Harry Williams
Via em
ail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Williams
Freedom of Information Request 53001 – Notice of intention to refuse
I refer to the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (
FOI Act) request made to the Department of Social
Services (
the Department) on 19 February 2025. The request seeks access to:
all briefs and emails within the department regarding gambling, gambling harm, gambling national
consumer protection framework, BetStop and gambling activity statements.
Between 1 January and 31 December 2021.
I am authorised to make decisions in respect of FOI requests under subsection 23(1) of the FOI Act.
Practical refusal reason
This request general y seeks every brief and email that contains a reference to gambling that was
generated over the course of 12 months. Amongst the documents it captures is the core business
output of the Gambling Policy team. As the request would capture every email generated by the team
over the course of a year, the request easily captures hundreds, if not thousands of documents.
I consider that the Department has limited capacity to process a request of this size. The work involved
in processing the request would substantial y and unreasonably divert the resources of the Department
from its other operations.
In accordance with s 24(1) of the FOI Act, I consider that a practical refusal reason exists in relation to
the request for access to documents.
Request consultation process
Under section 24(1)(b) of the FOI Act, the Department is required to provide you with the opportunity
to revise the scope of your request so that a ‘practical refusal reason’ no longer exists. One way you
could achieve this is to refine the scope of your request, for example by seeking specific Ministerial
briefs that are focussed on the specific aspect of gambling policy that you are interested in.
Please note that refining the scope of the request may remove the practical refusal reason, but does not
necessarily mean that that any documents subject to the request will be released in part or in full.
Next steps
Should you wish to revise the request, you must do so
within 14 days after the day you are sent this
notice. The 14 day deadline ends at
11:59pm on 7 March 2025 by which time
you are required to take
one of the below actions
. If you are unable to meet this deadline and require an extension of time to
discuss ways to revise the scope of your request, please contact the FOI Section by email at
xxx@xxx.xxx.xx.
GPO Box 9820 Canberra ACT 2601
Email Facsimile Telephone 1300 653 227
National Relay Service: TTY: 133 677, Speak and listen: 1300 555 727, Internet relay: www.relayservice.com.au
www.dss.gov.au
In accordance with subsection 24AB(6) of the FOI Act, you must, before the end of the 14-day
consultation period, do one of the fol owing by written notice to the department:
a) withdraw the request;
b) make a revised request; or
c) indicate that you do not wish to revise the request.
Please note that under subsection 24AB(7), the request is taken to have been withdrawn at the end of
the 14 day consultation period if:
a) the applicant does not consult the contact person during the consultation period in
accordance with this notice; or
b) the applicant does not do one of the things mentioned in subsection(6) before the end of the
consultation period.
In accordance with subsection 24AB(8) of the FOI Act, the 14-day consultation period is to be
disregarded in calculating the processing period for the request.
Yours sincerely
Sarah B
Authorised FOI Decision Maker
21 February 2025
