PART III
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ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
SECTION 31
Decision to impose charge
-
extended period for processing request
Scope
31(1)
This section applies if:
(a)
on a particular day (the
charge notice day
) an applicant in relation to a request receives a notice under subsection
29(1)
or
(6)
to the effect that the applicant is liable to pay a charge in respect of the request; and
(b)
the notice is received before the end of the period (the
processing period
) applicable under paragraph
15(5)(b)
in relation to the request (or that period as extended).
Processing period to be calculated disregarding period when charge unpaid
31(2)
In working out the length of the processing period (or that period as extended) for the purposes of paragraph
15(5)(b)
, disregard the number of days in the period starting on the charge notice day and ending on the earliest occurring of the following days:
(a)
the day the applicant pays the amount of the charge (or a deposit on account of the charge prescribed by the regulations), whether or not the decision to impose the charge has been considered under section
29
, or is the subject of a review under this Act;
(b)
if the amount of the charge is changed under section
29
, or following a review under this Act
-
the day the applicant pays the amount of the charge (or a deposit on account of the charge prescribed by the regulations) as changed following the review;
(c)
if, under section
29
, or following a review under this Act, a decision is made with the effect that the charge is not imposed
-
the day the applicant is notified of the decision.
Note:
A decision under section
29
relating to the imposition of a charge or the amount of a charge may be the subject of an internal review (see Part
VI
), an IC review (see Part
VII
) or review by the Tribunal (see Part
VIIA
).
History
S 31 substituted by No 51 of 2010, s 3 and Sch 4 item 28, applicable in relation to requests for access made under section
15
of the
Freedom of Information 1982
that are received at or after 1 November 2010; and applications under section
48
of that Act that are received at or after 1 November 2010. S 31 formerly read:
SECTION 31 Certain periods to be disregarded for the purposes of processing requests
31(1)
Where an applicant receives a notification under subsection
29(1)
or
(6)
before the day on which the period of 30 days mentioned in paragraph
15(5)(b)
, or that period as extended under subsection
15(6)
, in relation to that request expires or, but for the operation of this subsection, would expire, being a notification to the effect that the applicant is liable to pay a specified charge in respect of that request, there shall be disregarded, in the computation of that period, each day occurring during the period commencing on the day on which that notification is received by the applicant and ending on the day that is, under subsection (3), the relevant day in relation to that request.
31(3)
For the purposes of subsection (1),
relevant day
, in relation to a request made by an applicant to whom a notification has been given under section
29
setting out the applicant's liability to pay a specified charge, is:
(a)
in a case where the applicant pays the charge or such deposit on account of the charge as the applicant is required to pay under the regulations (whether or not the applicant seeks to have the charge reduced or not imposed under section
29
or seeks a review of the decision in respect of the charge under section
55
)
-
the day on which that charge or that deposit is so paid; or
(b)
in a case where the applicant, having not paid the charge or deposit referred to in paragraph (a), seeks to have the charge reduced or not imposed under section
29
:
(i)
if a decision is made by the agency or Minister to reduce the charge
-
the day on which the applicant pays the charge as so reduced, or such deposit on account of the charge as so reduced as the applicant is required to pay under the regulations; or
(ii)
if a decision is made by the agency or Minister not to impose the charge
-
the day on which the applicant is notified of the decision; or
(ba)
in a case where the request concerned was made to an agency and the applicant, having not paid the charge or deposit referred to in paragraph (a), makes application to the agency under section
54
for a review of the decision to impose the payment of the charge:
(i)
if a decision is made by the agency setting aside the decision
-
the day on which the applicant is notified by the agency of that decision; or
(ii)
if a decision is made by the agency setting aside the decision and making another decision in substitution for that decision
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the day on which the applicant pays the charge specified in the substituted decision, or such deposit on account of that charge as the applicant is required to pay under the regulations; or
(c)
in a case where the applicant, having not paid the charge or deposit referred to in paragraph (a), makes application to the Tribunal under section
55
for a review of the decision to impose the payment of a charge:
(i)
if a decision is made by the Tribunal setting aside that decision
-
the day on which the applicant is notified by the Tribunal of that decision; or
(ii)
if a decision is made by the Tribunal setting aside that decision and making another decision in substitution for that decision
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the day on which the applicant pays the charge specified in the substituted decision or such deposit on account of that charge as he or she is required to pay under the regulations;
whichever day first occurs.