What happens with reviews in Ombudsman Tasmania?

If you have received an internal review decision or an original decision made by a Minister or principal officer directly and you are not happy with it, you can request an external review of the decision by Ombudsman Tasmania.

An external review will consist of this office seeking all information from the public authority or Minister responsive to the request, not just the information you might already have received. Submissions and other relevant information will be sought from either you or the public authority or Minister, or all the parties.

Once all the relevant information has been received, a substantive review will be conducted of the information claimed to be exempt, and an assessment made as to whether it actually meets the requirements for exemption.  The information will be considered by reference to the Act, the submissions and reasons why that information should be exempt will be evaluated, and we will then determine whether the information is exempt or whether it should be released, in whole or in part.

The Ombudsman does not advocate for any party to a review but will applies the Act objectively in the circumstances of the particular request, having regard to the object of the Act, its purpose, and express terms.