Names, signatures and initials of public servants-what's the FOI story?
Names of public servants carrying out usual functions- in the usual case not exempt. Signatures of public servants-in the usual case exempt: unreasonable disclosure of personal information and on balance contrary to the public interest. Initials of public servants and police officers? Although it wasn't a major issue in the matter Acting Australian Information Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim in ‘HJ’ and Australian Federal Police [2015] AICmr 71 (6 November 2015) rejected argument that disclosure of the initials of officers appearing in a document would be unreasonable. The AFP argued the potential for identity fraud or forgery, and the fact that the author of the initials did not expect the material to be released under the FOI Act. The question of whether signatures of public servants are exempt under s 47F is an increasingly common theme in IC reviews. The Guidelines note at [6.140]: Where public servants’ personal information is included in a document because of their usual dutie...