FOI Training
The OIC offers the following training services to agency staff and community groups. Our training is provided free of charge.
FOI Fundamentals Series
The FOI Fundamentals Series consists of eight online modules and is aimed at State and local government officers dealing with FOI in their agency. The material covered throughout the series includes the material from the FOI Coordinators Workshop, previously offered in-house at the OIC’s premises.
Participants complete the program at their own pace at any time once enrolled.
This course is available for Western Australian State and local government officers.
NOTE: Currently there is no certificate offered for completion of the FOI Fundamentals Series.
To register go to: https://www.oic.wa.gov.au/TrainingSchedule.
FOI Decision-Writing Workshops - in-person
Target Audience: Decision-makers in State or local government
Purpose: To enhance decision-makers’ skills and confidence in writing a notice of decision that complies with the Freedom of Information Act 1992. Participants will be expected to already have a basic understanding of the requirements of the FOI Act. Participants will be provided with pre-workshop reading to assist their preparation. The workshop will be interactive using written exercises and discussion.
Note that the material covered will be the similar in each Decision-Writing Workshop. It is not appropriate for an individual to register for multiple Decision-Writing Workshops.
Outcome: Participants will be aware of the requirements for writing a valid notice of decision and strategies to ensure compliance with those requirements.
Cost: free
Duration: 3.5 hours, including 20 minute break mid-workshop.
Dates for 2025 will be published in early January 2025
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FOI Coordinators Workshop
Target Audience: Officer who have responsibility for information access processes and decisions within their agencies. It is appropriate for those who are new to freedom of information, or those who would like a refresher to ensure that their agency’s processes and policies continue to accord with best practice.
Purpose: To introduce participants to the objects and the principles of the FOI Act and the major features of the legislation. Coverage includes: introduction to the FOI Act; the role of decision-makers; FOI applications; exemptions; consultation with third parties; charges; notices of decision and review; amendment of records; publication of information; and statistics and reporting.
Outcome: Participants will be able to explain the intent of the FOI Act, apply the principles, and assist applicants gain access to documents, where appropriate.
Duration: 1 day, including breaks for morning tea, afternoon tea and lunch. Light refreshments for morning and afternoon tea are provided. Lunch is not provided.
Cost: free
The next FOI Coordinators Workshop will be held on:
- Thursday 21 November 2024 9am-4:30pm
Numbers are limited.
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FOI Wednesday Webinars
The OIC will continue to offer 50-minute Zoom webinars for State and local government officers in 2024. These are held via Zoom, for WA State and local government officers. These seminars provide the opportunity to hear from OIC staff on the various aspects of the obligations and opportunities under the FOI Act.
Upcoming FOI Wednesday Webinars
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FOI Wednesday webinars offered in 2024 were:
- Wednesday Webinar: Setting up an access application and your agency’s processes for success - a discussion of ways that agencies can set up their processes in order to assist people to access documents promptly and at the lowest reasonable cost in accordance with the requirements of the FOI Act.
- Wednesday Webinar: Up Close and Personal: Considering personal information in three scenarios a consideration of the personal information exemption in Schedule 1 of the FOI Act in the context of applying exemption in different scenarios.
FOI Wednesday webinars offered in 2023 were:
- Third Party Case Studies - an examination of a number of the Information Commissioner’s published decisions that have considered the role and/or views of third parties. How can these decisions assist you in dealing with third parties?
- Let the Sunshine In – a discussion with Professor Peter Coaldrake AO to mark International Access to Information Day - a live online discussion between Professor Peter Coaldrake AO and WA Information Commissioner, Catherine Fletcher. This session covered the findings and implications of the 2022 Coaldrake Review of culture and accountability in the Qld Public Sector, in order to provide some learnings for the WA public sector.
FOI Wednesday webinars offered in 2022 were:
- Amendment of Personal Information - about how the right to amendment of personal information works in practice for agencies
- Open Government - Open Data in Practice – about the progress of open data in WA, the WA government's Open Data Policy and data.wa.gov.au
- Dealing with Third Parties – about agencies’ obligations to see the views of third parties.
- FOI in WA in 2021 - How Did we Fare? – about the agency FOI Statistics in 2021 and in other jurisdictions
- Open by Design Principles – discussion about dealing with information access outside of the FOI process
- Section 20 of the FOI Act – refusing to deal with an access application
- Skills for Effective Communication in the FOI Process
- What Happens on Internal and External Review?
If you missed a live webinar and you would like to view a recording, contact us at advice_and_awareness@oic.wa.gov.au to request a link.
In-Agency Training and Briefings
Briefings and in-house training sessions for agencies and community groups may be available on request. To make enquiries please contact us at (08) 6551 7888 or advice_and_awareness@oic.wa.gov.au