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
OFFICIAL
Dear Sir/Madam
I refer to your request, below, sent to the AFP FOI team on the 14th of December 2024.
The application, as it stands, appears to be a generic template, but doesn't request any documents related to the AFP.
If you wish to proceed with the request, can you please amend the scope of your request to specify the documents that you seek from the AFP.
Please note that no further action will be taken on this request until a valid scope is received.
Kind regards,
JOHN (AFP11146)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER (AFP RESERVE)| COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and emerging.
-----Original Message-----
From: noseyrosey <[FOI #12581 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 14 December 2024 2:46 PM
To: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - 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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Dear FOI Officer,
Thank you for your email of 18 December 2024 regarding my Freedom of Information request. I acknowledge that my initial request may have appeared generic and referred to “[Authority name]” rather than specifying the Australian Federal Police (AFP). To clarify, I am seeking documents held by the AFP relating to the sharing of personal information originating from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) over the last ten years.
I request any and all documents, records, data, and supporting material held by the AFP concerning the sharing of personal information that the AFP has received from, or provided to, the DVA. This includes any arrangements, whether one-off data exchanges or ongoing systematic transfers of DVA client information, including personal, medical, financial, or service-related details about veterans or their dependents. In particular, I am seeking copies of memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, internal correspondence, meeting minutes, file transfer logs, policy documents, reports, and any other records that detail the nature, purpose, and scope of information sharing between the AFP and the DVA.
If the AFP holds policies, procedures, or guidelines that govern how it requests, receives, stores, handles, or uses data originating from the DVA, I request access to those documents as well. Furthermore, if there have been any privacy impact assessments, ethics approvals, or internal reviews that relate to the AFP’s use or handling of DVA-sourced information, I respectfully request access to those records. Additionally, if the AFP has any documents describing the intended uses, underlying rationale, or anticipated outcomes of accessing DVA client information, please include these in the scope of the request. If practicable, I also seek a suitably de-identified sample of the data fields to understand the nature and scope of the data shared.
If the AFP does not hold information beyond what is related solely to Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS) arrangements, and there are no other forms of DVA data shared, then it is not necessary to provide the CCeS-related data. Otherwise, please include any relevant data or documentation within the scope of this request.
I trust that this clarification addresses your concerns, and I look forward to receiving your acknowledgement and subsequent decision regarding my request within the statutory timeframe. If there are any further aspects of this request that require refinement, please let me know so that I can assist in making the scope sufficiently clear and manageable.
Yours sincerely,
Nosey
OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey
YOUR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST
I refer to your request dated 18 December 2024, seeking access to
documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act) as follows:
I am seeking documents held by the AFP relating to the sharing of personal
information originating from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
over the last ten years.
I request any and all documents, records, data, and supporting material
held by the AFP concerning the sharing of personal information that the
AFP has received from, or provided to, the DVA. This includes any
arrangements, whether one-off data exchanges or ongoing systematic
transfers of DVA client information, including personal, medical,
financial, or service-related details about veterans or their dependents.
In particular, I am seeking copies of memoranda of understanding,
service-level agreements, internal correspondence, meeting minutes, file
transfer logs, policy documents, reports, and any other records that
detail the nature, purpose, and scope of information sharing between the
AFP and the DVA.
If the AFP holds policies, procedures, or guidelines that govern how it
requests, receives, stores, handles, or uses data originating from the
DVA, I request access to those documents as well. Furthermore, if there
have been any privacy impact assessments, ethics approvals, or internal
reviews that relate to the AFP’s use or handling of DVA-sourced
information, I respectfully request access to those records. Additionally,
if the AFP has any documents describing the intended uses, underlying
rationale, or anticipated outcomes of accessing DVA client information,
please include these in the scope of the request. If practicable, I also
seek a suitably de-identified sample of the data fields to understand the
nature and scope of the data shared.
If the AFP does not hold information beyond what is related solely to
Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS) arrangements, and there are no
other forms of DVA data shared, then it is not necessary to provide the
CCeS-related data. Otherwise, please include any relevant data or
documentation within the scope of this request.
Timeframe
Your request was received by the AFP on 18 December 2024, and the 30 day
statutory period for processing your request commenced from that date. The
due date for your request is 17 January 2025.
Request for Extension of Time
Upon consideration of your request, the AFP is of the view that it will
take longer than 30 days to process. The delay is regrettable, however due
to the AFP’s stand down period for the Christmas and New year, and the
absence of key personnel to assist with the processing of your request,
the AFP do not anticipate to be able to provide a decision within the 30
day time frame.
Accordingly, pursuant to section 15AA of the Act, I seek your agreement to
extend the period by 30 days to notify you of a decision by Wednesday, 19
February 2025.
I would be grateful if you could please advise this office in writing of
your agreement to the proposed extension of time by 24 December 2024.
Information irrelevant to the scope of your request
The AFP, in its management of FOI requests, excludes the following
information on the basis that is irrelevant to the scope of a request:
o duplicate documents, including duplicate emails (the AFP will only
provide emails where they form a final email chain and the
authors/recipients are contained within the final email); and
o information that is publicly available, for example, newspaper
articles, online publications including information available on the
AFP Information Publication Scheme and the AFP disclosure log.
Please advise this office whether you also consent to exclude the
following information:
o Names of AFP members, other than the Senior Executive;
o Direct telephone numbers, middle names of AFP members, signatures and
mobile telephone numbers of AFP members; and
o the names and other information identifying any third party (including
images) from the documents.
Disclosure of your identity
The AFP may be required to consult with third parties in accordance with
sections 26A, 27 and 27A of the Act. Please advise if you consent to being
identified as the Applicant for the purpose of third party consults.
Information Publication Scheme
Please be advised that effective 1 May 2011 and in accordance with section
8(2) of the Act, an agency is required to publish information on the AFP
website following the notification of a decision in respect of a freedom
of information request. Details of the decision will be published in a
Disclosure Log which can be found at
[1]https://www.afp.gov.au/about-us/informat....
The requirement to publish information released under FOI reinforces the
objectives of the FOI Act to promote a pro-disclosure culture across
government, and to increase recognition that information held by
government is a national resource. Exceptions to the requirement to
publish information would apply to personal information and information
concerning the business affairs of a person if it was considered
‘unreasonable’ to do so.
If however, after noting the above, you wish to raise any concerns about
the publication of information concerning your request prior to the
notification of a decision, please advise the AFP in writing before 6
January 2025.
If you have any queries in relation to this matter, please do not hesitate
to contact our team at [2][AFP request email].
Kind regards
BELLA – AFP27980
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
[3]Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and
Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and
emerging.
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that is confidential and subject of legal privilege intended only for
use by the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you
are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for
delivering the message to the intended recipient be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use, copying,
circulation, forwarding, printing or publication of this message or
attached files is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the
information contained therein. If you have received this message in
error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your
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References
Visible links
1. https://www.afp.gov.au/about-us/informat...
2. mailto:[AFP request email]
3. http://www.afp.gov.au/
Dear Bella (AFP27980),
Thank you for your correspondence dated 20 December 2024, regarding my Freedom of Information (FOI) request. I appreciate the detailed response and the opportunity to provide clarification on certain aspects of my request.
Request for Extension of Time
I do not consent to the proposed 30-day extension under section 15AA of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act). As outlined in my original request, the statutory timeframe of 30 days is sufficient to process this request. The holiday period and staff availability, while noted, do not override the legal obligations under the FOI Act to comply with statutory timeframes. Should you require additional time, I suggest that the AFP seek an extension from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner under section 15AB, should it meet the necessary grounds.
Irrelevant Information
I consent to the exclusion of the following irrelevant information from the documents:
Names of AFP members, other than Senior Executive staff;
Direct telephone numbers, middle names, signatures, and mobile telephone numbers of AFP members;
Names and other identifying information about third parties (including images); and
Duplicate documents, such as duplicate emails, where the final version contains all relevant recipients and content.
This consent is provided under section 22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act to facilitate efficient processing without altering the substance of the request.
Disclosure of Identity
I consent to being identified as the applicant for the purposes of any required third-party consultation under sections 26A, 27, and 27A of the FOI Act.
Publication in the Disclosure Log
I acknowledge the AFP's obligation under section 8(2) of the FOI Act to publish information in the Disclosure Log and do not raise any concerns about this aspect of the process.
I trust this response addresses the AFP's requests for clarification and will assist in expediting the processing of my FOI request. Please ensure that the request remains within the statutory timeframe, and contact me promptly if there are further issues or clarifications required.
Yours sincerely,
Nosey
OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey,
I refer to your request dated 18 December 2024, seeking access to
documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Initial enquires with relevant business areas have raised concerns
regarding the broad nature of your request. You are requesting all
documents relating to a particular agency (the DVA) over a 10-year period.
While you wish to limit the documents produced to those “concerning the
sharing of personal information”, for the purposes of conducting searches
it is not possible to filter searches by this variable, therefore it would
first require the provision of all documents relating to the DVA to be
sourced in order to manually assess what may fall within this scope.
For example, where you have requested internal correspondence, in order to
conduct an AFP wide email audit of correspondence relating to the DVA, the
search term “DVA” would be used in the subject line/content fields. I have
been advised that over a 10 year period this is likely to generate an
extremely large amount of results which would then need to be manually
assessed for relevance to the scope of your request.
For the above example alone, it is likely that your request will be
refused as it would represent an unreasonable diversion of the agencies
resources to process.
I therefore invite you to consider what information you are really after
and revise the scope of your request in such a way to enable the agency to
process it.
As a suggestion, it appears that you seek to understand how the AFP shares
personal information with the DVA. You may therefore wish to revise your
request to only high-level documentation such as memoradums of
understanding, policies, procedures or guidelines that govern how the AFP
requests, receives, stores, handles or uses data originating from the DVA.
In order to continue processing your request, please provide a response to
this email by 10 January 2024.
If no response is received by this date, a formal notice of Intention to
Refuse will be issued and a consultation process entered into under
section 24AB of the Act.
Kind Regards,
DANIEL (AFP 27683)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
[1]Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and
Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and
emerging.
**********************************************************************
WARNING
This email message and any attached files may contain information
that is confidential and subject of legal privilege intended only for
use by the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you
are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for
delivering the message to the intended recipient be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use, copying,
circulation, forwarding, printing or publication of this message or
attached files is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the
information contained therein. If you have received this message in
error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your
inbox.
AFP Web site: http://www.afp.gov.au
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References
Visible links
1. http://www.afp.gov.au/
Dear Daniel (AFP 27683),
Thank you for your correspondence dated 7 January 2025 regarding my Freedom of Information (FOI) request. While I understand your concerns about the scope and the challenges involved in processing such requests, I must reiterate that the intent of my request is to obtain clarity on data-sharing arrangements and associated policies between the AFP and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
It is surprising that the AFP does not have a centralised system or straightforward way to identify documents relating to data-sharing arrangements. Given the importance of transparency and accountability in handling sensitive personal information, I would expect the AFP to have well-documented records of what data it shares, with whom, and under what arrangements.
As my original request outlines, I am seeking high-level documentation, including memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, and policies that govern these data-sharing arrangements. These should be readily identifiable without the need for extensive manual searches. If the AFP has effective records management processes, this should not impose an unreasonable burden.
I respectfully request that the AFP reconsiders its initial assessment and focuses its searches on key business areas or teams likely to handle such arrangements, such as legal, governance, or data-sharing divisions. If the AFP still deems the scope unmanageable, I ask that you provide more specific details about the volume and nature of the documents identified, as required under section 24AB of the FOI Act, before proceeding with any formal refusal.
If the AFP ultimately decides to reject my request, that is, of course, your prerogative. However, please be advised that I will seek an independent review of the decision from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
I trust this addresses your concerns, and I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Nosey
OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey,
Thank you for providing a response to my previous email and confirming that you are seeking high level documentation regarding data sharing arrangements between the AFP and DVA.
From your correspondence it is apparent that the data you are referring to specifically is the sharing of personal information.
The current wording of your request is for "all documents, records, data, and supporting material held by the AFP concerning the sharing of personal information that the AFP has received from, or provided to, the DVA. This includes any arrangements, whether one-off data exchanges or ongoing systematic transfers of DVA client information, including personal, medical, financial, or service-related details about veterans or their dependents. In particular, I am seeking copies of memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, internal correspondence, meeting minutes, file transfer logs, policy documents, reports, and any other records that detail the nature, purpose, and scope of information sharing between the AFP and the DVA.....etc"
The parameters are impossibly broad and is interpreted to encompass all instances in which data may have been shared between agencies in a 10-year period.
I therefore seek your consent to revise the wording of your request to the following:
"All current memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, policies, procedures or guidelines that govern how the AFP requests, receives, stores, handles or uses personal information originating from the DVA."
Please advise if you consent to revise the wording of your request to the above or have suggestions for alternative wording.
Kind Regards,
DANIEL (AFP 27683)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and emerging.
-----Original Message-----
From: noseyrosey <[FOI #12581 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 7 January 2025 7:12 PM
To: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Re: FOI Request LEX 3435 - Request for revision of scope [SEC=OFFICIAL] [AFP-L.FID202503]
Dear Daniel (AFP 27683),
Thank you for your correspondence dated 7 January 2025 regarding my Freedom of Information (FOI) request. While I understand your concerns about the scope and the challenges involved in processing such requests, I must reiterate that the intent of my request is to obtain clarity on data-sharing arrangements and associated policies between the AFP and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
It is surprising that the AFP does not have a centralised system or straightforward way to identify documents relating to data-sharing arrangements. Given the importance of transparency and accountability in handling sensitive personal information, I would expect the AFP to have well-documented records of what data it shares, with whom, and under what arrangements.
As my original request outlines, I am seeking high-level documentation, including memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, and policies that govern these data-sharing arrangements. These should be readily identifiable without the need for extensive manual searches. If the AFP has effective records management processes, this should not impose an unreasonable burden.
I respectfully request that the AFP reconsiders its initial assessment and focuses its searches on key business areas or teams likely to handle such arrangements, such as legal, governance, or data-sharing divisions. If the AFP still deems the scope unmanageable, I ask that you provide more specific details about the volume and nature of the documents identified, as required under section 24AB of the FOI Act, before proceeding with any formal refusal.
If the AFP ultimately decides to reject my request, that is, of course, your prerogative. However, please be advised that I will seek an independent review of the decision from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
I trust this addresses your concerns, and I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Nosey
-----Original Message-----
OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey,
I refer to your request dated 18 December 2024, seeking access to
documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Initial enquires with relevant business areas have raised concerns
regarding the broad nature of your request. You are requesting all
documents relating to a particular agency (the DVA) over a 10-year period.
While you wish to limit the documents produced to those “concerning the
sharing of personal information”, for the purposes of conducting searches
it is not possible to filter searches by this variable, therefore it would
first require the provision of all documents relating to the DVA to be
sourced in order to manually assess what may fall within this scope.
For example, where you have requested internal correspondence, in order to
conduct an AFP wide email audit of correspondence relating to the DVA, the
search term “DVA” would be used in the subject line/content fields. I have
been advised that over a 10 year period this is likely to generate an
extremely large amount of results which would then need to be manually
assessed for relevance to the scope of your request.
For the above example alone, it is likely that your request will be
refused as it would represent an unreasonable diversion of the agencies
resources to process.
I therefore invite you to consider what information you are really after
and revise the scope of your request in such a way to enable the agency to
process it.
As a suggestion, it appears that you seek to understand how the AFP shares
personal information with the DVA. You may therefore wish to revise your
request to only high-level documentation such as memoradums of
understanding, policies, procedures or guidelines that govern how the AFP
requests, receives, stores, handles or uses data originating from the DVA.
In order to continue processing your request, please provide a response to
this email by 10 January 2024.
If no response is received by this date, a formal notice of Intention to
Refuse will be issued and a consultation process entered into under
section 24AB of the Act.
Kind Regards,
DANIEL (AFP 27683)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
[1]Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and
Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and
emerging.
References
Visible links
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #12581 email]
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
**********************************************************************
WARNING
This email message and any attached files may contain information
that is confidential and subject of legal privilege intended only for
use by the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you
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Dear FOI,
Thanks for your email.
There is a high possibility that no document exists to be honest. I guess the first question to ask is is there any data sharing agreements with DVA and the AFP if there is not then I would expect an no documents found decision.
If there is data sharing then I am happy to revise the request however can you provide the confirmation of there is or has been large scale data sharing between the two departments first.
Yours sincerely,
noseyrosey
OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey,
Thank you for your email.
I am unable to confirm what you are asking as the FOI process is not a mechanism to provide answers to questions, it is to seek access to documents held by the agency.
Kind Regards,
DANIEL (AFP 27683)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and emerging.
-----Original Message-----
From: noseyrosey <[FOI #12581 email]>
Sent: Friday, 10 January 2025 10:02 AM
To: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: RE: FOI Request LEX 3435 - Request for revision of scope [SEC=OFFICIAL] [AFP-L.FID202503]
Dear FOI,
Thanks for your email.
There is a high possibility that no document exists to be honest. I guess the first question to ask is is there any data sharing agreements with DVA and the AFP if there is not then I would expect an no documents found decision.
If there is data sharing then I am happy to revise the request however can you provide the confirmation of there is or has been large scale data sharing between the two departments first.
Yours sincerely,
noseyrosey
-----Original Message-----
OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey,
Thank you for providing a response to my previous email and confirming that you are seeking high level documentation regarding data sharing arrangements between the AFP and DVA.
From your correspondence it is apparent that the data you are referring to specifically is the sharing of personal information.
The current wording of your request is for "all documents, records, data, and supporting material held by the AFP concerning the sharing of personal information that the AFP has received from, or provided to, the DVA. This includes any arrangements, whether one-off data exchanges or ongoing systematic transfers of DVA client information, including personal, medical, financial, or service-related details about veterans or their dependents. In particular, I am seeking copies of memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, internal correspondence, meeting minutes, file transfer logs, policy documents, reports, and any other records that detail the nature, purpose, and scope of information sharing between the AFP and the DVA.....etc"
The parameters are impossibly broad and is interpreted to encompass all instances in which data may have been shared between agencies in a 10-year period.
I therefore seek your consent to revise the wording of your request to the following:
"All current memoranda of understanding, service-level agreements, policies, procedures or guidelines that govern how the AFP requests, receives, stores, handles or uses personal information originating from the DVA."
Please advise if you consent to revise the wording of your request to the above or have suggestions for alternative wording.
Kind Regards,
DANIEL (AFP 27683)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and emerging.
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WARNING
This email message and any attached files may contain information
that is confidential and subject of legal privilege intended only for
use by the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you
are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for
delivering the message to the intended recipient be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use, copying,
circulation, forwarding, printing or publication of this message or
attached files is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the
information contained therein. If you have received this message in
error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your
inbox.
AFP Web site: http://www.afp.gov.au
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OFFICIAL
Dear Nosey,
Please find attached notice of intention to refuse this request under
section 24AA of the Act and the commencement of the consultation process
under Section 24AB of the Act.
Please note the statutory time period to process your request will be
paused until a response is provided in one of the ways outlined in the
attached notice.
Kind Regards,
DANIEL (AFP 27683)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL – CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO
[1]Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and
Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and
emerging.
**********************************************************************
WARNING
This email message and any attached files may contain information
that is confidential and subject of legal privilege intended only for
use by the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you
are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for
delivering the message to the intended recipient be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use, copying,
circulation, forwarding, printing or publication of this message or
attached files is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the
information contained therein. If you have received this message in
error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your
inbox.
AFP Web site: http://www.afp.gov.au
**********************************************************************
References
Visible links
1. http://www.afp.gov.au/
Dear Mr Funston,
Thank you for your letter dated 10 January 2024, regarding my Freedom of Information (FOI) request. I note your concerns regarding the potential diversion of resources and your suggestion to revise the scope of my request. However, I do not wish to revise my request and ask that it be processed in its current form.
The documents and information I have requested are of considerable public interest. The Australian Federal Police (AFP), as a government agency, should reasonably be expected to know and account for its data-sharing arrangements, particularly when these involve sensitive personal information originating from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). This is a matter of significance to the community, given the importance of safeguarding veterans’ privacy and ensuring transparency in data handling practices.
Your claim that processing my request would substantially and unreasonably divert resources is unpersuasive. It is disappointing to learn that the AFP does not appear to have consolidated records or sufficient systems in place to identify such crucial information without extensive manual effort. This suggests a concerning lack of oversight and organisation regarding data-sharing arrangements that should not be the burden of the public to address.
The previous refusal of FOI request LEX 2708 does not provide grounds to dismiss this request outright. Repeated requests often arise when agencies fail to demonstrate adequate transparency or accountability. The fact that a similar request was refused underscores the need for further scrutiny rather than justification for rejection.
I therefore urge you to proceed with processing my FOI request as submitted. I trust that the AFP will take the necessary steps to ensure this request is handled appropriately and that the public’s right to information is respected.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Yours sincerely,
noseyrosey
noseyrosey left an annotation ()
Key Dates:
Request Submitted: 14 December 2024
The 30-day statutory timeframe began on 15 December 2024.
Original Deadline: 13 January 2025
The decision was initially due within 30 days, by 13 January 2025.
Section 24AB Notice Issued: 10 January 2025
The statutory clock paused with 25 days elapsed and 5 days remaining.
Your Response to the Notice: 11 January 2025
The clock resumes immediately on this date.
Remaining Time:
With 5 days remaining on the clock, the new due date is 16 January 2025.