If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
4 September 2024
Our reference: LEX 80970
RedYel owPink
Only by email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear RedYel owPink
Decision on your Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your request received by Services Australia (the Agency) on 5 August 2024 for
access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) to the fol owing document:
Progress of claim - Families claims 007-07010050 from your Operational Blueprint.
My decision
The Agency holds one document (total ing 16 pages) that relates to your request.
I have decided to grant you part access to the document.
I have decided certain parts of the document you have requested are exempt under the FOI
Act, as the document includes operational information, the disclosure of which would have a
substantial adverse effect on the agency’s ability to conduct its operations efficiently and
properly (section 47E(d) conditional exemption).
Please see the schedule at Attachment A to this letter for a description of the document and
the reasons for my decision, including the relevant sections of the FOI Act.
How we will send the document to you
The document is attached.
You can ask for a review of our decision
If you disagree with any part of the decision you can ask for a review. There are two ways
you can do this. You can ask for an internal review from within the Agency, or an external
review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. See Attachment B for
more information about how to request a review.
Further assistance
If you have any questions please email xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
PAGE 1 OF 7
Yours sincerely
Michel e
Authorised FOI Decision Maker
Freedom of Information Team
FOI and Reviews Branch | Legal Services Division
Services Australia
PAGE 2 OF 7
If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
REASONS FOR DECISION
What you requested
Progress of claim - Families claims 007-07010050 from your Operational Blueprint.
On 9 August 2024, the Agency acknowledged your request, and on 26 August 2024, we
sought your agreement to a 7 day extension of time to process your request. We did not
receive a response from you..
What I took into account
In reaching my decision I took into account:
your request dated 5 August 2024
the document which fal s within the scope of your request
whether the release of material is in the public interest
consultations with Agency officers about:
o the nature of the document
o the Agency's operating environment and functions
guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under section 93A of
the FOI Act (the Guidelines), and
the FOI Act.
Reasons for my decision
I am authorised to make decisions under section 23(1) of the FOI Act.
I have decided that parts of the document you requested are exempt under the FOI Act. My
findings of fact and reasons for deciding that the exemption applies to the document are
discussed below.
Section 47E(d) of the FOI Act – Operations of the Agency
I have applied the conditional exemption in section 47E(d) of the FOI Act to parts of the
document (Document 1).
This section of the FOI Act al ows the Agency to redact material from a document if its
disclosure would have a substantial adverse effect on the Agency’s ability to conduct its
operations efficiently and properly.
The requested document contains a guide for Agency staff concerning Family Tax Benefit
claim processes. I am satisfied this information is relevant to the implementation, delivery
and management of a process administered by the Agency, and therefore is relevant to the
conduct of the Agency’s operations.
I consider that providing this material to you, which is not publicly available, would negatively
affect the conduct of the Agency’s operations because it may provide insight to malicious
users about navigating the Agency’s internal systems.
PAGE 4 OF 7
While I have no reason to believe you would misuse the exempt material in this way, the FOI
Act does not control or restrict use or dissemination of the information once released, so I
must consider actions any member of the public might take if the information is in the public
domain.
Public interest considerations
Access to conditional y exempt material must be given unless I am satisfied it would not be in
the public interest to do so.
I consider disclosure of the material would promote the objects of the FOI Act, including
increasing public participation in Government processes.
However, I also consider disclosure of the exempt material would prejudice the Agency’s
ability to properly and efficiently deliver services to the public, by providing information which
would al ow individuals to navigate the Agency’s established processes. I also consider some
of the exempt material containing detailed system coding instructions for staff, could be used
as a ‘how to’ guide by a malicious user to navigate the Agency’s system, and therefore
presents a cyber security risk.
Based on these factors, I have decided that in this instance, the public interest in disclosing
the information in the document is outweighed by the public interest against disclosure.
Accordingly, I have decided not to release the document in ful to you.
Out of scope or irrelevant information has been deleted in accordance with section 22 of the
FOI Act.
I have not taken into account any of the irrelevant factors set out in section 11B(4) of the FOI
Act in making this decision.
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If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
Attachment B
INFORMATION ON RIGHTS OF REVIEW
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982
Asking for a full explanation of a Freedom of Information (FOI) decision
Before you ask for a formal review of a FOI decision, you can contact us to discuss your
request. We wil explain the decision to you. This gives you a chance to correct
misunderstandings.
Asking for a formal review of an FOI decision
If you stil believe a decision is incorrect, the FOI Act gives you the right to apply for a review
of the decision. Under sections 54 and 54L of the FOI Act, you can apply for a review of an
FOI decision by:
1. an Internal Review Officer in the Agency, and/or
2. the Australian Information Commissioner.
Applying for an internal review by an Internal Review Officer
If you apply for internal review, a different decision maker to the Agency delegate who made
the original decision wil carry out the review. The Internal Review Officer wil consider al
aspects of the original decision and decide whether it should change. An application for
internal review must be:
made in writing
made within 30 days of receiving this letter
sent to the address at the top of the first page of this letter, or by email to
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Note: You do not need to fil in a form. However, it is a good idea to set out any relevant
submissions you would like the Internal Review Officer to further consider, and your reasons
for disagreeing with the decision.
Applying for external review by the Australian Information Commissioner
If you do not agree with the original decision or the internal review decision, you can ask the
Australian Information Commissioner to review the decision.
If you do not receive a decision from an Internal Review Officer in the Agency within 30 days
of applying, you can ask the Australian Information Commissioner for a review of the original
FOI decision.
You wil have 60 days to apply in writing for a review by the Australian Information
Commissioner.
PAGE 6 OF 7
You can lodge your application:
Online:
www.oaic.gov.au
Post:
Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Email:
xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Note: The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner general y prefers FOI
applicants to seek internal review before applying for external review by the Australian
Information Commissioner.
Important:
If you are applying online, the application form the 'FOI Review Form' is available at
Information Commissioner Review Application form
If you have one, you should include with your application a copy of the Agency's
decision on your FOI request
Include your contact details
Set out your reasons for objecting to the Agency's decision.
Complaints to the Australian Information Commissioner and Commonwealth
Ombudsman
Australian Information Commissioner
You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner concerning action taken by
an agency in the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the FOI Act,
There is no fee for making a complaint. A complaint to the Australian Information
Commissioner must be made in writing. The Australian Information Commissioner's contact
details are:
Telephone: 1300 363 992
Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Smart Form: FOI Complaint Form
Commonwealth Ombudsman
You may also complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman concerning action taken by an
agency in the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the FOI Act. There is
no fee for making a complaint. A complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman may be
made in person, by telephone or in writing. The Commonwealth Ombudsman's contact
details are:
Phone: 1300 362 072
Website: www.ombudsman.gov.au
The Commonwealth Ombudsman general y prefers applicants to seek review before
complaining about a decision.
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