Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Certificate of Secretary of Department of Premier and Cabinet that document is exempt - Effect of certificate - Power of County Court on appeal from refusal to grant access to certified document - Power to determine whether document properly classified as exempt in certificate - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No. 9859), s28(4), s50(5).

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Information communicated in confidence to agency - Document disclosing opinion or advice for deliberative purposes of agency - Whether disclosure contrary to public interest - Whether disclosure likely to impair ability to obtain similar information in future - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No. 9859), s30(1), s35(1).

Statute - Interpretation - Whether "or" should be read "and" - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No. 9859), s34.

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Documents disclosing information relating to trade secrets or matters of business, commercial or financial nature - Whether phrase "other matters of a business, commercial or financial nature" should be read restrictively - Documents relating to Portland aluminium smelter - Whether exemption extends to documents created before proclamation of enabling Act relating to other sites or to construction of different smelter - "Smelters" - "Smelter site" - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No. 9859), s34 - Alcoa (Portland Aluminium Smelter) (Amendment) Act 1984 (No. 10115), s14.

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Disclosure reasonably likely to endanger life or physical safety - "Reasonably likely" Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No 9859), s31(1)(e).

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Exemption apparent from nature of document - Agency not required to identify documents or specify exemption - Review of agency's decision - Administrative Appeals Tribunal - Whether tribunal may direct agency to identify documents and specify exemption - Whether tribunal may call for documents - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No. 9859) ss. 3 25A(5) 38 50(2) 50(4) 52(1) 56(1) - Casino Control Act 1991 (No. 47) s. 151.

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Secrecy provision in another statute - Scope of exemption - Whether other statute must prohibit disclosure by person in possession of document - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No 9859) s 38 - Corrections Act 1986 (No 117) ss 17 30(1)(f) 30(2) - Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (No 53) s 148

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Personal affairs of any person - Unreasonable disclosure - Test - Relevant considerations - Effect of disclosure of document - Extent of possible or likely disclosure of information - Whether statutory disclosure of document necessarily disclosure to world at large - "Would" - "Involve" - "Unreasonable disclosure of information" - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No 9859) ss 3 13 29 29A 31(1) 33(1) 33(2A)

Administrative law - Freedom of information - Exempt documents - Override power to order release of exempt document where public interest required release - Stringent test - Court's inspection of disputed documents - Legal professional privilege - Legal advice to Attorney-General - Petition for mercy - Attorney issuing press release announcing refusal of petition - Press release reference to senior counsel's advice to government - No reference to other legal advices - Whether press release misleading - Scope of legislative concept of public interest - Policy considerations - Political and ministerial accountability - "Requires" - Freedom of Information Act 1982 (No 9859) ss 32 50(4).