Documents Relating to the Sharing of DVA Client Information
Dear FOI Officer,
I am making this request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).
I seek access to any and all documents, records, data, and supporting material held by [Name of Agency] concerning the sharing of personal information originating from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) over the last ten years. This includes any data transfers from or to the DVA, whether they were one-off exchanges or ongoing, systematic transfers of DVA client information, including personal, medical, financial, or service-related details concerning veterans or their dependents.
I am interested in obtaining a comprehensive understanding of what DVA client information [Authority name] has received or accessed and for what purposes. Specifically, I request:
All records of data sharing arrangements between DVA and [Authority name], including but not limited to memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, emails, letters, meeting minutes, file transfer logs, internal reports, and instructions that outline what data was shared, when it was shared, and the format or system used for the transfer.
Any policies, procedures, guidelines, or frameworks that govern how [Authority name] requests, obtains, stores, handles, or uses DVA client information. This includes documents that detail the criteria for approving access to such data, any consent or authorization processes, security controls, and retention or destruction policies.
Copies of any ethics committee approvals, privacy impact assessments, internal review board decisions, or other documents that reflect deliberations or authorizations for obtaining DVA client information. This includes records that show the agency considered the ethical, legal, or privacy implications of receiving or using DVA client data.
Documents that outline the intended uses or practical applications of the DVA client data, such as project proposals, business cases, internal strategy papers, or briefings that explain why [Authority name] sought access to this information, how it was intended to be integrated into the agency’s operations, and any expected outcomes or benefits.
A representative sample (in a suitably de-identified or redacted form) of the data or data fields received, so long as providing this sample does not breach any exemption under the FOI Act. The purpose is to understand the nature and granularity of the information shared, without disclosing identifiable personal details.
If the only data [Authority name] received pertains solely to data linked to the Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS) arrangements as described at https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/cen..., and there were no other forms of DVA data shared, then no CCeS-related data needs to be provided under this request.
I emphasize that I am not authorizing the transfer of this FOI request to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or any other agency. If [Authority name] holds the requested information, it should provide it directly. If there are parts of this request that [Name of Agency] does not understand or believes are not held, I invite you to contact me to clarify or refine the scope under section 24AB of the FOI Act, rather than initiating a transfer. However, I do not consent to the transfer of this request to another entity. The FOI Act places the onus on agencies to process requests for documents they hold, and I expect [Authority name] to meet its responsibilities in this regard.
I note that the statutory timeframe for processing FOI requests is 30 days from the date of receipt. I do not consent to any extension of time due to internal reduced activity periods, holiday stand-down periods, or other internal operational issues. If [Authority name] considers that it cannot meet the 30-day timeframe, it may seek an extension from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as provided under section 15AB of the FOI Act. I request to be notified if such an application is made.
If you consider any part of this request too broad or complex, please contact me promptly to discuss refining its scope. I remain willing to consider adjustments that will assist efficient processing, provided that they occur within the statutory timeframe and do not undermine the substance of what I am seeking.
I believe that disclosure of these documents is in the public interest, as it promotes transparency and accountability in how government agencies access and use sensitive personal information about veterans. Should you consider charges applicable, I request that you exercise your discretion to reduce or waive them, given the importance of the matter and its alignment with the principles of open government and public accountability.
I look forward to receiving your acknowledgment and decision within the statutory timeframe. Please contact me at the details below if you require further clarification.
Yours sincerely,
Nosey
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Good afternoon
Thank you for your request, which was received by the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department (the department) Freedom of Information (FOI) section on 14 December 2024.
We note that you have not specified the agency or Minister to which your request relates.
Would you kindly be able to do this to allow us to process your request?
Kind regards
Freedom of Information & Privacy
Attorney-General’s Department
Phone: (02) 6141 6666 | Email: [AGD request email]
Dear AGD FOI Requests,
The Department in question is Attorney-General’s Department
Yours sincerely,
noseyrosey
Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) team at the
Attorney-General’s Department (the department). We get a high volume of
emails and FOI applications and work to respond as promptly as possible.
This auto-reply email confirms your email has been delivered to the
[AGD request email] mailbox. If you have written to the department to submit an
FOI request, please consider this email to be an acknowledgement of its
receipt.
Please note that we will only respond to emails about the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). For information on how to make a
request under the FOI Act please refer to:
https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protect....
For enquiries about other matters, please refer to:
https://www.ag.gov.au/about-us/connect-u...
The statutory processing time for FOI requests is 30 days, however this
may be extended if the department needs to consult third parties or for
other reasons. If you have submitted an FOI request, the department will
write to you again within 30 days of receiving your request. This
correspondence may:
* provide assistance to you to help you make a valid FOI request,
* seek further information from you to help us process your request,
* provide you with a decision on your FOI request, or
* discuss whether an extension of time is needed to process your request.
Please do not send duplicate emails as this may cause delays to processing
times.
This FOI inbox is monitored during business hours Monday to Friday,
excluding public holidays.
You can expect our team to provide a helpful, respectful service and we
expect respectful engagement in return.
Under s 89L of the FOI Act, disrespectful, threatening or abusive language
may be an abuse of the access action process. If this happens, we may not
be able to help you or we might take steps to manage how we communicate
with you.
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the e-mail or attachments.
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the e-mail or attachments.
Dear FOI Officer,
I am writing to formally notify you that I have referred my Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted on 14 December 2024 to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). This action has been taken due to a deemed refusal of my request, as no decision was provided within the statutory timeframe under section 15(5)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).
Request Details:
FOI Request Submitted: 14 December 2024
Statutory Deadline: 13 January 2025
Referral Reference Number: WEB-MR-25-00853
As per section 15AC of the FOI Act, the absence of a decision within the prescribed timeframe constitutes a deemed refusal. I have sought the OAIC's intervention to ensure compliance with the FOI Act and to facilitate a prompt resolution.
If you wish to provide any updates or clarifications regarding this matter, please do so at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Nosey Rosey
Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) team at the
Attorney-General’s Department (the department). We get a high volume of
emails and FOI applications and work to respond as promptly as possible.
This auto-reply email confirms your email has been delivered to the
[AGD request email] mailbox. If you have written to the department to submit an
FOI request, please consider this email to be an acknowledgement of its
receipt.
Please note that we will only respond to emails about the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). For information on how to make a
request under the FOI Act please refer to:
https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protect....
For enquiries about other matters, please refer to:
https://www.ag.gov.au/about-us/connect-u....
The statutory processing time for FOI requests is 30 days, however this
may be extended if the department needs to consult third parties or for
other reasons. If you have submitted an FOI request, the department will
write to you again within 30 days of receiving your request. This
correspondence may:
* provide assistance to you to help you make a valid FOI request,
* seek further information from you to help us process your request,
* provide you with a decision on your FOI request, or
* discuss whether an extension of time is needed to process your request.
Please do not send duplicate emails as this may cause delays to processing
times.
This FOI inbox is monitored during business hours Monday to Friday,
excluding public holidays.
You can expect our team to provide a helpful, respectful service and we
expect respectful engagement in return.
Under s 89L of the FOI Act, disrespectful, threatening or abusive language
may be an abuse of the access action process. If this happens, we may not
be able to help you or we might take steps to manage how we communicate
with you.
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the e-mail or attachments.
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the e-mail or attachments.