Correspondance relating to clause K10 of the NHRA Addendum
Dear FOI Team,
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, I request access to all documents and correspondence (including but not limited to emails, meeting notes, briefing papers, and Teams/chat messages) between:
• Officials in the Department of Treasury and the Department of Health and Aged Care; OR
• Officials in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Health and Aged Care
That specifically relate to:
• The potential wording, drafting, or formulation of what became clause K10 in Schedule K (Addendum to the National Health Reform Agreement: Revised Public Hospital Funding and Health Reform Arrangements); OR
• Any other discussed inclusions relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and/or Closing the Gap within Schedule K
Please only include documents or correspondence dated between 1 October 2024 and 12 February 2025.
For clarity, I am NOT requesting any correspondence relating to the wording of any proposed or drafted five-year NHRA addendum.
Kind regards,
Francis Markham
Good afternoon Mr Markham,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
All documents and correspondence (including but not limited to emails,
meeting notes, briefing papers, and Teams/chat messages) between:
• Officials in the Department of Treasury and the Department of Health
and Aged Care
• Officials in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the
Department of Health and Aged Care
That specifically relate to:
• The potential wording, drafting, or formulation of what became clause
K10 in Schedule K (Addendum to the National Health Reform Agreement:
Revised Public Hospital Funding and Health Reform Arrangements); OR
• Any other discussed inclusions relating to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples and/or Closing the Gap within Schedule K
Please only include documents or correspondence dated between 1 October
2024 and 12 February 2025.
For clarity, I am NOT requesting any correspondence relating to the
wording of any proposed or drafted five-year NHRA addendum.
The reference number for your request is FOI 25-0319 LD. Please ensure
that you quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning
this request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 18 March 2025. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to be
notified of a decision from the department on or before 17 April 2025.
The period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to consult
third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Request to exclude irrelevant information from your request
To assist with processing your request, can you also please advise by COB
20 March 2025, if you agree that information regarding any public service
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
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.
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,
Jordan - FOI Administration 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: [3][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.
Dear Jordan,
Thank you for acknowledging my request.
I agree to exclude any information regarding any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service level and direct telephone numbers of all staff from the scope of my request.
I agree to exclude any draft or duplicate documents from the scope of my request, except when finalised documents are not available.
Yours sincerely,
Francis Markham
Dear Mr Markham
I refer to your request to the Department of Health and Aged Care (the
department) of 18 March 2025, seeking access to the following under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act):
All documents and correspondence (including but not limited to emails,
meeting notes, briefing papers, and Teams/chat messages) between:
• Officials in the Department of Treasury and the Department of Health
and Aged Care
• Officials in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the
Department of Health and Aged Care
That specifically relate to:
• The potential wording, drafting, or formulation of what became clause
K10 in Schedule K (Addendum to the National Health Reform Agreement:
Revised Public Hospital Funding and Health Reform Arrangements); OR
• Any other discussed inclusions relating to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples and/or Closing the Gap within Schedule K
Please only include documents or correspondence dated between 1 October
2024 and 12 February 2025.
For clarity, I am NOT requesting any correspondence relating to the
wording of any proposed or drafted five-year NHRA addendum.
The statutory due date for your request is currently 17 April 2025.
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.
Documents captured by your request contain information that relates to
other government agencies, and the department has determined that it will
be appropriate to consult with those agencies in order to inform an access
decision on your request.
To ensure that there is sufficient time for the department to liaise with
those agencies, and for the decision maker to make a well balanced
decision, 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
Thursday 1 May 2025. The department will, however, continue to process
your request as quickly as possible.
I note that there are three public holidays in the period 18-25 April
2025.
It would assist if you could please advise by COB Friday 11 April 2025 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].
Yours sincerely
Guy
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 the traditional
custodians of Australia and their continued connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.
"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the
addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or
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References
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Dear Guy,
I am happy to agree to an extension until Thursday 1 May 2025 to facilitate inter-department consultation. Thank you for executing this consultation expeditiously.
Yours sincerely,
Francis Markham