Freedom of Information

APS 5 - $78,548 - $86,168
- Legal
- Adelaide - SA, Brisbane - QLD, Canberra - ACT, Melbourne - VIC, Sydney - NSW
- Assist the department to manage its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Manage your own FOI case load and assist the Senior FOI Officer and Assistant Director on more complex matters.
- Work in a fast-paced and exciting environment.

**Who we are**
The Legal Division is managed by the Chief Counsel and is comprised of both lawyers and non-lawyers. Together we are responsible for all legal services and advice required by the department. We partner with the business areas of the department, the Executive, and the Secretary to identify and manage legal risk across the department and facilitate excellent legal outcomes for our clients. As a member of the Division, you will have a key role in growing this department which has been established to deliver on matters which are at the forefront of our national agenda. You will be involved in interesting and important work which may span environment protection, energy, climate change and heritage, and on-ground operations in Commonwealth national parks and Antarctica.

Work we do includes:

- providing legal advice on a broad range of issues including statutory interpretation and administrative law, regulatory actions and investigations and commercial work and funding activities
- managing the department’s litigation across a broad range of matters including merits review, judicial review, commercial disputes, and Work Health and Safety matters, in a range of Courts and Tribunals
- developing legal risk and mitigation strategies, particularly in areas of novel or complex work
- developing and coordinating legislation bids and processes, including drafting instructions for the department’s ambitious legislative reform agenda
- developing legal guidance resources and delivering training for the department
- coordinating freedom of information requests and providing privacy advice
- providing administrative and financial support services to the Division.

The Legal Division operates in a fast paced, exciting environment. We focus on ensuring our staff are supported and developed so that they are in the best position to take on the challenges of the work. We provide competitive conditions and remuneration and provide opportunities for staff to both specialise and diversify their skills, while learning from and being supported by highly skilled senior staff.

Corporate, Climate Change & Energy Branch The Corporate, Climate Change & Energy Branch is made up of four sections: Information Law, Commercial Law, Climate Change & Energy Legal, and the Legal Strategy & Coordination team. The Branch is responsible for advising on advising on all information law and commercial law matters, corporate advising, and statutory and administrative law advice to the Climate Change & Energy groups. The Branch is also responsible for practice management support to the Division, including recruitment, managing the Divisional budget and the procurement of external legal services.

Information Law The Information Law team provides advice on information law issues to all areas of the department.

The team is responsible for:

- managing and advising on Freedom of Information requests including internal reviews and reviews by the Information Commissioner
- providing advice on privacy issues, including the assessment and provision of advice on privacy breaches and complaints
- providing advice on protected information and confidential information matters
- advising on scope and public interest immunity claims in the context of Orders for Production of documents.

**The Job**
FOI Officers assist the department to manage its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act by processing requests for information in accordance with the Act and established procedures and guidelines. FOI Officers manage their own FOI case load of more routine matters and assist the Senior FOI Officer and Assistant Director on more complex matters. The role requires regular communication with a wide range of staff within the department, Executive, Minister’s Offices and external stakeholders.

FOI Officers are required to:

- with broad direction, manage a case load of routine FOI requests and coordinate the department’s response to each request within strict timeframes
- provide guidance to decision-makers and action officers on FOI matters
- prepare draft FOI documents, including correspondence and decisions
- support the Minister’s Offices and portfolio agencies, as required
- undertake other duties as required, including contributing to branch projects
- contribute to the delivery of departmental training on FOI.

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
Relevant experience in FOI, case management, or legislative compliance is desirable but not essential. An understanding of the department’s operations and strategic environment is also preferred, but not esse