FOI charges letters
Dear Department of Employment and Workplace Relations,
I request access to the following documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982:
1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following applicant contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal or external review.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants.
Yours faithfully,
CR
Dear FOI Officer,
I am writing to amend the scope of my FOI request to assist with its processing.
As I wish to access only recent charge decisions, I have introduced a time frame and clarified the exclusions. I confirm the revised scope of my request as follows:
1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following applicant contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal or external review.
The time period for my request is from 1 July 2022 to 1 October 2024.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including supporting evidence or details of personal circumstances in a financial hardship contention.
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision letters.
Please feel free to contact me if you require any clarification or have further questions regarding this request.
Yours sincerely,
CR
Dear CR
We refer to your request, received by the Department of Employment and
Workplace Relations (department) on 1 October 2024, for access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to the following documents:
“1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following applicant
contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal or
external review.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants.”
On 8 October 2024, you revised your request as follows:
“1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI
applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also
provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following
applicant contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following
internal or external review.
The time period for my request is from 1 July 2022 to 1
October 2024.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including
supporting evidence or details of personal circumstances in a financial
hardship contention.
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision
letters.”
Your reference number for this request is LEX 1204. Please include this
reference number in all correspondence relating to your request.
Timeframe
The 30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the department received your request. You should therefore
expect to receive a decision from us by 31 October 2024. The 30-day
timeframe may be extended with your agreement or where otherwise permitted
under the FOI Act (for example, if the department is required to undertake
third party consultation). We will notify you if this happens.
Charges
The department will advise you if a charge is payable to process your
request and the amount of any such charge as soon as practicable.
Your address
The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your electronic address is
[1][FOI #12116 email]. Unless you tell us
otherwise, we will send all notices and correspondence to this address.
Disclosure log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.
Proposed irrelevant material (such as staff details) and material that is
out of scope
The department will treat the following as irrelevant under section
22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act unless you tell us otherwise by the timeframe
outlined below:
• the names, signatures, identification numbers and direct contact
details of Commonwealth staff.
The department will treat any duplicate documents, drafts where there is a
final version available, and documents that are publicly available as out
of scope of your request.
The department will take the above approach when processing your request
unless you tell us otherwise by 3pm on 18 Friday October 2024.
Further assistance
If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][email address].
Yours sincerely
Trudi
Information Law Team
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
dewr.gov.au
-----Original Message-----
From: CR <[3][FOI #12116 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 9:03 PM
To: DEWR - FOI <[4][DEWR request email]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - FOI charges letters
**************************************************************************
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not
click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know
the content is safe.
**************************************************************************
Dear FOI Officer,
I am writing to amend the scope of my FOI request to assist with its
processing.
As I wish to access only recent charge decisions, I have introduced a time
frame and clarified the exclusions. I confirm the revised scope of my
request as follows:
1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following applicant
contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal or
external review.
The time period for my request is from 1 July 2022 to 1 October 2024.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including supporting evidence
or details of personal circumstances in a financial hardship contention.
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision letters.
Please feel free to contact me if you require any clarification or have
further questions regarding this request.
Yours sincerely,
CR
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[5][FOI #12116 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:
[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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #12116 email]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[FOI #12116 email]
4. mailto:[DEWR request email]
5. mailto:[FOI #12116 email]
6. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear FOI Team,
I wish to provide clarification as to the scope of my request.
If a preliminary charge notice or decision of a charge is sent via the body of an email (as opposed to an email attachment) I wish to access a copy of that email, as well as the applicant's contention reasons.
Yours sincerely,
CR
Dear CR
We refer to your email below.
We consider this is a new freedom of information request and invite you to
submit a new request.
Yours sincerely
Trudi
Information Law Team
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
[1]dewr.gov.au
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations acknowledges the
traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to them and their cultures, and Elders past, present and
emerging.
-----Original Message-----
From: CR <[FOI #12116 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 23 October 2024 10:43 PM
To: DEWR - FOI <[DEWR request email]>
Subject: Re: Your FOI Request - Acknowledgement - LEX 1204 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
**************************************************************************
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not
click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know
the content is safe.
**************************************************************************
Dear FOI Team,
I wish to provide clarification as to the scope of my request.
If a preliminary charge notice or decision of a charge is sent via the
body of an email (as opposed to an email attachment) I wish to access a
copy of that email, as well as the applicant's contention reasons.
Yours sincerely,
CR
-----Original Message-----
Dear CR
We refer to your request, received by the Department of Employment and
Workplace Relations (department) on 1 October 2024, for access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to the following documents:
“1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following applicant
contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal or
external review.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants.”
On 8 October 2024, you revised your request as follows:
“1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI
applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also
provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following
applicant contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following
internal or external review.
The time period for my request is from 1 July 2022 to 1
October 2024.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including
supporting evidence or details of personal circumstances in a financial
hardship contention.
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision
letters.”
Your reference number for this request is LEX 1204. Please include this
reference number in all correspondence relating to your request.
Timeframe
The 30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from
the day after the department received your request. You should therefore
expect to receive a decision from us by 31 October 2024. The 30-day
timeframe may be extended with your agreement or where otherwise
permitted under the FOI Act (for example, if the department is required
to undertake third party consultation). We will notify you if this
happens.
Charges
The department will advise you if a charge is payable to process your
request and the amount of any such charge as soon as practicable.
Your address
The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your electronic address is [1][FOI #12116
email]. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will send all notices and
correspondence to this address.
Disclosure log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.
Proposed irrelevant material (such as staff details) and material that is
out of scope
The department will treat the following as irrelevant under section
22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act unless you tell us otherwise by the timeframe
outlined below:
• the names, signatures, identification numbers and direct contact
details of Commonwealth staff.
The department will treat any duplicate documents, drafts where there is
a final version available, and documents that are publicly available as
out of scope of your request.
The department will take the above approach when processing your request
unless you tell us otherwise by 3pm on 18 Friday October 2024.
Further assistance
If you have any questions about your request, please email [2][email
address].
Yours sincerely
Trudi
Information Law Team
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
dewr.gov.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FOI #12116 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:
[3]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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Visible links
1. https://www.dewr.gov.au/
2. mailto:[FOI #12116 email]
3. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear CR
Our reference: 1204
I refer to your request, received by the Department of Employment and
Workplace Relations (department) on 1 October 2024 and revised on 8
October 2024, for access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI
Act) to the following documents:
1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI
applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following
applicant contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal
or external review.
The time period for my request is from 1 July 2022 to 1 October 2024.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including supporting evidence
or details of personal circumstances in a financial hardship contention.
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision letters.
Your request covers documents containing information of an organisation’s
business and commercial affairs. As such, the department is required to
consult with an affected third party concerned (under section 27 of the
FOI Act) before making a decision on the release of their information.
Affected third party consultation
The affected third party will be asked if they object to the disclosure
and invited to provide reasons and evidence for their submissions. While
any comments made by the affected third party will be taken into account,
the department is obliged to form its own views in making a decision about
whether to grant you access to the documents you requested.
Extended timeframe
The period for processing your request has been extended by 30 days in
order to allow the department sufficient time to consult with the affected
third party in accordance with section 15(6) of the FOI Act.
The new decision date for your request is 2 December 2024.
Your 23 October 2024 correspondence
We also refer to your email on 23 October 2024 which stated: If a
preliminary charge notice or decision of a charge is sent via the body of
an email (as opposed to an email attachment) I wish to access a copy of
that email, as well as the applicant's contention reasons.
For completeness, we confirm that the department’s Information Law Team
does not send out preliminary assessment of charge notices or charge
decisions in the body of an email. The relevant notices and decisions are
contained in a separate letter sent as attachments to emails. We also note
that where, after receiving a preliminary assessment of charge notice, an
applicant contends that the charge should be reduced or not imposed, the
department’s charge decision will contain an outline or extract of the
applicant’s contentions in the statement of reasons. As such, the charge
decisions within the scope of your revised request contain an outline or
extract of the applicants’ contentions regarding the reduction or
non-imposition of the charge for processing their FOI requests.
Further assistance
If you have any questions about your request, please email
[1][email address].
Yours sincerely
Trudi
Information Law Team
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
[2]dewr.gov.au
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations acknowledges the
traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to them and their cultures, and Elders past, present and
emerging.
-----Original Message-----
From: CR <[3][FOI #12116 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 8 October 2024 9:03 PM
To: DEWR - FOI [4][DEWR request email]
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - FOI charges letters
**************************************************************************
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not
click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know
the content is safe.
**************************************************************************
Dear FOI Officer,
I am writing to amend the scope of my FOI request to assist with its
processing.
As I wish to access only recent charge decisions, I have introduced a time
frame and clarified the exclusions. I confirm the revised scope of my
request as follows:
1. The most recent 30 notices of charges issued to FOI applicants.
For each of these 30 requests, if applicable, please also provide:
2. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following applicant
contention.
3. Any subsequent decisions regarding charges following internal or
external review.
The time period for my request is from 1 July 2022 to 1 October 2024.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including supporting evidence
or details of personal circumstances in a financial hardship contention.
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision letters.
Please feel free to contact me if you require any clarification or have
further questions regarding this request.
Yours sincerely,
CR
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[5][FOI #12116 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:
[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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.dewr.gov.au/
3. mailto:[FOI #12116 email]
4. mailto:[DEWR request email]
5. mailto:[FOI #12116 email]
6. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear FOI Officer,
Please find below the revised scope of my request.
Please exclude the following information:
i) Personal information of FOI applicants, including supporting evidence or details of personal circumstances in a financial hardship contention. (unchanged)
ii) Emails that attached the charges notices/decision letters. (unchanged)
iii) Personal information of third parties and commonwealth staff below SES.
iv) Duplicate documents.
v) Details of third parties.
vi) Business information about third parties.
vii) information of an organisation’s business and commercial affairs
Please confirm that this will remove the need for third party consultation. Alternatively, please suggest what information needs to be excluded to remove the need for third party consultation.
I understand that the statutory timeframe remains extended by 30 days, even if the scope of my request is revised.
Yours sincerely,
CR
Dear FOI Team,
Request withdrawn. I will be making a new request shortly.
Yours sincerely,
CR