Private use of social media advice provided to employees

James Smith made this Freedom of Information request to WA Housing Authority as part of a batch sent to 204 authorities

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

The request was refused by WA Housing Authority.

Dear WA Housing Authority,

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

I request documents related to the ten most recent instances where an employee has sought information, advice, guidance, or opinion on their social media use in a private capacity.

I limit the scope of documents to:
- the original request from the employee
- the agency/department's response
- any follow-up questions and response
- only those sent to a relevant HR / conduct / social media (or similar) team (rather than managers across all areas of the organisation)
- where the original request was created in the last 2 years

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

James Smith

Enquiries: Narelle Hurkala
Contact: (08) 9222 8145
Reference: 2017/11415

Dear Mr Smith,

I refer to your email received on 8 August in which you requested the following documents related to the ten most recent instances where an employee has sought information, advice, guidance, or opinion on their social media use in a private capacity

You limit the scope of documents to:
• - the original request from the employee
• - the agency/department's response
• - any follow-up questions and response
• - only those sent to a relevant HR / conduct / social media (or similar) team (rather than managers across all areas of the organisation)
• - where the original request was created in the last 2 years

I write to advise that your request falls within the scope of 'non-personal'.

The Freedom of Information Act 1992 (the Act) clearly defines 'personal information' as information or an opinion, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual, whether living or dead.

As an application fee is a requirement of the Act, your application will not be accepted as valid until payment is received. Payment of the fee can be made at any office of the Department of Housing, or by post in the form of a cheque or money order.

If you are financially disadvantaged please inform the Department of Communities Housing, as a reduction in charges may be possible (see the “Are there any costs involved” section on the FOI Brochure provided)

I enclose with this letter a brochure explaining the requirements of an application made under the Freedom of Information Act. This brochure also documents the Fees and Charges as cited in the Freedom of Information Regulations 1992.

If you intend to proceed, the application fee ($30.00), needs to be returned to Department of Communities – C/O Freedom of Information 99 Plain St EAST PERTH WA 6004.

I also require you to supply the Authority with a current Australian Postal Address.

As per Section 12 1(c) under the Act which does state:

(1) The access application had to –

(c) give an address in Australia to which notices under this Act can be sent.

If the application and fees are not received by 24 August 201 (i.e. 14 days from the date of this notice), your application or ‘non personal’ information will not be processed.

If you have any further questions, please call me on (08) 9222 8145.

Yours sincerely

Narelle Hurkala
FOI Coordinator | Information Management
Housing

Department of Communities
P 08 9222 8145
Locked Bag 22, East Perth WA 6892
W communities.wa.gov.au

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Locutus Sum left an annotation ()

Mostly I classify a response like this one to say "clarification requested" because the agency has told the applicant that some more information (and money!) is needed before the request will be processed. This time, I have put the response in the category of "refused" because it is two months when the agency has responded and the applicant has not made a follow-up. This does not mean that the agency will refuse the request when an application is made in the correct (required) way and although I have made the classification of "refused", the applicant can use this same request page if he wishes to pursue the request.