IPS agency section 8 plan

IPS agency plan (section 8 plan)

Part II of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) establishes the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). The IPS requires agencies to publish a range of information, including a plan setting out how they will implement the IPS. Section 8 of the FOI Act contains details of these requirements.

For links to the information we are required to publish under the IPS, visit Information Publication Scheme.

This is the Attorney-General's Department Section 8 Plan, published on May 4th, 2026.

Information to be published

The Attorney-General's Department will publish the following information:

  • this section 8 plan
  • details of our organisational structure
  • as far as practicable, details of our functions, including our decision-making powers and other powers affecting members of the public
  • details of departmental officer appointments that are made under Acts (other than APS employees under the Public Service Act 1999)
  • information in our annual reports that are presented to Parliament
  • details of arrangements for members of the public to comment on specific policy proposals for which we are responsible, including how, and to whom, those comments may be made
  • information in documents to which we routinely give access in response to requests under Part III of the Act except:
    • personal information about any individual the publishing of which would be unreasonable
    • information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person the publishing of which would be unreasonable
    • other information of a kind determined by the Information Commissioner the publishing of which would be unreasonable
  • information we hold that is routinely provided to the Parliament in response to requests and orders from the Parliament
  • the contact details of an officer who can be contacted about access to information and documents that we hold
  • our 'operational information' – that is, information we hold in order to perform or exercise our functions or powers in making decisions or recommendations affecting members of the public or a particular person or entity, or classes of persons or entities, which may include departmental rules, guidelines, practices and precedents relating to those decisions and recommendations.

How, and to whom, the information will be published

We will publish information about how to access the information identified in this plan on this website. In accordance with the requirements of section 8D(3) of the FOI Act, access methods may include:

  • direct downloads from our website (where practicable to do so)
  • links to other websites where the information is available
  • on request – where appropriate, our website may include the name and contact details of relevant departmental officers and business units from whom the information or document can be obtained.

Other compliance measures

We will address the requirements of Part II of the FOI Act as follows:

  • We will include our IPS obligations in our website governance policy.
  • We will assign responsibility for ensuring information published in accordance with the IPS is accurate, up to date and complete to the relevant business group in the department that is responsible for the relevant information, and include details on how this is to be managed in our website governance policy.
  • Officers in the Freedom of Information and Privacy Section (FOIP) will be available to provide advice to departmental contact officers in business groups on the requirements of the IPS and the implementation of this plan, including:
    • advice as to what information and documents should and should not be published
    • the circumstances in which charges may be levied and how they should be calculated and published.
  • We will comply with any relevant guidelines issued by the Information Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act.
  • In performing a function or exercising a power under Part II of the FOI Act, we will also have regard to the objects of the Act as set out in sections 3 and 3A.