OAIC Disbanded as Privacy, FOI Oversight Redistributed
Procedural oversight of privacy, freedom of information (FOI) and other administrative functions has been overhauled in the Budget with the disbanding of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the reallocation of its constituent tasks to other government agencies. From 1 January 2015, the OAIC will no longer exist as a unified organisation. Instead, its functions and full-time internal and external staff will be redistributed amongst four other government agencies, with its budget ($10.6m in 2013-14) returned to government coffers. Budget Papers show the move will save the government $3.3m in direct funding this financial year, then approximately $10.4m each year thereafter.