There have been substantial changes to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and Freedom of Information (FOI) functions. The Privacy Commissioner, who received greater powers under the Privacy Act reforms that were introduced earlier this year, is to be moved to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The OAIC itself will be disbanded. The Attorney-General's Department will take responsibility for issuing FOI guidelines and providing explanatory material while the Administrative Affairs Tribunal will oversee the external merits review of FOI decisions. Norton Rose Fulbright partner Nick Abrahams said that it will be interesting to see what impact this change has on the Privacy Commissioner's ability to effectively enforce his new privacy powers.

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