OFFICIAL

Dear Applicant,

We refer to your request to the National Indigenous Australians Agency
(NIAA) on 1 July 2024 under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)
in the following terms: 

               " Can you provide me with current data and statistics
showing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's who have
been injured, hospitalised, placed on ventilators and died in connection
with or as a result of SARS CoV-2 infection?”

Transfer under section 16 of the FOI Act

As the subject matter of the documents sought relates more closely to the
functions and responsibilities of the Department of Health and Aged Care,
your request has been transferred in full under section 16(1)(b) of the
FOI Act.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will contact you in relation to
your request.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the NIAA FOI team.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Team | Legal Services Branch| Integrity Group | National Indigenous
Australians Agency| [1][email address]
Charles Perkins House, 16 Bowes Place, Phillip ACT 2606|  PO Box
2191  ACT 2601
w. [2]niaa.gov.au  w. [3]indigenous.gov.au

 
[4]cid:image007.png@01D69BC4.E579AC20 The National Indigenous Australians Agency acknowledges the traditional
owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and
emerging.
 
[5]cid:image008.png@01D69BC4.E579AC20    
[6]cid:image009.png@01D69BC4.E579AC20     [7]cid:image010.png@01D69BC4.E579AC20     [8]cid:image012.png@01D69BC4.E579AC20

Note: This email and any attachments may contain confidential or legally
privileged information (and neither are waived or lost if this email has
been sent to you by mistake). If you are not the intended recipient, you
must not use, disclose, copy or retain it.  If you have received it in
error, please let me know by reply email and then delete this email from
your system and do not retain any copy. Recipients within the National
Indigenous Australians Agency should seek assistance from Legal Services
Branch before disseminating this email to third parties.

show quoted sections

Dear Ms Torrens,

I refer to your request received by the National Indigenous Australians
Agency for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(FOI Act). You have requested access to:

Current data and statistics showing the number of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander's who have been injured, hospitalised, placed on
ventilators and died in connection with or as a result of SARS CoV-2
infection.

I am writing to tell you that on 3 July 2024, the Department of Health
and Aged Care (the department) has accepted transfer of your request
from National Indigenous Australians Agency.

The reference number for your request is FOI-5247. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.

Timeframes

Your request was received by National Indigenous Australians Agency on 1
July 2024 and the 30-day statutory period for processing your request
commenced from the day after that date. The department will treat your
request as though we received it the same day that National Indigenous
Australians Agency did. You should expect a decision from us by 31 July
2024. The period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third
parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.

Other information

The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents.  If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.

Unless you advise otherwise:

·       any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the scope
of your request, and

·       any Commonwealth employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.

Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[1]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)

You can contact the FOI team via email at [2][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.

Kind regards,

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation Branch

Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.

From: FOI NIAA <[email address]>
Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2024 12:32 PM
To: '[FOI #11584 email]'
<[FOI #11584 email]>
Cc: FOI NIAA <[email address]>
Subject: Your Freedom of Information Request - Notice of Transfer to
Department of Health and Aged Care - FOI/2425/001 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

OFFICIAL

Dear Applicant,

We refer to your request to the National Indigenous Australians Agency
(NIAA) on 1 July 2024 under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)
in the following terms:

" Can you provide me with current data and statistics showing the number
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's who have been injured,
hospitalised, placed on ventilators and died in connection with or as a
result of SARS CoV-2 infection?”

Transfer under section 16 of the FOI Act

As the subject matter of the documents sought relates more closely to the
functions and responsibilities of the Department of Health and Aged Care,
your request has been transferred in full under section 16(1)(b) of the
FOI Act.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will contact you in relation to
your request.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the NIAA FOI team.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Team | Legal Services Branch| Integrity Group | National Indigenous
Australians Agency| [3][email address]
Charles Perkins House, 16 Bowes Place, Phillip ACT 2606| PO Box 2191 ACT
2601
w. [4]niaa.gov.au w. [5]indigenous.gov.au

The National Indigenous Australians Agency acknowledges the traditional
owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and
emerging.
[6][IMG][7][IMG][8][IMG][9][IMG]

Note: This email and any attachments may contain confidential or legally
privileged information (and neither are waived or lost if this email has
been sent to you by mistake). If you are not the intended recipient, you
must not use, disclose, copy or retain it. If you have received it in
error, please let me know by reply email and then delete this email from
your system and do not retain any copy. Recipients within the National
Indigenous Australians Agency should seek assistance from Legal Services
Branch before disseminating this email to third parties.

show quoted sections

Good afternoon,

I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) on 1 July 2024 for access to documents under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:

Can you provide me with current data and statistics showing the number of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's who have been injured,
hospitalised, placed on ventilators and died in connection with or as a
result of SARS CoV-2 infection?

The department has reviewed the scope of your request and believes that in
its current form there is uncertainty in the interpretation, which could
result in the request being incorrectly processed.

Taking this into consideration, we are contacting you to help you clarify
the scope of your request.

Scope clarification

We wish to clarify the time period referred to in your request as ‘current
data’. This part of your request is very broad in nature and we ask that
you specify a date range for the requested data.

For example, you could narrow the timeframe of the data to between 1
January 2024 to 1 July 2024, alternatively you could supply a timeframe.

We would be grateful if you could review the above and provide a response
by close of business 17 July 2024.

Kind regards,

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation Branch

Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Good afternoon Deborah-May

I refer to your request to the Department of Health and Aged Care (the
department) of 1 July 2024 seeking access to the following under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act):

Can you provide me with current data and statistics showing the number of
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's who have been injured, 
hospitalised, placed on ventilators and died in connection with or as a
result of SARS CoV-2 infection?

The statutory due date for your request is currently 31 July 2024.

Request for extension of time

Section 15AA of the FOI Act permits the department to extend the statutory
processing timeframe, with your agreement, for a period of up to 30
calendar days.

To ensure that department has undertaken all reasonable steps to identify
all documents relevant to your request, and for the decision maker to make
a well-balanced decision on access to any such documents identified, the
department is seeking your agreement to an extension of 14 calendar days.

If you agree to this extension, the statutory due date will then be 14
August 2024. The department will, however, continue to process your
request as quickly as possible.

It would assist if you could please advise by close of business 25 July
2024 if you agree to this extension of time. If we do not hear from you by
this date or if you do not agree to the extension, the department may
consider seeking an extension of time from the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner (OAIC) under section 15AB of the FOI Act.

We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to
process your request.

If you have any questions regarding any of the matters discussed in this
email, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at
[1][email address].

Kind regards

Riley

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation Branch

Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.

show quoted sections

Good morning Ms Torrens,

I refer to your below email requesting internal review of your request for
access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
You have requested access to:

Current data and statistics from 20 March 2020 to 1 July 2024, showing the
number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's who have been injured,
hospitalised, placed on ventilators and died in connection with or as a
result of SARS CoV-2 infection. 

Timeframes

The National Indigenous Australians Agency received your request for
access to documents on 1 July 2024. This request was then transferred to
the Department of Health and Aged Care (department) on 3 July 2024 who
have been processing your request in accordance with the FOI Act.

On 23 July 2024, the department requested a 14-day extension until 14
August 2024 under section 15AA of the FOI Act. We received agreement from
you on 24 July 2024 which therefore extended the statutory due date until
14 August 2024.

As such, you will receive a decision from the department regarding your
FOI request by 14 August 2024.

Finally, as a decision has not yet been made in relation to your FOI 5247,
you are currently unable to request an internal review.

We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to
process your request.

If you have any questions regarding any of the matters discussed in this
email, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at
[1][email address].

Kind regards

FOI Case Officer - Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation Branch

Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]

PO Box 9848, Ngunnawal (Canberra) ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.

[3]3flags-sml

show quoted sections

Dear Ms Torrens,

We refer to your FOI request received on 01 July 2024.

Please find attached a decision on access.

If you have any queries in relation to this decision, please contact the
FOI Section on the details below.

Kind regards,

Daniel

Senior Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation

Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present

From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 2:54 PM
To: '[FOI #11584 email]'
<[FOI #11584 email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request FOI-5247 - Transfer of request to
Department of Health and Aged Care [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Dear Ms Torrens,

I refer to your request received by the National Indigenous Australians
Agency for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(FOI Act). You have requested access to:

Current data and statistics showing the number of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander's who have been injured, hospitalised, placed on
ventilators and died in connection with or as a result of SARS CoV-2
infection.

I am writing to tell you that on 3 July 2024, the Department of Health
and Aged Care (the department) has accepted transfer of your request
from National Indigenous Australians Agency.

The reference number for your request is FOI-5247. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.

Timeframes

Your request was received by National Indigenous Australians Agency on 1
July 2024 and the 30-day statutory period for processing your request
commenced from the day after that date. The department will treat your
request as though we received it the same day that National Indigenous
Australians Agency did. You should expect a decision from us by 31 July
2024. The period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third
parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.

Other information

The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents.  If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.

Unless you advise otherwise:

·       any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the scope
of your request, and

·       any Commonwealth employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.

Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[2]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)

You can contact the FOI team via email at [3][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.

Kind regards,

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation Branch

Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [4][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.

From: FOI NIAA <[5][email address]>
Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2024 12:32 PM
To: '[FOI #11584 email]'
<[6][FOI #11584 email]>
Cc: FOI NIAA <[7][email address]>
Subject: Your Freedom of Information Request - Notice of Transfer to
Department of Health and Aged Care - FOI/2425/001 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

OFFICIAL

Dear Applicant,

We refer to your request to the National Indigenous Australians Agency
(NIAA) on 1 July 2024 under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)
in the following terms:

" Can you provide me with current data and statistics showing the number
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's who have been injured,
hospitalised, placed on ventilators and died in connection with or as a
result of SARS CoV-2 infection?”

Transfer under section 16 of the FOI Act

As the subject matter of the documents sought relates more closely to the
functions and responsibilities of the Department of Health and Aged Care,
your request has been transferred in full under section 16(1)(b) of the
FOI Act.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will contact you in relation to
your request.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the NIAA FOI team.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Team | Legal Services Branch| Integrity Group | National Indigenous
Australians Agency| [8][email address]
Charles Perkins House, 16 Bowes Place, Phillip ACT 2606| PO Box 2191 ACT
2601
w. [9]niaa.gov.au w. [10]indigenous.gov.au

The National Indigenous Australians Agency acknowledges the traditional
owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and
emerging.
[11][IMG][12][IMG][13][IMG][14][IMG]

Note: This email and any attachments may contain confidential or legally
privileged information (and neither are waived or lost if this email has
been sent to you by mistake). If you are not the intended recipient, you
must not use, disclose, copy or retain it. If you have received it in
error, please let me know by reply email and then delete this email from
your system and do not retain any copy. Recipients within the National
Indigenous Australians Agency should seek assistance from Legal Services
Branch before disseminating this email to third parties.

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL
FOI/2425/001

Dear Deborah-May Torrens,

Thank you for your email requesting an internal review of a request you made to the National Indigenous Australians Agency on 1 July 2024 under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act).

The NIAA advised you on 4 July 2024 that as the subject matter of the documents you sought related more closely to the functions and responsibilities of the Department of Health and Aged Care, your request was transferred in full under section 16(1)(b) of the FOI Act.

Therefore, as the NIAA did not make an access refusal decision in relation to your request we are unable to conduct an internal review. You would need to direct any request for internal review to the Department of Health and Aged Care at [email address].

Yours sincerely,

FOI Team
Legal Services Branch| Integrity Group | National Indigenous Australians Agency| [email address]
Charles Perkins House, 16 Bowes Place, Phillip ACT 2606|  PO Box 2191  ACT 2601
w. niaa.gov.au  w. indigenous.gov.au

The National Indigenous Australians Agency acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

Note: This email and any attachments may contain confidential or legally privileged information (and neither are waived or lost if this email has been sent to you by mistake). If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, disclose, copy or retain it.  If you have received it in error, please let me know by reply email and then delete this email from your system and do not retain any copy. Recipients within the National Indigenous Australians Agency should seek assistance from Legal Services Branch before disseminating this email to third parties.

show quoted sections