Article: Beaten by red tape runaround

[Fares_Fair]

Article: Beaten by red tape runaround
Sunshine Coast Daily
Wednesday, May 23, 2012.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/05/23/beaten-by-red-tape-runaround/

IF commuter advocate Jeff Addison thinks his train trip from Palmwoods to Brisbane every day is a saga, it is nothing compared to how long it is taking him to get some documents out of Queensland Rail.

Mr Addison made a Right to Information application more than a year ago for documents giving advice to the state and federal governments on infrastructure needs for the North Coast line from Brisbane to Gympie North from September 2008 to March 2011.

He received a letter from Queensland Rail advising that the documents had been compiled, but soon after another letter from the Office of the Information Commissioner advised that only a couple of documents matched his request.

When told that was the end of the line, a disgruntled Mr Addison indicated that he may as well give up his quest.

He said he later learnt that he could appeal the decision through the Queensland Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

However the OIC noted he had withdrawn the complaint and refused to provide the finalisation letter he needed for the appeal.

A complaint to the State Government Ombudsman about deceptive conduct by the OIC has failed.

The Ombudsman wrote to Mr Addison last week to advise that it was powerless to investigate the OIC.

Mr Addison said seeking legal advice was another option but likely to be "a vicious circle".