25 for every hour or part of\nan hour\nHiring out equipment or facilities to\nenable applicant to view or listen to\ndisk, film or tape\nActual cost\nOperating equipment to copy disk,\nfilm or tape or to enable applicant to\nview or listen to disk, film or tape\n$25 for every hour or part of an hour\nOther services to enable applicant to\nphysically access information\nActual cost\n\nSchedule\nInformation Regulations 2003 6\nPhotocopies (a) Black and white, A4 size\nphotocopies – 20 cents per\npage\n(b) Other photocopies – actual\ncost per page\nCopies of disks, films or tapes Actual cost per copy\nWritten transcripts Actual cost per page\nPackaging materials for delivering or\nposting articles\nActual cost\nDelivery or postage charges Actual cost per article\n\nENDNOTES\nInformation Regulations 2003 7\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nInformation Regulations (SL No. 35, 2003)\nNotified 1 July 2003\nCommenced 1 July 2003 (r 2 and s 2(2) Information Act 2002 (Act No. 62,\n2002))\nInformation Amendment Regulations 2010 (SL No. 2, 2010)\nNotified 17 February 2010\nCommenced 17 February 2010\nAlcohol Mandatory Treatment Act 2013 (Act No. 17, 2013)\nAssent date 28 June 2013\nCommenced 1 July 2013 (s 2)\nLocal Government Amendment Act 2014 (Act No. 19, 2014)\nAssent date 2 June 2014\nCommenced s 16: 1 July 2014; s 18: 1 December 2014; rem: 2 June 2014,\n(s 2)\nTerritory Insurance Office (Sale) Act 2014 (Act No. 41, 2014)\nAssent date 28 November 2014\nCommenced pt 6, divs 1 and 2: nc (exp without commencing);\npt 6, div 3: 00:01hrs 1 January 2015 (Gaz S131,\n19 December 2014, p 8); rem: 28 November 2014 (s 2)\nAlcohol Harm Reduction Act 2017 (Act No. 16, 2017)\nAssent date 30 August 2017\nCommenced 1 September 2017 (Gaz S61, 31 August 2017)\nJustice and Other Legislation Further Amendment Act 2024 (Act No. 9, 2024)\nAssent date 24 May 2024\nCommenced pts 4 and 8: nc; pts 9 and 10: 1 July 2024 (s 2(3));\nrem: 25 May 2024 (s 2(1))\n\nENDNOTES\nInformation Regulations 2003 8\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: rr 1, 2 and 3.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nr 3 amd No. 2, 2010, r 3; Act No. 19, 2014, s 26\nr 4 rep Act No. 41, 2014, s 53\nr 4A ins Act No. 17, 2013, s 157\nrep Act No. 16, 2017, s 50\nr 5 amd No. 2, 2010, r 4\nr 6 amd No. 2, 2010, r 5\nr 7 amd No. 2, 2010, r 6\nr 8 amd Act No. 9, 2024, s 42","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations implement and detail the fee, estimate, deposit and refund mechanics authorised by the Information Act rather than changing who may access information. They clarify cost recovery and procedural steps (estimates, suspension of the 30‑day period, and specific exemptions) but do not expand or narrow access rights in the Act."},"complexity_factors":["Differentiated fee types and rates (application vs processing; personal vs non‑personal) (regs 5–6, Schedule)","Detailed Schedule setting per‑hour, per‑page and ‘actual cost’ items, including secondary storage and equipment (Schedule; r 3 definitions)","Estimate, written notice contents, and applicant response requirements that suspend the 30‑day statutory response period (rr 7–8, s 19 cross‑reference)","Deposit mechanics and thresholds (fixed $25 or 50% for larger estimates) and refund requirements (r 9)","Cap on charging more than the written estimate and obligation to refund overpayments (r 10)","Exemptions limiting charging by prescribed PSOs for MLA requests about certain reports (rr 5(2), 6(1A))","Operational discretion rests with public sector organisations in calculating ‘actual cost’ items, creating administrative compliance tasks (regs 6, Schedule)"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set out how requests for government information in the Northern Territory are charged and processed. They prescribe application fees (nil for personal information; $30 for non‑personal or mixed requests), detailed processing fee rates (hourly $25, copy costs, or actual costs for some items), and rules for written estimates, deposits, refunds and suspension of the 30‑day response clock while fees are resolved.\n\nApplicants pay; public sector organisations decide and calculate fees. Members of the Legislative Assembly receive limited exemptions for certain reports."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain tightly focused on their original purpose: prescribing fees and charges for information access applications under the Information Act 2002. While amendments have updated specific fee amounts and refined the MLA exemption, the scope has not expanded beyond administrative fee-setting."},"complexity_factors":["Only 10 substantive regulations plus a Schedule of fees","Minimal cross-referencing (primarily to section 156 of the parent Act and the Schedule)","Straightforward conditional logic (if/then structures for fee calculations)","Single layer of exceptions (the MLA exemption in regulations 5 and 6)","Clear structure: definitions → application fees → processing fees → estimates → deposits → refunds","Schedule uses simple table format for fee rates","No nested definitions or recursive cross-references"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** These are the rules that set out how much government agencies in the Northern Territory can charge you when you ask to see government documents under freedom of information (FOI) laws.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Anyone asking for their own personal information** (e.g., your medical records, employment file) — generally free or very cheap\n- **Anyone asking for general government information** (e.g., reports, policies, correspondence) — costs apply\n- **Members of the NT Legislative Assembly** — special exemptions apply for certain investigative reports\n\n**What it does:**\n\n**Fees you might pay:**\n- **Application fee:** $30 for non-personal information requests; free for personal information\n- **Processing fees:** Hourly charges for staff time spent finding and reviewing documents ($25/hour for most work)\n- **Extras:** Photocopying (20 cents/page for black & white A4), postage, equipment hire, transcripts\n\n**Key protections for applicants:**\n- You can get a **written estimate** upfront of what the processing will cost\n- Agencies **cannot charge more than their estimate**\n- You can **negotiate** to narrow your request to reduce costs\n- You can **ask for fees to be waived or reduced** if you can't afford them\n- If the final cost is less than estimated, you get a **refund**\n- **Deposits** may be required (25% for small jobs, 50% for large ones)\n\n**Special rule for politicians:** MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) don't pay fees when requesting certain investigation reports — this supports parliamentary oversight.\n\n**Why it matters:** This ensures government transparency isn't blocked by excessive fees, while allowing agencies to recover reasonable costs for complex requests. The rules balance public access against the taxpayer burden of processing large or difficult applications."},"summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The administrative responsibility for these regulations appears to have evolved significantly from what a single 2003 instrument would originally have contemplated. The split of Part 9 between two agencies (Department of Corporate and Digital Development for digital record services, and Department of People, Sport and Culture for archives) strongly suggests machinery-of-government changes have redistributed responsibilities over time. The inclusion of a 'Part 7A' — an inserted Part indicated by the 'A' suffix — also suggests scope was expanded by amendment after the original regulations were made, adding provisions not present at commencement in 2003."},"complexity_factors":["Split administrative responsibility across four separate government agencies, creating potential for confusion about which body governs which provisions","Cross-referencing between specific numbered sections (e.g., sections 98(1)–(3), (5) and (6) and 99) and broader Parts makes navigation difficult","The regulations sit beneath a parent Act, meaning full understanding requires reading both instruments together","Multiple subject matter domains covered (privacy, freedom of information, digital records, physical archives) under a single instrument","Reprint status (REPI013R1) indicates the document has been amended and reprinted, meaning earlier versions may still be relevant for historical matters","Jurisdictional ambiguity within Part 9, which is split between two different agencies based on subject matter rather than clear structural division"],"plain_english_summary":"The Information Regulations 2003 set the practical rules for how South Australian government information is accessed, managed, and archived, and they govern freedom-of-information requests, recordkeeping (digital and physical), and complaint/review processes. Administration is split across four agencies (Attorney‑General’s Department, Ombudsman, Corporate & Digital Development, and People, Sport & Culture). They affect citizens seeking documents, public agencies, businesses and records professionals, and are the day‑to‑day rulebook for government transparency and accountability."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/information-regulations-2003","history":"/api/acts/information-regulations-2003/history","analysis":"/api/acts/information-regulations-2003/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/information-regulations-2003/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/information-regulations-2003/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/information-regulations-2003/documents"}}