Conduct of DHS staff in enterprise bargaining & departmental response
Dear Department of Human Services,
I refer to the article 'Public service bargaining: death threats against human resources boss alleged' in the Canberra Times on 10 May 2016 at the following URL: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national...
In particular, I draw your attention to the following paragraph:
"Sixty departmental public servants were investigated after they forwarded an email, sent in March by Mr Hudson to all staff about DHS's troubled enterprise bargaining process, to "external" recipients."
I request the following information:
1. A copy of Mr Hudson's email referred to in the above text.
2. Copies of any emails or other documents which address the matter of the email referred to in (1) being sent to external recipients.This includes any instructions issued to commence investigations, and any decisions made with regard to staff who were identified by the department as having sent the email referred to in (1) to any recipients external to the department.
3. The Canberra Times article states: 'No action was taken against 40 of the workers for flicking the message on, 13 were issued with "reminders" of the department's rules about emails and five were hit with official warnings.' I seek any document which details the reasons for the different treatment of staff.
Yours faithfully,
James Smith
Dear Mr Smith,
Please find attached an acknowledgement of your FOI Request.
Yours sincerely,
Alice Linacre
Department of Human Services
This email and any attachments may contain information subject to legal professional privilege or information that is otherwise sensitive or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are prohibited from using or disseminating this communication. If you have received this communication in error please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete this email.
********************************************************************** IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail **********************************************************************
Dear Mr Smith
Please see attached correspondence in relation to your recent FOI request
LEX 19000.
Kind Regards,
Alice Linacre
FOI Team
FOI and Litigation Branch | Legal Services Division
Department of Human Services
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References
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Dear Alice,
Thank you for your letter.
I confirm a revision of scope to the following:
1. Documents relating to code of conduct investigations that have resulted from the forwarding of the DHS all staff email dated 10 March 2016.
2. The email referred to in (1).
Yours sincerely,
James Smith
Dear Mr Smith
Please see attached correspondence in relation to your recent FOI request LEX 19000.
Regards,
Alice Linacre
FOI Team
FOI and Litigation Branch | Legal Services Division
Department of Human Services
********************************************************************** IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail **********************************************************************
Dear Alice Linacre,
Thank you for your letter.
I elect to pay the charges. I would prefer to pay the charges by EFT. Can you please confirm if this is possible, and if so, advise of your account details for payment.
Regards,
Yours sincerely,
James Smith
Dear Mr Smith,
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately, the department is unable to accept payment of FOI charges by EFT.
As outlined in my letter dated 27 May 2016, the amount due should be paid by cheque or money order made out to the Collector of Public Monies. The cheque or money order should be sent to the following address:
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Human Services
PO Box 7820
Canberra ACT 2610
Please quote the reference number 19000 with your payment.
Regards,
Alice Linacre
FOI Team
FOI and Litigation Branch | Legal Services Division Department of Human Services
Dear Alice,
I wish to make an electronic payment as this payment method is best for the environment. An electronic payment has virtually zero impact on the environment, unlike if I were to post a cheque to you. Posting a cheque requires me to get in my car, burning fossil fuels, and buy an envelope and cheque for which trees was felled.
I encourage the department to make an EFT facility available for these types of requests. This would be in accordance with your Environmental Sustainability Policy, found at the following link:
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/corpora...
Yours sincerely,
James Smith
Dear Mr Smith
I refer to your email dated 30 May 2016.
Unfortunately the department is not in a position to receive payments for FOI charges via EFT.
As outlined in my letter dated 27 May 2016, and my email dated 30 May 2016, the amount due should be paid by cheque or money order made out to the Collector of Public Monies. The cheque or money order should be sent to the following address:
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Human Services
PO Box 7820
Canberra ACT 2610
Please quote the reference number 19000 with your payment.
Regards,
Alice Linacre
FOI Team
FOI and Litigation Branch | Legal Services Division Department of Human Services
Dear Alice
I have change my mind about paying charges. I respectfully request an internal review.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
James Smith
Dear Mr Smith,
Please see attached correspondence in relation to your request (LEX 19000)
under the Freedom of Information Act.
Regards
Karen Hamilton
A/g General Counsel
FOI and Litigation Branch
Department of Human Services
Brisbane
Telephone: (07) 3352 2409| Ext 722409
This email and any attachments may contain information subject to legal
professional privilege or information that is otherwise sensitive or
confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are
prohibited from using or disseminating this communication. If you have
received this communication in error please notify the sender immediately
and permanently delete this email.