OFFICIAL
Our ref: FOI-2024-80034
15 November 2024
Lex Not Given By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Lex
Freedom of Information request
1. I refer to your request of 21 October 2024 to this Office under the
Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) for access to documents in the fol owing terms:
" On 21 October 2024, Iain Anderson, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, gave a
keynote address for the 2024 complaint handling forum.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), I request access to the
keynote address delivered by Iain Anderson on 21 October 2024.
For the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), the concept of a
document extends to traditional documents, as wel as digital documents, audio
recordings and video recordings. If a documentary copy of the address does
not exist but a recording of the address exists, please grant access to the video
or audio recording.”
Decision
2. This letter constitutes notice of my decision on your request for access. I am
authorised to make decisions on behalf of our Office under s 23 of the FOI Act.
3. Our Office has identified one (1) document, total ing 12 pages, relevant to your
request. I have decided to release the document in ful .
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4. A schedule setting out the relevant documents is at
Attachment A. Our Office
identified the documents by searching our electronic records management system
and electronic documents saved on shared or network drives.
5. I attach the relevant requested documents with this email.
Reasons for decision
Material taken into account
6. In making my decision I had regard to the fol owing:
a. the terms of your request
b. the content of the documents to which you sought access
c. the relevant provisions of the FOI Act
d. Guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under s 93A of
the FOI Act, available at www.oaic.gov.au (
FOI Guidelines).
7. In considering whether all reasonable steps have been taken to locate documents
within scope, I have considered:
a. the subject matter of the documents requested
b. the file management systems in place
c. individuals and line areas within the office who may be able to assist.
8. I have interpreted this request as extending to documents held by the Ombudsman
that pertain to the keystone address the Commonwealth Ombudsman delivered
during the complaint handling forum on 21 October 2024.
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Review rights
Internal review
9. You can request internal review within 30 days of you receiving this decision. An
internal review wil be conducted by a different officer from the original decision-
maker.
10. No particular form is required to apply for review although it wil assist your case to
set out the grounds on which you believe that the original decision should be
changed. Applications for internal review can be made:
• via email to
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
• by mail to Commonwealth Ombudsman GPO Box 442 Canberra ACT 2601
11. If you choose to seek an internal review, you wil afterward have a right to apply for
Information Commissioner review (IC review) of the internal review decision.
Information Commissioner review or complaint
12. You also have the right to seek IC review of this decision. For FOI applicants, an
application for IC review must be made in writing within 60 days of the decision. For
third parties who object to disclosure of their information, an application for IC
review must be made in writing within 30 days of the decision.
13. If you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your FOI request, you
can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
(OAIC). However, the OAIC suggests that complaints are made to the agency in the
first instance.
14. While there is no particular form required to make a complaint to the OAIC, the
complaint should be in writing and set out the reasons for why you are dissatisfied
with the way your request was processed. It should also identify the Ombudsman’s
Office as the agency about which you are complaining.
15. You can make an IC review application or make an FOI complaint in one of the
following ways:
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• online at
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/your-freedom-of-
information-rights/freedom-of-information-complaints/make-an-foi-
complaint
• via email to
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
• by mail to GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001, or
• by fax to 02 9284 9666.
16. More information about the Information Commissioner reviews and complaints is
available at its website:
www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/foi-review-
process.
Contact
17. You may contact me via email at
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx or via
telephone on 1300 362 072.
Yours sincerely
Laura Mackenzie
Legal Officer
Legal Team
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Attachment A
Schedule of documents- Freedom of Information Request FOI-2024-80034
Doc
Description of Document
Decision of Access Exempt or irrelevant
Information
Notes
No.
material
redacted
1.
Iain Anderson's address notes
Full release
Not a transcript, the
speech was
prepared prior to the
address.
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