Publicly available information released following an FOI access request

The Federal Circuit Court is required by section 11C of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to publish a disclosure log on its website. The disclosure log lists information which has been released in response to an FOI access request. This requirement has applied since 1 May 2011.

The disclosure log requirement does not apply to:

  • personal information about any person if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable' information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable'
  • other information covered by a determination made by the Australian Information Commissioner if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable'
  • any information if it is not reasonably practicable to publish the information because of the extent of modifications that would need to be made to delete the information listed in the above dot points.

Documents released under the FOI Act can be obtained by writing to the Court's FOI contact officer:

Chief Executive Officer
Federal Circuit Court of Australia
GPO Box 9991         
Sydney NSW 2001
Email: customer.service@federalcircuitcourt.gov.au

Further advice on making FOI requests may be obtained by calling 03 8600 4470.

Please note also that charges may be imposed to reimburse the Federal Circuit Court for the cost of photocopying or reproducing documents. Notification will be given if any charges are payable and if the charges are required to be paid before the documents are provided.

Information attached to, or referred to, in the Federal Circuit Court disclosure log will generally be removed after 12 months, unless the information has enduring public value.  

The FOI Act also requires the Federal Circuit Court to proactively publish a range of information under the Information Publication Scheme (IPS).You can find further information about the Federal Circuit Court IPS on the Information Publication Scheme pages of this website.

DISCLOSURE LOG 2018-2019

Date of Access FOI request Information

16/01/2019

Access to:

  • all documents – including but not limited to statistics, memoranda, emails, media releases, excerpts from annual reports etc – explaining or pertaining to administrative oversights, administrative delays, administrative mistakes, breakdowns or problems (however described, and including the recording of judgments and orders, and audits in relation to administrative problems however described), in both the Registry and Court of the Brisbane Registry of the Federal Circuit Court for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner – (such documents being not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted);
  • all documents showing the number of judgments delivered or handed down by judges (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted) of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner;
  • all documents showing or recording the number of overdue judgments or final orders, delivered or handed down or which had or have not been delivered or handed down, by judges (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted) of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner – being judgments or orders in matters where the judgment or final orders have or has not been delivered or handed down within one (1) year of the last appearances in Court of any of the parties;
  • all documents showing or recording the number of cases where the matter has not been completed or where judgment or final orders have or has not been delivered or handed down within two (2) years of the matter having first been listed in the Registry of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane, for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted); and
  • all documents relating to the operation of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane and the Registry in Brisbane – including but not limited to statistics, memoranda, emails, media releases, correspondence, excerpts from annual reports etc – which record the number of approaches to the Court or the Chief Judge by, or replies by the Court or the Chief Judge to, any office-bearer or employee of the Bar Association of Queensland, for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted). 

Three sets of documents were found to be within scope of the request. 

The first set of documents covers data in respect of complaints. Those documents have been reproduced from the Federal Circuit Court’s Annual Reports.

The second set of documents covers data in respect of judgments delivered. Those documents have been reproduced from the Federal Circuit Court’s Annual Reports.

The third set of documents covers data in respect of statistics relating to judicial performance in the Federal Circuit Court.  Those documents have been reproduced from the Federal Circuit Court’s Annual Reports.

The documents or any of them are available on request from the Court's FOI Contact Officer who can be contacted by email at customer.service@federalcircuitcourt.gov.au.

DISCLOSURE LOG 2017-2018

Date of Access FOI request Information

29/10/2018

Any communications, documents, directions, memos, emails (formal or informal) sent from or to the Chief Judge, Principal Registrar/CEO since 30 May 2018 relating to ‘assisting the Parliament’ in its consideration of proposed structural reform to the Federal Courts.

For the purpose of this request:

  • The named positions include personal or executive assistants, staff or associates authorised to send or receive communications on behalf of the named position.

‘Assisting the Parliament’ includes (but is not limited to) communicating or meeting with parliamentarians, making individual or collective submissions to Senate Inquiries and appearing before Senate Inquiries.

Two documents were found to be within the scope of the request.

Email to Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar of the Federal Circuit Court from Committee Secretary of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee dated 28 August 2018

Email from Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar of the Federal Circuit Court to Chief Judge Alstergren copied to National Director, Court and Tribunal Services and Manager Chambers of Chief Judge Alstergren forwarding the above invitation dated 28 August 2018

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