Documents Relating to the Sharing of DVA Client Information

Response to this request is delayed. By law, Services Australia should normally have responded promptly and by (details)

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

FREEDOMOFINFORMATION, Services Australia

Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) team in Services
Australia (the Agency).

 
This email acknowledges your correspondence and provides some general
information in relation to FOI.
 
FOI – Extension of time request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) you have a right, with
limited exceptions, to access documents the Agency holds. The Agency has
30 days to process an FOI request. Please note this period may be extended
if we need to consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise
you if this happens.
 
Due to the Agency’s reduced activity period over 24 December 2024 – 1
January 2025. We are seeking your agreement to extend the processing time
by an additional 30 days. If you agree to this additional time we would
appreciate if you could reply to this email with ‘I agree’.
 
Administrative release of documents  
The Agency has administrative access arrangements ('the arrangements') for
the release of certain documents without the need for a formal FOI
request. If you agree to the release of documents under these
arrangements, we may provide you with documents under the arrangements,
where appropriate. 
                                                                 
Any parts of your FOI request that are addressed by documents being
released under the arrangements will be considered withdrawn. The
arrangements do not extend to information or materials of third parties.
You will be notified when documents are released to you under the
arrangements.
 
Personal information of Agency staff
We consider staff details to be personal information of those staff
members. As part of the FOI application process, we will seek your consent
to exclude the following information from documents that may be captured
by your request: 
•names of Services Australia staff below the Senior Executive level
(junior staff)
•direct staff telephone numbers, signatures, logon identifiers and email
addresses.
 
If you consent to exclude this information, we will treat it as outside
the scope of your request and therefore irrelevant under Section 22 of the
FOI Act.
 
Charges
No charge is payable for providing a person with their own personal
information.
If you are requesting non-personal information the Agency will advise you
as soon as practicable if a charge is payable to process your request, and
the amount of any such charge.
 
How we will send documents to you
We typically use this email address to send documents related to your FOI
request unless you have specifically requested to receive them via post.
However, we might seek your consent to deliver the documents
electronically if it is deemed more suitable.
 
How long do I have to wait?
We are required to answer your request within 30 days unless the time
frame is extended under the FOI Act. 

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Dear Services Australia,

Please note the extension you have requested is not consented to and this was mentioned in my original application

Yours faithfully,

noseyrosey

FREEDOMOFINFORMATION, Services Australia

Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) team in Services
Australia (the Agency).

 
This email acknowledges your correspondence and provides some general
information in relation to FOI.
 
FOI – Extension of time request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) you have a right, with
limited exceptions, to access documents the Agency holds. The Agency has
30 days to process an FOI request. Please note this period may be extended
if we need to consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise
you if this happens.
 
Due to the Agency’s reduced activity period over 24 December 2024 – 1
January 2025. We are seeking your agreement to extend the processing time
by an additional 30 days. If you agree to this additional time we would
appreciate if you could reply to this email with ‘I agree’.
 
Administrative release of documents  
The Agency has administrative access arrangements ('the arrangements') for
the release of certain documents without the need for a formal FOI
request. If you agree to the release of documents under these
arrangements, we may provide you with documents under the arrangements,
where appropriate. 
                                                                 
Any parts of your FOI request that are addressed by documents being
released under the arrangements will be considered withdrawn. The
arrangements do not extend to information or materials of third parties.
You will be notified when documents are released to you under the
arrangements.
 
Personal information of Agency staff
We consider staff details to be personal information of those staff
members. As part of the FOI application process, we will seek your consent
to exclude the following information from documents that may be captured
by your request: 
•names of Services Australia staff below the Senior Executive level
(junior staff)
•direct staff telephone numbers, signatures, logon identifiers and email
addresses.
 
If you consent to exclude this information, we will treat it as outside
the scope of your request and therefore irrelevant under Section 22 of the
FOI Act.
 
Charges
No charge is payable for providing a person with their own personal
information.
If you are requesting non-personal information the Agency will advise you
as soon as practicable if a charge is payable to process your request, and
the amount of any such charge.
 
How we will send documents to you
We typically use this email address to send documents related to your FOI
request unless you have specifically requested to receive them via post.
However, we might seek your consent to deliver the documents
electronically if it is deemed more suitable.
 
How long do I have to wait?
We are required to answer your request within 30 days unless the time
frame is extended under the FOI Act. 

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FREEDOMOFINFORMATION, Services Australia

2 Attachments

Dear Nosey,

 

Please find attached a letter relating to your request for access to
documents held by Services Australia, under the Freedom of Information Act
1982.

 

If you are unable to open the attachment please contact me by replying to
this email.

 

Kind regards,

 

Hannah

FOI and Reviews Branch, Legal Services Division

[1]Visual brand element showing Services Australia progress symbol to left
with Services Australia wording to the right of the symbol. Underneath is
servicesaustralia.gov.au and icons representing our social media accounts.
To follow us on social media go to servicesaustralia.gov.au/socialmedia
Aligning the bottom of the signature block is the Services Australia
indigenous artwork strip consisting of cultural elements depicting our
agency’s progress story for First Nations people.

 

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References

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Dear Hannah,

Thank you for your correspondence dated 19 December 2024 regarding my Freedom of Information (FOI) request. I appreciate the opportunity to refine and clarify the scope of my request to assist with processing.

Clarified Scope of Request
To address the concerns raised in your letter, I provide the following clarifications:

Documents Sought

Formal Agreements: Memoranda of understanding (MOUs), service-level agreements (SLAs), or other agreements formalizing the sharing of personal information originating from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) with Services Australia.
Governance Documents: Policies, procedures, guidelines, or frameworks governing how Services Australia requests, stores, handles, or uses DVA client information. This includes approval criteria, security controls, retention policies, and consent processes.
Privacy Assessments: Privacy impact assessments, internal reviews, or ethical considerations related to handling DVA client information.
Purpose and Use: Reports, project proposals, or other documents explaining why and how Services Australia uses DVA client information.
Exclusions

I do not seek access to individual-level complaint files, case records, or data linked solely to Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS).
Duplicate documents, email chains, or drafts where final versions are available may also be excluded.
Terminology Clarifications

‘[Name of Agency]’ and ‘[Authority Name]:’ These placeholders refer to Services Australia, as my request is specifically directed to your agency.
Purpose of Request
The focus of my request is to understand if and how Services Australia engages in systematic data-sharing arrangements with DVA, including the policies and governance structures supporting such activities.

Next Steps
I trust these clarifications address the issues raised in your notice and enable Services Australia to process my request. If further adjustments are necessary, I am happy to collaborate to refine the request further. Please confirm if this scope is acceptable or if additional input is required.

Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,
Nosey

FREEDOMOFINFORMATION, Services Australia

Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) team in Services
Australia (the Agency).

 
This email acknowledges your correspondence and provides some general
information in relation to FOI.
 
FOI – Extension of time request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) you have a right, with
limited exceptions, to access documents the Agency holds. The Agency has
30 days to process an FOI request. Please note this period may be extended
if we need to consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise
you if this happens.
 
Due to the Agency’s reduced activity period over 24 December 2024 – 1
January 2025. We are seeking your agreement to extend the processing time
by an additional 30 days. If you agree to this additional time we would
appreciate if you could reply to this email with ‘I agree’.
 
Administrative release of documents  
The Agency has administrative access arrangements ('the arrangements') for
the release of certain documents without the need for a formal FOI
request. If you agree to the release of documents under these
arrangements, we may provide you with documents under the arrangements,
where appropriate. 
                                                                 
Any parts of your FOI request that are addressed by documents being
released under the arrangements will be considered withdrawn. The
arrangements do not extend to information or materials of third parties.
You will be notified when documents are released to you under the
arrangements.
 
Personal information of Agency staff
We consider staff details to be personal information of those staff
members. As part of the FOI application process, we will seek your consent
to exclude the following information from documents that may be captured
by your request: 
•names of Services Australia staff below the Senior Executive level
(junior staff)
•direct staff telephone numbers, signatures, logon identifiers and email
addresses.
 
If you consent to exclude this information, we will treat it as outside
the scope of your request and therefore irrelevant under Section 22 of the
FOI Act.
 
Charges
No charge is payable for providing a person with their own personal
information.
If you are requesting non-personal information the Agency will advise you
as soon as practicable if a charge is payable to process your request, and
the amount of any such charge.
 
How we will send documents to you
We typically use this email address to send documents related to your FOI
request unless you have specifically requested to receive them via post.
However, we might seek your consent to deliver the documents
electronically if it is deemed more suitable.
 
How long do I have to wait?
We are required to answer your request within 30 days unless the time
frame is extended under the FOI Act. 

show quoted sections

Dear Services Australia,

I have already provided you with a response to your questions

Yours faithfully,

noseyrosey

FREEDOMOFINFORMATION, Services Australia

Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) team in Services
Australia (the Agency).

 
This email acknowledges your correspondence and provides some general
information in relation to FOI.
 
FOI – Extension of time request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) you have a right, with
limited exceptions, to access documents the Agency holds. The Agency has
30 days to process an FOI request. Please note this period may be extended
if we need to consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise
you if this happens.
 
Due to the Agency’s reduced activity period over 24 December 2024 – 1
January 2025. We are seeking your agreement to extend the processing time
by an additional 30 days. If you agree to this additional time we would
appreciate if you could reply to this email with ‘I agree’.
 
Administrative release of documents  
The Agency has administrative access arrangements ('the arrangements') for
the release of certain documents without the need for a formal FOI
request. If you agree to the release of documents under these
arrangements, we may provide you with documents under the arrangements,
where appropriate. 
                                                                 
Any parts of your FOI request that are addressed by documents being
released under the arrangements will be considered withdrawn. The
arrangements do not extend to information or materials of third parties.
You will be notified when documents are released to you under the
arrangements.
 
Personal information of Agency staff
We consider staff details to be personal information of those staff
members. As part of the FOI application process, we will seek your consent
to exclude the following information from documents that may be captured
by your request: 
•names of Services Australia staff below the Senior Executive level
(junior staff)
•direct staff telephone numbers, signatures, logon identifiers and email
addresses.
 
If you consent to exclude this information, we will treat it as outside
the scope of your request and therefore irrelevant under Section 22 of the
FOI Act.
 
Charges
No charge is payable for providing a person with their own personal
information.
If you are requesting non-personal information the Agency will advise you
as soon as practicable if a charge is payable to process your request, and
the amount of any such charge.
 
How we will send documents to you
We typically use this email address to send documents related to your FOI
request unless you have specifically requested to receive them via post.
However, we might seek your consent to deliver the documents
electronically if it is deemed more suitable.
 
How long do I have to wait?
We are required to answer your request within 30 days unless the time
frame is extended under the FOI Act. 

show quoted sections

FREEDOMOFINFORMATION, Services Australia

Dear Nosey,

Thankyou for your email response to our consultation notice.

Your revised scope is understood as requesting access under the FOI Act to:

The following documents concerning the sharing of personal information originating from the Department of Veterans Affairs with Services Australia, over the last ten years:

- Formal Agreements: Memoranda of understanding (MOUs), service-level agreements (SLAs), or other agreements formalizing the sharing of personal information originating from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) with Services Australia.

- Governance Documents: Policies, procedures, guidelines, or frameworks governing how Services Australia requests, stores, handles, or uses DVA client information. This includes approval criteria, security controls, retention policies, and consent processes.

- Privacy Assessments: Privacy impact assessments, internal reviews, or ethical considerations related to handling DVA client information.

- Purpose and Use: Reports, project proposals, or other documents explaining why and how Services Australia uses DVA client information.

Exclusions: I do not seek access to individual-level complaint files, case records, or data linked solely to Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS).
Duplicate documents, email chains, or drafts where final versions are available may also be excluded.'

Please note:
Your response dated 30 December 2024 formally ended the consultation period.

Whilst the consultation period has ended, I would appreciate your confirmation that the above scope is correct, to ensure that searches for documents are commenced as soon as possible. I seek your confirmation of the scope by 6 January 2025.

As the time taken to consult with you was not included in the processing timeframe for your request, the current due date for a decision on your FOI request is now 28 January 2025.

Kind regards,

Hannah
FOI and Reviews Branch, Legal Services Division
Services Australia

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Dear Hannah,

Re: Confirmation of Revised FOI Scope

Thank you for your email dated 2 January 2025. I confirm that the revised scope of my Freedom of Information (FOI) request, as summarised in your correspondence, is correct.

I appreciate the acknowledgment of my clarifications and exclusions, and I trust that this will enable the processing of my request to proceed without further delays. I look forward to receiving your decision within the revised statutory timeframe of 28 January 2025.

If there are any additional clarifications or issues requiring my attention, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours sincerely,
Nosey

OAIC - FOI DR,

2 Attachments

  • Attachment

    image001.jpg

    3K Download

  • Attachment

    OAIC RQ24 05743 Decision to decline request for an extension of time under s 15AB of the FOI Act.pdf

    324K Download View as HTML

Our reference: RQ24/05743

Agency reference: 82950

 

Services Australia

and

Nosey Rosey

 

Extension of time under s 15AB

 

Dear Parties,

 

Please find attached an extension of time decision relating to Nosey
Rosey’s FOI request with Services Australia.

 

Kind regards,

[1][IMG]   Claire Lynch (she/her)

Assistant Review Adviser

Freedom of Information Branch
 
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Sydney | GPO Box 5288 Sydney NSW 2001

P 1300 363 992  E [2][email address]  
Please note: The OAIC revised its IC review procedures as of 1 July
2024. For more information about these revised procedures, including new  
resources to assist applicants and respondents, see our webpage: [3]OAIC
Information Commissioner Reviews | Procedure Directions
 

The OAIC acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country across Australia
and their continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We pay
our respect to First Nations people, cultures and Elders past and  
present.

 

[4]Subscribe to Information Matters

 

Notice:

The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.

References

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Dear Lachlan Smith-Marks,

I hope this email finds you well.

I am writing in response to your letter dated 9 January 2025, regarding my FOI request – FOIREQ24/00651. While I understand your concerns about the potential breadth and complexity of my request, I would like to remind the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) that Ms. Claire Lynch has previously addressed similar concerns regarding the scope of FOI requests.

Specifically, in her decisions regarding three other cases (e.g., the FOI request referenced as RQ24/05743 involving Services Australia), Ms. Lynch determined that requests of similar nature and scope could be processed without the need for time extensions or claims of undue complexity. This indicates that the scope of my request is consistent with what has already been deemed acceptable for processing in past cases. As the saying goes, "what’s good for the goose is good for the gander." I would expect the same treatment in my case, particularly in light of the previous determinations under the Freedom of Information Act.

As per section 24AA of the FOI Act, I am confident that my request is sufficiently clear and should not place an unreasonable burden on your resources. If you believe any further clarification is necessary, I am open to narrowing the scope further in accordance with your suggestions.

Given the OAIC’s responsibility to process FOI requests under the Act, I respectfully request that you proceed with the processing of my request without resorting to a refusal based on practical refusal reasons. However, if any revisions to the scope are necessary to assist in the processing, I am open to discussing them with you further.

Please confirm your understanding and the next steps for proceeding with my request.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,
Nosey Rosey

OAIC - FOI,

3 Attachments

Dear Nosey Rosey,

 

Thank you for your email below.

 

I appreciate that the considerations required by section 15AB and section
24AB of the FOI Act share similarities, namely, that they both require an
analysis of the scope of the request and the range of documents covered by
the request.

 

However, I consider that these elements of the FOI Act are sufficiently
distinct from each other, and that each element requires independent
consideration of the actions or inactions of an agency during the period
leading up to an extension of time request, or a decision to issue a
practical refusal notice.

 

I also consider that the nature of a request can be appraised in different
ways, when considering variables such as the agencies size, resources,
relevance to the request, and any preliminary work undertaken in response
to the request.

 

That is to say that it is possible for two agencies to receive different
decisions in regard to an application for an extension of time under 15AB
to process the same request, I consider that the same reasoning can apply
to a practical refusal notice under section 24AB of the Act.

 

In response to your request, the OAIC's FOI processing team has:

 

o Discussed the scope of your request with you, outside of the formal
consultation framework.
o Discussed internally the scope of your FOI request, and the work
required to identify responsive documents
o Outlined to you the reasons as to why the FOI processing team
considers your request gives rise to a 24AA practical refusal
reason/s.
o Drafted a revised scope for your consideration.

 

At this stage, we maintain that a practical refusal reason still exists.

 

The consultation period will remain open until 23 January 2025, during
this period, you are invited to revise your request, withdraw your
request, or inform us that you do not wish to revise your request.

 

Please advise how you would like to proceed so that we may continue to
process your request as efficiently as possible.

 

[1][IMG]   Lachlan Smith-Marks (he/him)

Governance, Risk and Compliance Officer (FOI)

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Melbourne |

E [2][email address]
   
 
The OAIC acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country across
Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and
communities. We pay our respect to First Nations people,
cultures and Elders past and present.    

 

[3]Subscribe to Information Matters

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear Lachlan Smith-Marks,

I write in response to your email dated 14 January 2025 regarding my FOI request FOIREQ24/00651 and the consultation notice issued under section 24AB of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). While I appreciate the efforts of your team to address the scope of my request and provide reasoning for the practical refusal claim, I maintain my position that the current scope of my request is sufficiently clear, targeted, and consistent with the FOI Act’s requirements.

First, under section 24AA of the FOI Act, a practical refusal reason must be substantiated by demonstrating that the processing of the request would "substantially and unreasonably divert the resources" of the agency from its other operations. I respectfully contend that this threshold has not been met in this case. My request is focused explicitly on systemic data-sharing arrangements with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), encompassing only formalized agreements, governance documents, privacy impact assessments, and related records. By excluding individual-level complaint files, duplicate documents, and drafts, I have significantly narrowed the scope to ensure the request is reasonable and manageable.

Second, section 3 of the FOI Act emphasizes the public’s right to access information held by the government to promote transparency and accountability. The information sought in my request pertains directly to data-sharing practices involving DVA client information—a matter of substantial public interest, given its implications for privacy, data security, and the handling of sensitive personal information of veterans. The processing of my request aligns with the FOI Act's objectives and supports the pro-disclosure culture mandated under the legislation.

Third, your correspondence outlines that the OAIC's FOI processing team has discussed the request internally, identified potential work required, and drafted a revised scope for my consideration. While I acknowledge these efforts, I must emphasize that the practical refusal notice framework under section 24AB requires the agency to engage in meaningful consultation aimed at refining the scope to address specific concerns about resource allocation. To date, the reasoning provided does not convincingly demonstrate why targeted searches for the specified document categories cannot be conducted without substantial disruption to the OAIC’s operations.

Finally, the assertion that different agencies may respond differently to similar FOI requests, depending on their size and resources, is noted. However, this principle should not result in inconsistencies that undermine the statutory right to access government-held information. The FOI Act imposes a clear obligation on agencies to process requests in a manner consistent with the Act’s objectives, regardless of operational variances across agencies.

In light of the above, I respectfully request that the OAIC proceed with processing my request as clarified on 30 December 2024. Should further refinement be necessary, I remain open to good-faith discussions to address any specific concerns while preserving the substance of my request. However, I urge the OAIC to ensure that any refusal to process the request fully complies with the statutory requirements under sections 24AA and 24AB of the FOI Act.

If the OAIC maintains its position that the request cannot proceed in its current form, I request a formal decision to enable me to seek independent review by the Australian Information Commissioner.

Thank you for your continued attention to this matter, and I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,
Nosey Rose

OAIC - FOI,

Your email has been received by the Office of Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC).

 

FOI requests to the OAIC

 

Please note that this email address is only used for making requests to
obtain access to a document held by the OAIC pursuant to the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act). We will only action and respond to
emails making FOI requests to the OAIC. For information on how to make an
FOI request to the OAIC, and to ensure that your request complies with the
requirements of the FOI Act, please refer to the FOI page on the OAIC’s
website at:
[1]https://www.oaic.gov.au/about-us/access-...
Once your request has been assessed by the OAIC, and registered on our
system, a separate acknowledgement email will be sent to you with a
reference number.

 

The OAIC does not hold all documents of other Commonwealth government
agencies, other state government agencies, or private organisations.

 

Accordingly:

1)       if you are seeking to access documents of a particular
Commonwealth agency, you will need to make your request directly to the
relevant agency. For example, if you are requesting a copy of your visa
records, please make an FOI request and send it to the Department of Home
Affairs.

2)       if you are seeking to access documents of a state or local
government agency, as each Australian state and territory also have
separate FOI legislation that governs information held by state government
agencies, please contact the relevant agency as to how to make an
application to access the documents. For example, if you are seeking
access to police report from NSW Police Force, it is governed by the
Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act), and you
will need to contact NSW police to find out how to make a GIPA application
for the police report.

3)       if you are seeking to access documents of a private organization,
which the FOI Act does not apply to, please contact the organization
directly to find out how to access the documents you are seeking. For
example, if you are seeking to access to hospital records or your medical
centre records, please contact these organisations directly. 

 

Enquiries and other matters

 

If your email relates to any of the following, please utilise our online
forms instead, which are available at
[2]https://www.oaic.gov.au/about-us/contact...

-               Enquiry

-               Privacy Complaint

-               Notifiable Data Breach

-               Consumer Data Right Complaint

-               FOI Complaint

-               Freedom of Information Review

-               Agency FOI Extension of Time Requests

-               Speech requests.

Notice:

The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.

References

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1. https://www.oaic.gov.au/about-us/access-...
2. https://www.oaic.gov.au/about-us/contact...