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only action and respond to FOI requests and other matters relating to the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). For information on how to
make an FOI request please refer to the FOI page on the department’s
website at:
[1]https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protect....

If your email relates to the FOI Act, we will contact you shortly to
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OFFICIAL
 
Good afternoon
 
Freedom of Information Request: FOI21/144
 
I refer to your request, received by the Attorney-General's Department
(the department) on 17 August 2021, for access to documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
 
You have requested access to the following:
 
‘…any document containing aggregate statistics relating to the number
internal reviews that are conducted annually e.g. "there are x agencies,
and a total of y internal reviews were conducted in the year 2020-21".’
 
To assist the department in processing your request, we seek your
assistance in refining the terms of your request to enable us to identify
the documents that you are seeking.
 
We ask that you specify whether you are seeking internal review figures of
a particular category of decision, for  example internal reviews of
Freedom of Information requests or whether there is a specific subject
matter that is of interest to you.
 
We seek a response from you as soon as possible but no later than Tuesday,
24 August 2021.
 
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me on 6141 6666
or by email at [1][AGD request email].
 
Yours sincerely
 
Nicholas
FOI Case Officer
Freedom of Information and Privacy
Attorney-General’s Department
3-5 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600
T: 02 6141 6666
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: faustus [[2]mailto:[FOI #7690 email]]
Sent: Tuesday, 17 August 2021 7:03 PM
To: FOI Requests <[3][AGD request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Number of internal reviews
conducted by Commonwealth agencies
 
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not
follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognise the
sender and know the content is safe.
 
Dear Attorney-General's Department,
 
I am not too familiar with the internal review process for Commonwealth
departments, but my understanding is as follows. First, a member of the
public interacts with an agency in some way, and the agency makes a
decision or does something that impacts them, and they are unhappy with
it:
 
1. Internal review of decision by the agency.
 
Then, if they they are unhappy with that decision, they can seek:
 
2. External review at AAT.
 
I am looking for any document containing aggregate statistics relating to
the number internal reviews that are conducted annually e.g. "there are x
agencies, and a total of y internal reviews were conducted in the year
2020-21". Please advise if you need me to be more specific or narrow the
scope of my request.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
faustus
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][FOI #7690 email]
 
Is [5][AGD request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to Attorney-General's Department? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[6]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:
[7]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.
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
 
When you make a request for documents or an inquiry about privacy matters,
the Attorney-Generals Department will only collect your personal
information where it is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to,
our functions under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 or the Privacy Act
1988. We may collect your name, email address and telephone number so that
we can contact you about your request under the Freedom of Information Act
for access to documents or access to, or correction of, personal
information; or a complaint you have made or your request for access to,
or correction of, personal information under the Privacy Act. If your
request concerns your personal information, we will collect the minimum
amount of evidence necessary to verify your identity. The handling of your
personal information is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 and our privacy
policy is available at http://www.ag.gov.au/Pages/Privacystatem....
If you have an enquiry or complaint about your privacy, please contact the
Privacy Contact Officer on 02 6141 2660 or via e-mail [email address].
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the e-mail or attachments.

References

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1. mailto:[AGD request email]
2. mailto:[FOI #7690 email]
3. mailto:[AGD request email]
4. mailto:[FOI #7690 email]
5. mailto:[AGD request email]
6. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
7. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

hide quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Good afternoon

Freedom of Information Request FOI21/144

I refer to your request received by the Attorney-General's Department on
17 August 2021 under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) for
access to documents.

Thank you for clarifying the terms of your request, the department has
understood your request to be for:

‘…annual statistics on internal review decisions made by any agency that
align with the 9 divisions of the AAT.'

If you disagree with this interpretation of your request, please let me
know in writing as soon as possible.

The department received your request 17 August 2021 of receipt and the 30
day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the day
after that date. You should therefore expect a decision from us by 16
September 2021. However, the period of 30 days may be extended if the
department needs to consult third parties or for other reasons. We will
advise you if this happens.

Where the documents within the scope of an FOI request include the
personal information of junior officers of the department or other
government authorities, the department’s practice is to not disclose that
information (e.g., names, contact details). The names of senior officers
will generally be disclosed. In addition, duplicates and incomplete email
chains within the scope of the FOI request will be excluded.

Please note that, with some exceptions (such as personal information),
documents released under the FOI Act may later be published online on the
department’s disclosure log
[1]http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtection....

If you have any questions, please contact me by telephone on (02) 6141
6666 or by email to [2][AGD request email].

Yours sincerely

Fiona

FOI Case Officer

-----Original Message-----

From: faustus [mailto:[FOI #7690 email]]

Sent: Wednesday, 25 August 2021 11:32 PM

To: FOI Requests <[AGD request email]>

Subject: CM: Re: FOI21/144 - Request for further information - Response
requested by COB Tuesday 24 August 2021 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not
follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognise the
sender and know the content is safe.

Dear Nicholas,

Thank you for your response. There are 9 divisions at the AAT. If
available, I would like statistics that map onto the same divisions e.g.
total number internal reviews in relation to FOI, general
(citizenship/workers' compensation/…), migration, NDIS, security, etc. See
below.

If statistics on those 9 categories don't exist, I would prefer more
granular data so I can collapse the data into meaningful categories
myself.

Many thanks,

faustus

----

1. Freedom of Information

2. General

Australian citizenship

Visa-related decisions relating to character Workers' Compensation Other

3. Migration & Refugee

Migration

Refugee

4. National Disability Insurance Scheme

5. Security

6. Small Business Taxation

7. Social Services & Child Support

Centrelink

Child Support

Paid Parental Leave

8. Taxation & Commercial

Taxation

Other

9. Veterans' Appeals

-----Original Message-----

OFFICIAL

Good afternoon

Freedom of Information Request: FOI21/144

I refer to your request, received by the Attorney-General's Department 
(the department) on 17 August 2021, for access to documents under the 
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).

You have requested access to the following:

‘…any document containing aggregate statistics relating to the number 
internal reviews that are conducted annually e.g. "there are x agencies, 
and a total of y internal reviews were conducted in the year 2020-21".’

To assist the department in processing your request, we seek your 
assistance in refining the terms of your request to enable us to identify 
the documents that you are seeking.

We ask that you specify whether you are seeking internal review figures
of  a particular category of decision, for  example internal reviews of 
Freedom of Information requests or whether there is a specific subject 
matter that is of interest to you.

We seek a response from you as soon as possible but no later than Tuesday,

24 August 2021.

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me on 6141 6666 
or by email at [1][AGD request email].

Yours sincerely

Nicholas

FOI Case Officer

Freedom of Information and Privacy

Attorney-General’s Department

3-5 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600

T: 02 6141 6666

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #7690 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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICIAL
When you make a request for documents or an inquiry about privacy matters,
the Attorney-Generals Department will only collect your personal
information where it is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to,
our functions under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 or the Privacy Act
1988. We may collect your name, email address and telephone number so that
we can contact you about your request under the Freedom of Information Act
for access to documents or access to, or correction of, personal
information; or a complaint you have made or your request for access to,
or correction of, personal information under the Privacy Act. If your
request concerns your personal information, we will collect the minimum
amount of evidence necessary to verify your identity. The handling of your
personal information is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 and our privacy
policy is available at http://www.ag.gov.au/Pages/Privacystatem....
If you have an enquiry or complaint about your privacy, please contact the
Privacy Contact Officer on 02 6141 2660 or via e-mail [email address].
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the e-mail or attachments.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtection...
2. mailto:[AGD request email]

hide quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Dear Faustus

Freedom of Information Request FOI21/144

I refer to your request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI
Act) for access to documents.

The purpose of this email is to provide you with a decision in response to
that request.

Please find attached your decision letter, including your review rights.

If you have any questions, please contact me by telephone on (02) 6141
6666 or by email to [1][AGD request email].

Joanna Baker

Assistant Director

Freedom of Information and Privacy | Strategy and Governance Branch

Attorney-General’s Department

T: 02 6141 6666 | E: [2][AGD request email]

OFFICIAL

References

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1. mailto:[AGD request email]
2. mailto:[AGD request email]