Categorised mortality rate for government payment recipients
GS Lakes made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Social Services
Dear Department of Social Services,
Please provide, under the FOI Act, any documents or updates that relate to the number of government payment recipients who have died, categorised by payment type, including but not limited to the following:
- ABSTUDY
- Age Pension
- Blind Pension
- Carer Allowance
- Carer Payment
- Disability Support Pension
- Mobility Allowance
- Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
- Youth Allowance
- Youth Disability Supplement
Much like previous FOI 2122-068, I request a monthly summation of this mortality data, but for the period January 2003 to present. Including the number of 'mortality exits'/death-related cancellations of payments, total recipients in each payment category at the time, and the percentage of total recipients these 'mortality exits' represent.
I request a further and separate category breakdown of this payment type categorised mortality data by whether said recipient was known to:
- be an NDIS participant (for applicable time ranges), and/or
- known to have a psychosocial disability, diagnosis, or impairment.
(Be that through relevant data matching, from their application for a relevant payment whether successful or not, or via a note on their file to this effect.)
If possible, another further and separate category breakdown of this NDIS-participant-and-or-psychosocial-disability mortality data by whether depression and/or cPTSD/trauma and/or self-harm/suicidality potential was noted or recorded. Or, if possible, by particular type of psychosocial disability/diagnosis/impairment known/noted on file, including but not limited to: anxiety, autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, cPTSD/trauma, depression, dissociative disorder, mood disorder, OCD, paranoia, phobia, psychosis, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders, and so on.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
GS Lakes
Thank you for your email.
You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the Department).
If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the Department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.
Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
Department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address]. Alternatively you can contact the Department by
calling 1800 634 035.
With regards
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Freedom of Information
Legal Services Branch
Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
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References
Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]
Good afternoon
Thank you for your below email to the Department of Social Services (the
Department) Freedom of Information (FOI) team on 1 July 2024.
We are writing to advise you that the Department is unable to process the
original FOI request as written for two reasons. Firstly, the Department
doesn’t hold the data sought by the request in full. Secondly, if the
request were processed with reference to the data that the Department did
hold, it would potentially take months to complete. This latter issue
means that the Department is likely to issue a notice of practical refusal
reason in respect of the request – essentially advising that it is too
large a task for us to process within the FOI statutory timeframe.
We have discussed this matter with the relevant line area who have advised
that they can process one of the below requests – please let us know if
you would like to nominate one of the below by COB tomorrow 11 July 2024
or we will likely proceed as set out above:
Option 1
‘The number of death-related cancellations of the following government
payments, by month for 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023:
· ABSTUDY
· Age Pension
· Carer Allowance
· Carer Payment
· Disability Support Pension
· Mobility Allowance
· Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
· Youth Allowance
Option 2
‘The number of death-related cancellations of the following government
payments, by year for 2003 to 2023:
· ABSTUDY
· Age Pension
· Carer Allowance
· Carer Payment
· Disability Support Pension
· Mobility Allowance
· Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
· Youth Allowance
Please note, the Blind Pension and the Youth Disability Supplement are
not payments in their own right. Data relating to individuals who happen
to be blind may be captured in the mortality rate for Age Pension and
Disability Support Pension recipients; while data the Youth Disability
Supplement mortality rates may be captured in the Disability Support
Pension, ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance rates.
Kind regards
DSS FOI Team
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Freedom of Information | Information Law
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
E: [1][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good afternoon
Please find attached further correspondence in relation to FOI request LEX
51010.
Kind regards
DSS FOI Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freedom of Information | Information Law
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
E: [1][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: FOI <[Department of Social Services request email]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2024 2:04 PM
To: '[FOI #11595 email]'
<[FOI #11595 email]>
Cc: FOI <[Department of Social Services request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Categorised mortality rate
for government payment recipients [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good afternoon
Thank you for your below email to the Department of Social Services (the
Department) Freedom of Information (FOI) team on 1 July 2024.
We are writing to advise you that the Department is unable to process the
original FOI request as written for two reasons. Firstly, the Department
doesn’t hold the data sought by the request in full. Secondly, if the
request were processed with reference to the data that the Department did
hold, it would potentially take months to complete. This latter issue
means that the Department is likely to issue a notice of practical refusal
reason in respect of the request – essentially advising that it is too
large a task for us to process within the FOI statutory timeframe.
We have discussed this matter with the relevant line area who have advised
that they can process one of the below requests – please let us know if
you would like to nominate one of the below by COB tomorrow 11 July 2024
or we will likely proceed as set out above:
Option 1
‘The number of death-related cancellations of the following government
payments, by month for 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023:
· ABSTUDY
· Age Pension
· Carer Allowance
· Carer Payment
· Disability Support Pension
· Mobility Allowance
· Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
· Youth Allowance
Option 2
‘The number of death-related cancellations of the following government
payments, by year for 2003 to 2023:
· ABSTUDY
· Age Pension
· Carer Allowance
· Carer Payment
· Disability Support Pension
· Mobility Allowance
· Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
· Youth Allowance
Please note, the Blind Pension and the Youth Disability Supplement are
not payments in their own right. Data relating to individuals who happen
to be blind may be captured in the mortality rate for Age Pension and
Disability Support Pension recipients; while data the Youth Disability
Supplement mortality rates may be captured in the Disability Support
Pension, ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance rates.
Kind regards
DSS FOI Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freedom of Information | Information Law
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
E: [2][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good morning
As part of the Practical Refusal Consultation Notice (attached) issued on
12 July 2024 you were required to make one of the following actions by
11.59pm Friday 26 July 2024:
a) withdraw the request;
b) make a revised request; or
c) indicate that you do not wish to revise the request.
As you have not contacted the Department in response to the Practical
Refusal Consultation Notice or taken one of the above actions, the request
is now taken to be withdrawn.
Kind regards
DSS FOI Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freedom of Information | Information Law
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
E: [1][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: FOI <[Department of Social Services request email]>
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 4:46 PM
To: '[FOI #11595 email]'
<[FOI #11595 email]>
Cc: FOI <[Department of Social Services request email]>
Subject: Department of Social Services - FOI LEX 51010 - Notice of
intention to refuse [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good afternoon
Please find attached further correspondence in relation to FOI request LEX
51010.
Kind regards
DSS FOI Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freedom of Information | Information Law
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
E: [2][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: FOI <[3][Department of Social Services request email]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2024 2:04 PM
To: '[FOI #11595 email]'
<[4][FOI #11595 email]>
Cc: FOI <[5][Department of Social Services request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Categorised mortality rate
for government payment recipients [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good afternoon
Thank you for your below email to the Department of Social Services (the
Department) Freedom of Information (FOI) team on 1 July 2024.
We are writing to advise you that the Department is unable to process the
original FOI request as written for two reasons. Firstly, the Department
doesn’t hold the data sought by the request in full. Secondly, if the
request were processed with reference to the data that the Department did
hold, it would potentially take months to complete. This latter issue
means that the Department is likely to issue a notice of practical refusal
reason in respect of the request – essentially advising that it is too
large a task for us to process within the FOI statutory timeframe.
We have discussed this matter with the relevant line area who have advised
that they can process one of the below requests – please let us know if
you would like to nominate one of the below by COB tomorrow 11 July 2024
or we will likely proceed as set out above:
Option 1
‘The number of death-related cancellations of the following government
payments, by month for 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023:
· ABSTUDY
· Age Pension
· Carer Allowance
· Carer Payment
· Disability Support Pension
· Mobility Allowance
· Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
· Youth Allowance
Option 2
‘The number of death-related cancellations of the following government
payments, by year for 2003 to 2023:
· ABSTUDY
· Age Pension
· Carer Allowance
· Carer Payment
· Disability Support Pension
· Mobility Allowance
· Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment
· Youth Allowance
Please note, the Blind Pension and the Youth Disability Supplement are
not payments in their own right. Data relating to individuals who happen
to be blind may be captured in the mortality rate for Age Pension and
Disability Support Pension recipients; while data the Youth Disability
Supplement mortality rates may be captured in the Disability Support
Pension, ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance rates.
Kind regards
DSS FOI Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freedom of Information | Information Law
Legal Services Group
Department of Social Services
E: [6][Department of Social Services request email]
The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.
We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------