Consultation on veterans’ legislation simplification and harmonisation feedback.

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,

BACKGROUND:

DVA recently sought feedback as part of its consultation on veterans’ legislation simplification and harmonisation, feedback that closed 4 weeks ago.

INFORMATION I AM SEEKING:

I am seeking all submissions pertaining to this feedback including all emails, correspondence to, from and within DVA regarding, but not limited to, the decision to provide feedback to a dva email address.

I also require copies of all submissions made and any collation of major themes as noted by DVA.

I consent to the names of individual submissions being redacted but not of any organisation.

Yours faithfully,

Alan ASHMORE

INFORMATION.ACCESS, Department of Veterans' Affairs

***Important message***

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Where your email is a request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act (1982) or administrative access, this email is
notification that your request has been received by the department and
will be processed.

 

For all other matters we will respond to your email shortly.

 

Sincerely,

 

Information Access Unit

Client and Rehabilitation Branch

Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

 

 

INFORMATION.ACCESS, Department of Veterans' Affairs

6 Attachments

Dear Mr Ashmore

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (the department) has received your
request for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act). I note you have requested access to the following:

‘DVA recently sought feedback as part of its consultation on veterans’
legislation simplification and harmonisation, feedback that closed 4 weeks
ago.

 

I am seeking all submissions pertaining to this feedback including all
emails, correspondence to, from and within DVA regarding, but not limited
to, the decision to provide feedback to a dva email address.

 

I also require copies of all submissions made and any collation of major
themes as noted by DVA.’

 

Your request was received by the department on 13 December 2022 and the
ordinary 30 day statutory period for processing your request commences
from the day after that date.

 

Extension of Time

Due to an increase in the number of information access applications
currently being received by the department, we are asking your agreement
to an extension of time for a further 30 days to process this request
under section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that your request is
due on 11 February 2023.

 

If we are in a position to make a decision on your request earlier than
this date, we will endeavour to do so.

 

The statutory period may also be extended if we need to consult third
parties or for other reasons permitted under the FOI Act. We will advise
you if this happens.

 

Please reply by 20 December 2022 if you agree to this extension of time.
If you do agree we will notify the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) of your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act.

 

Charges

 

The department will advise you if a charge is payable to process your
request and the amount of any such charge as soon as practicable. No
charge is payable for providing a person with their own personal
information.

 

Your address

 

The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your email address is
[1][FOI #9695 email]. Unless you tell us
otherwise, we will send all notices and correspondence to this address.

 

Disclosure log

 

Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.

 

Request to treat certain material as out of scope or irrelevant to the
request

 

To the extent the department has documents in its possession that fall
within the scope of your request, we intend to treat the following
information as out of scope or irrelevant to your request, pursuant to
section 22(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act:

1.      The surnames, signatures and direct contact details of non-SES
Commonwealth employees and contractors, including clinical staff working
for Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling;

2.      The surnames, signatures and direct contact details of serving
members of the Australian Defence Force; and

3.      The signatures of third party individuals.

If you agree to the department treating these details as irrelevant,
please advise by 20 December 2022.

 

Further assistance

 

If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][DVA request email].

 

Regards

 

Fiona  Position Number – 62211034

Information Access Registrations Officer

Information Access Unit / Client Access and Rehabilitation Branch

Client Engagement and Support Services Division

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)

[3][DVA request email]

[4]www.dva.gov.au 

 

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[10]cid:image009.jpg@01D8EA24.8F7FA8A0

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #9695 email]
2. mailto:[DVA request email]
3. mailto:[DVA request email]
4. http://www.dva.gov.au/
5. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
6. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
7. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
8. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus

Dear INFORMATION.ACCESS,

I note your response of 13 December 2022 where you stated, “due to an increase in the number of information access applications being received by the department, we are asking your agreement to an extension of time for a further 30 days to process this request …………”

I note the Information Commissioner’s guideline 3.13 that states, “Agencies should ensure a sufficient number of officers are authorised at appropriatetly senior levels to make both original and internal review decisions.”

Accordingly, I do not agree to this extension for what should be information readily available as part of a management report.

Yours sincerely,

Alan ASHMORE

INFORMATION.ACCESS, Department of Veterans' Affairs

***Important message***

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Where your email is a request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act (1982) or administrative access, this email is
notification that your request has been received by the department and
will be processed.

 

For all other matters we will respond to your email shortly.

 

Sincerely,

 

Information Access Unit

Client and Rehabilitation Branch

Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

 

 

INFORMATION.ACCESS, Department of Veterans' Affairs

3 Attachments

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References

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Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,

I tried both yesterday and today to access the documents. On both occasions I struck glitches and I have been locked out. After spending 40 minutes on the phone today it was resolved that I respond via righttoknow requesting you send me the completed FOI to my personal email address:

[email address].

I look forward to recepit of this FOI request and thank you in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Alan ASHMORE

Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,

Thank you for sending me the requested documentation to my personal email following issues with not being able to access the documents via Secure Mail.

It would be appreciated if you can upload the files you sent me so others on righttoknow can also view these files.

Thanks in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Alan ASHMORE