Exemptions from taking covid vaccine
Dear Department of Health,
How many Australian Government employees, including ministers, premiers, officers and any of their employees were given exemptions from having any covid 19 vaccinations and boosters.
Yours faithfully,
Cynthia Albert
Dear Ms Albert,
Transfer of freedom of information request to another agency
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
How many Australian Government employees, including ministers, premiers,
officers and any of their employees were given exemptions from having any
covid 19 vaccinations and boosters.
I am writing to tell you that the department has transferred your request
to Services Australia.
Under section 16(1) of the FOI Act, the department is able to transfer a
request if the subject matter of the document is more closely connected
with the functions of another agency.
On 2 February 2024 the department transferred your request which relates
to COVID-19 vaccine exemptions to Services Australia whose functions are
more closely connected to the subject area.
We received your request on 1 February 2024 and the 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from the day after that
date. Services Australia will treat your request as though it received it
the same day that this department did. You should expect a decision
from Services Australia by 2 March 2024. The period of 30 days may be
extended if Services Australia needs to consult third parties or for other
reasons. They will advise you if this happens.
An FOI officer at Services Australia will be in contact with your
shortly.
Kind regards,
Riley
FOI Support Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal and Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Cynthia Albert [1][FOI #11064 email]
Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2024 6:41 PM
To: FOI [2][email address]
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Exemptions from taking covid
vaccine
REMINDER: Think before you click! This email originated from outside our
organisation. Only click links or open attachments if you recognise the
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Dear Department of Health,
How many Australian Government employees, including ministers, premiers,
officers and any of their employees were given exemptions from having any
covid 19 vaccinations and boosters.
Yours faithfully,
Cynthia Albert
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[3][FOI #11064 email]
Is [4][Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[5]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
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:
[6]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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Our reference: LEX ID 78192
Dear Ms Albert
Acknowledgement of your Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your request for access to documents under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). You requested access to:
How many Australian Government employees, including ministers, premiers,
officers and any of their employees were given exemptions from having any
covid 19 vaccinations and boosters.
Your request was received by the Department of Health & Aged Care on 1
February 2024 and the 30 day statutory period for processing your request
commenced from the day after that date. As per the below email, your
request was subsequently transferred to Services Australia (the Agency).
You should therefore expect a decision from us by 4 March 2024. The period
of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third parties or for
other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
The Agency will advise you if a charge is payable to process your request
and the amount of any such charge as soon as practicable. No charge is
payable for providing a person with their own personal information.
Your Address
The FOI Act requires you provide us with an address which we can send
notices to. You have advised your electronic address is
[1][FOI #11064 email]. We will send all notices
and correspondence to this address. Please advise us as soon as possible
if you wish correspondence to be sent to another address or if your
address changes. If you do not advise us of changes to your address,
correspondence and notices will continue to be sent to the address
specified above.
Administrative Release of Documents
The Agency has administrative access arrangements (arrangements) for the
release of certain documents without the need for a formal FOI request.
Unless you advise us otherwise, in processing your request we may provide
you with documents under these arrangements where appropriate. 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.
Disclosure Log
Please note information released under the FOI Act may be published in a
disclosure log on the Agency's website. Section 11C of the FOI Act
requires this publication, however it is subject to certain exceptions,
including where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.
Exclusion of junior staff details
The Agency is working towards ensuring all staff have a choice about
whether they provide their full name, personal logon identifiers and
direct contact details in response to public enquiries. Where such details
are included in the scope of a request, this may add to processing time
and applicable charges as it may be necessary to consider whether the
details are exempt under the FOI Act. On this basis, unless you tell us
otherwise, we will assume these details are out of scope of your request
and they will be redacted under section 22 of the FOI Act.
Further assistance
If you have any questions please email
[2][email address].
Yours sincerely
Cherie
FOI Officer
Freedom of Information Team
FOI and Reviews Branch | Legal Services Division
Services Australia
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 2, 2024 2:26 PM
To: [FOI #11064 email]
Subject: Freedom of Information request FOI-4956 - Transfer of request to
another agency [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Dear Ms Albert,
Transfer of freedom of information request to another agency
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
How many Australian Government employees, including ministers, premiers,
officers and any of their employees were given exemptions from having any
covid 19 vaccinations and boosters.
I am writing to tell you that the department has transferred your request
to Services Australia.
Under section 16(1) of the FOI Act, the department is able to transfer a
request if the subject matter of the document is more closely connected
with the functions of another agency.
On 2 February 2024 the department transferred your request which relates
to COVID-19 vaccine exemptions to Services Australia whose functions are
more closely connected to the subject area.
We received your request on 1 February 2024 and the 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date.
Services Australia will treat your request as though it received it the
same day that this department did. You should expect a decision from
Services Australia by 2 March 2024. The period of 30 days may be extended
if Services Australia needs to consult third parties or for other reasons.
They will advise you if this happens.
An FOI officer at Services Australia will be in contact with your shortly.
Kind regards,
Riley
FOI Support Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal and Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [3][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Cynthia Albert [4][FOI #11064 email]
Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2024 6:41 PM
To: FOI [5][email address]
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Exemptions from taking covid
vaccine
REMINDER: Think before you click! This email originated from outside our
organisation. Only click links or open attachments if you recognise the
sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Department of Health,
How many Australian Government employees, including ministers, premiers,
officers and any of their employees were given exemptions from having any
covid 19 vaccinations and boosters.
Yours faithfully,
Cynthia Albert
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #11064 email]
Is [7][Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[8]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
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:
[9]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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[FOI #11064 email]
5. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[FOI #11064 email]
7. mailto:[Health request email]
8. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
9. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear Ms Albert,
Please find attached the decision letter and document 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 attachments please contact me by replying to
this email.
Kind Regards,
Leanne, Senior FOI Officer
FOI and Reviews Branch, Legal Services Division
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