Thank you for your email.  Please accept this automatic reply as
confirmation the Information Access Unit (IAU) has received your email.

Please note the IAU is currently experiencing a high volume of requests. 
We are working as quickly as possible to process your request.  We
appreciate your patience.

Dear Mr Ashmore,

The Department of Veterans' Affairs (the department) has received your
request for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act). I note you have requested access to the following:

''Since the introduction of the MATES program in 2004, I require the
number of veterans who have requested to opt out of this program.
I require this for each and every year since 2004.  For the year 2023 I
require the information on a monthly basis.''

Your request was received by the department on 17 November 2023 and the
ordinary 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced
from the day after that date.

If we are in a position to make a decision on your request earlier than
this date, we will endeavour to do so.

The statutory period may also be extended if we need to consult third
parties or for other reasons permitted under the FOI Act. We will advise
you if this happens.

Charges

The Department will notify you within 14 days of an estimate of the
charges that will apply to your request for non-personal information
before we process any requested documents or impose a final charge.

Your address

The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your contact address is
[1][FOI #10881 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.

Further assistance

If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][DVA request email]

Yours sincerely

Arthur Information Access Registrations Officer

Position Number – 62341836

Information Access Unit

Ministerial, International & Stakeholder Relations Branch

Ministerial, Communication & Engagement Division

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)

[3][DVA request email]

[4]www.dva.gov.au

[5][IMG][6][IMG][7][IMG][8][IMG]

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #10881 email]
2. mailto:[DVA request email]
3. mailto:[DVA request email]
4. http://www.dva.gov.au/
5. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
6. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
7. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
8. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus

Dear Mr Ashmore,

Thank you for your Information Access request to the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs (Department) – LEX62634.

Please find the Department’s decision attached.

Kind regards

Sotiria | 62214764

Senior Information Access Officer

Information Access Unit

Ministerial, International & Stakeholder Relations Branch

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

[1][email address]

[2]www.dva.gov.au 

[3]cid:image002.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[4]cid:image003.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[5]cid:image004.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[6]cid:image005.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590

[7]cid:image007.jpg@01D8E856.81E464D0

[8]cid:image008.jpg@01D8E856.81E464D0

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.dva.gov.au/
3. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
4. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
5. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
6. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus