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Public Service Commission

Agency information guide

The protocols determining what, how and when information is made available by the PSC.

About the guide

This guide tells you in general terms: 

  • What our structure and functions are 
  • What kind of government information we have 
  • What kind of government information we will make available to the public 
  • How that information will be made available 
  • Whether or not there is a charge to access specific kinds of information 

Our structure and functions

Information on the current structure and functions of the Commission is publicly available in the About Us section of the Commission’s website and is also contained in the Annual Report. 

What kind of government information we have

Information is contained in the following records held by the PSC: 

  • policy documents including Memoranda, Circulars and Commissioner’s Directions 
  • documents on internal administration of the Commission 
  • documents concerning appointments to various official positions 
  • policy and planning documents 

In addition, the Commission also maintains the following categories of records: 

  • Premier's briefing papers 
  • submissions to the three remuneration tribunals (Statutory and Other Offices, Parliamentary and Local Government) 
  • Public Service Commission Advisory Board briefing papers 
  • correspondence with the Commonwealth 
  • correspondence with the other States and Territories 
  • correspondence with members of the public 
  • correspondence with Ministers and other Members of Parliament 
  • internal working papers of the Commission 

What kind of government information is made available to the public, and how

Open access information 

The Commission makes available, free of charge on this website, the following open access information: 

  • The Commission’s Annual Report  
  • The State of the Public Sector Report 
  • Findings of the People Matter Employee Survey 
  • All other documents and reports that are tabled in Parliament concerning the Commission 
  • All Premier’s Memoranda issued by the Public Service Commission that set formal Government policy - current and non-current  
  • All PSC Circulars issued by the Commissioner - current and non-current 
  • Directions issued by the Commissioner 
  • Details of significant government contracts and tenders 
  • The Commission's disclosure log   

Information available on informal request

A request may be made at any time for other information held by the Commission. While the Commission reserves the right to require a formal access application to be made under the GIPA Act, the Commission will generally provide the following types of information in response to an informal request, without the need to make a formal access application: 

  • Copies of correspondence, where the person requesting the correspondence was the person who sent it to the Commission 
  • Documents that contain only personal information about a particular individual, and that is the person who is requesting the information 
  • Documents that have already been made public in some other way 
  • Other reasonable requests for information the release of which would not raise any potential concerns in terms of public interest considerations against disclosure. 

The Commission reserves the right to impose conditions in relation to the use or disclosure of information that is released in response to an informal request. 

Some publications may only be available on the payment of a fee, but we will let you know if that is the case. 

Information available in response to an access application 

An access application may be made for all other information held by the Commission as permitted by the GIPA Act. 
 
Access applications are subject to application fees and processing charges

The Commission will not release information if there is an “overriding public interest against disclosure” of the information. Whether or not information may be released is determined in accordance with the GIPA Act. 

Further, there is certain information whose disclosure not permitted under any circumstances (as provided in Schedules 1 and 2 of the GIPA Act). Examples of this information includes: 

  • Cabinet information (as defined in item 2 of Schedule 1 of the GIPA Act); 
  • Executive Council information (as defined in item 3 of Schedule 1 of the GIPA Act); and 
  • Documents that are subject to Parliamentary privilege, such as draft answers to Questions on Notice (item 4 of Schedule 1 of the GIPA Act), and 
  • Information relating to the inquiry functions of the Commissioner under section 83 of the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (or under section 82 of that Act if the Commissioner is directed to conduct a special inquiry) (item 2 of Schedule 2 of the GIPA Act). 
  • (Note: This list is not exhaustive).