Review and Cancellation of Cyber Hubs Project
Dear Department of Finance,
This is a request for documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
This request relates to the now-cancelled, Government-wide 'Cyber Hubs' project. I seek access to the following:
a) Documents relating to any kind of review that the Department of Finance led, conducted or requested into the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
b) Documents discussing, recommending or approving the cancellation or de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
I am seeking documents created only in the period from 1st January 2022 to 1st October 2023.
Yours faithfully,
V Dog
Thank you for your email, which has been forwarded to the Department’s FOI
Team for their consideration. A member of the FOI Team will respond to
your email in the next couple of days.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
OFFICIAL
Dear Sir or Madam
Freedom of Information Request – FOI 23-24/041
Thank you for your email to the Department of Finance (Finance) requesting
access to the following documents under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act):
This request relates to the now-cancelled, Government-wide 'Cyber Hubs'
project. I seek access to the following:
a) Documents relating to any kind of review that the Department of Finance
led, conducted or requested into the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
b) Documents discussing, recommending or approving the cancellation or
de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
I am seeking documents created only in the period from 1st January 2022 to
1st October 2023.
Finance has transferred your request, in part, to Home Affairs in
accordance with the FOI Act as the subject matter of your request is more
closely related to the functions of Home Affairs.
Finance will continue to process the following part of your request:
o b) Documents discussing, recommending or approving the cancellation or
de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
Home Affairs will now process the following part of your request:
o a) Documents relating to any kind of review that the Department of
Finance led, conducted or requested into the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
General FOI matters
Your request was received by Finance on 9 October 2023. The statutory
period for processing your request commences from the day after Finance
received your request and a decision is due on Wednesday 8^th November
2023.
The processing period may be extended if we need to consult third parties,
impose a charge or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Liability to pay a charge
You will be notified of any charges in relation to your request as soon as
possible, before we process any requested documents or impose a final
charge.
Publication
As required by the FOI Act, any documents provided to you under the FOI
Act will be published on our [1]disclosure log, unless an exemption
applies or the documents are characterised as containing personal
information. Documents will be published the next working day after they
are released to you.
Policy to exclude junior officer contact details, signatures and mobile
phone numbers
Finance has adopted a policy to generally exclude from any documents
released under FOI, the names and contact details of junior staff (non-SES
officers) and staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act
1984 (adviser level and below). Finance has also adopted a policy to
exclude signatures and mobile phone numbers from any documents released
under FOI (unless publicly available). Finance’s preference is to reach
agreement with FOI applicants to exclude these details from the scope of
the request. Where there is no objection, the names and contact details of
junior officers, as well as any signatures and mobile phone numbers
appearing in identified documents, will be redacted under section 22 of
the FOI Act on the basis that these details are irrelevant to the request.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
Classification: OFFICIAL
Classified by: [email address] on: 13/10/2023 11:47:36 AM
References
Visible links
1. https://www.finance.gov.au/about-us/free...
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy
In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 23/10/00842
File Number: FA23/10/00842
Dear V Dog
Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request
This letter acknowledges that on 9 October 2023 the Department of Home
Affairs (the Department) received your request to access documents held
by the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI
Act). This letter also provides important information about your request.
Scope of request
You have requested access to the following:
Dear Department of Finance,
This is a request for documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
This request relates to the now-cancelled, Government-wide 'Cyber Hubs'
project. I seek access to the following:
a) Documents relating to any kind of review that the Department of Finance
led, conducted or requested into the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
b) Documents discussing, recommending or approving the cancellation or
de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
I am seeking documents created only in the period from 1st January 2022 to
1st October 2023.
Yours faithfully,
V Dog
Finance has transferred your request, in part, to Home Affairs in
accordance with the FOI Act as the subject matter of your request is more
closely related to the functions of Home Affairs.
Home Affairs will now process the following part of your request:
• a) Documents relating to any kind of review that the Department of
Finance led, conducted or requested into the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
Finance will continue to process the following part of your request:
• b) Documents discussing, recommending or approving the cancellation
or de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 23/10/00842 . Please
include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of
Information Section.
Timeframe
The timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the day we receive
your request, as set out in the FOI Act.
Your review rights in relation to your request are available on [1]the
website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Fees and Charges
Charges do not apply to requests from individuals seeking access to
documents about themselves. However, a charge may apply to all other
requests for access to documents.
Charges are based on the amount of time the Department spends on your
request. Charges can range from $10 to over $1,000 depending on the
complexity and scope of your request. The Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner reported that across the public service, the
average charge notified was $335.50 in 2020-21.
If a charge applies, you will be issued with a Notice of Charge that
explains the charge and your options.
Detailed information about FOI charges that may apply to your FOI request
is available on [2]the Department’s website.
We do not provide personal details of staff
The Department’s practice is to exclude the personal details of staff not
in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact
details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an
FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or
direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision
maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree
to that information being excluded from the scope of your request. However
names of staff that have previously been released in departmental
correspondence may be disclosed.
We do not provide duplicated documents
If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will
not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a
there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only
one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exist.
Publication of document
Released documents you request may be published to our website
Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the
Department may be required to publish these documents on its website
within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act.
Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or
business affairs information.
How to reduce or withdraw your request
Reducing the scope of your request can reduce the time and charges
associated with processing your FOI request.
To reduce or withdraw your request, contact the FOI section at
[3][email address] and include your FOI request number.
Contacting the FOI Section
Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at
[4][email address]
Ayesha
Position number: 60100052
Authorised FOI Officer
FOI and Records Management Branch
Legal Group
Department Of Home Affairs
E: [5][email address]
Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
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Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
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The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
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References
Visible links
1. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
2. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[email address]
OFFICIAL
Dear Sir/Madam
Freedom of Information Request – FOI 23-24/041
We write to you in relation to your request to the Department of Finance
(Finance) for access to the following documents under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act):
b) Documents discussing, recommending or approving the cancellation or
de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
I am seeking documents created only in the period from 1st January 2022 to
1st October 2023.
Request for assistance
The current scope of your request captures a large volume of pages.
We suggest you narrow the scope of your request by:
o Providing further detail on specific documents you seek
o Reducing the period of the request
o Excluding emails and other categories of documents from your request
We kindly ask that you reply this email by COB Thursday 2^nd November 2023
providing further details regarding the type of documents that you are
seeking.
Please note that if we do not receive a response from you, we are required
under the FOI Act to expend additional resources to process your request.
We appreciate your assistance in this matter.
General FOI matters
Your request was received by Finance on 9^th October 2023. The statutory
period for processing your request commences from the day after Finance
received your request and a decision is due on Wednesday 8^th November
2023.
The processing period may be extended if we need to consult third parties,
impose a charge or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Liability to pay a charge
You will be notified of any charges in relation to your request as soon as
possible, before we process any requested documents or impose a final
charge.
Publication
As required by the FOI Act, any documents provided to you under the FOI
Act will be published on our [1]disclosure log, unless an exemption
applies or the documents are characterised as containing personal
information. Documents will be published the next working day after they
are released to you.
Policy to exclude junior officer contact details, signatures and mobile
phone numbers
Finance has adopted a policy to generally exclude from any documents
released under FOI, the names and contact details of junior staff (non-SES
officers) and staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act
1984 (adviser level and below). Finance has also adopted a policy to
exclude signatures and mobile phone numbers from any documents released
under FOI (unless publicly available). Finance’s preference is to reach
agreement with FOI applicants to exclude these details from the scope of
the request. Where there is no objection, the names and contact details of
junior officers, as well as any signatures and mobile phone numbers
appearing in identified documents, will be redacted under section 22 of
the FOI Act on the basis that these details are irrelevant to the request.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
Classification: OFFICIAL
Classified by: [email address] on: 31/10/2023 1:49:32 PM
References
Visible links
1. https://www.finance.gov.au/about-us/free...
Dear FOI Requests,
I'm refining the scope of requested documents for the portion of the request being processed by the Department of Finance to the following:
- Emails seeking, or containing, approval either to carry out, or to recommend, the cancellation or de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
- Emails to or from Senior Executives that recommend the cancellation or de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
- Other documents, only in the format of Microsoft Office Word Documents or PDFs, where the predominant subject of the document is, or strongly relates to, recommending or approving the cancellation or de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project, or is specifically included as an attachment or directly referenced in the emails captured above.
For this portion of the request I am specifically excluding:
- Documents such as social media reports, news media reports or other analyses of reporting or public sentiment relating to the cancellation or de-funding of the 'Cyber Hubs' project.
For all emails, I am prepared to reduce the time-frame to the period from 1 January 2023 to 30 May 2023.
For all other documents, I am prepared to reduce the time-frame to the period from 1 July 2022 to 1 July 2023.
Please review this refined scope and advise if there are further issues.
Yours sincerely,
V Dog
Thank you for your email, which has been forwarded to the Department’s FOI
Team for their consideration. A member of the FOI Team will respond to
your email in the next couple of days.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
OFFICIAL
Dear V Dog
I refer to your request received on 9 October 2023 for access to documents
under the FOI Act.
The current due date for your request is 8 November 2023.
The Department holds a document falling within the scope of your request
upon which our agency is required to consult with other Government
agencies. In order to complete the process of that consultation, and then
to complete the decision making process on your FOI request, the
Department will require additional time to process your request.
The Department seeks your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act to
extend the timeframe for the processing of your request by 30 days. This
would extend the due date for your request to Friday 8 December 2023.
Please respond by Monday 6 November 2023.
If you wish to discuss this matter further, please contact me on the
details below.
Yours sincerely
Anna obo Susan
Decision Maker | Position No. 60156395
Freedom of Information Section
Privacy, FOI & Records Management Branch | Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs | [1]www.homeaffairs.gov.au
E: [2][email address]
OFFICIAL
Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.
Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/
2. mailto:[email address]
OFFICIAL
Dear Sir or Madam
Please see attached a request consultation notice in relation to your FOI
request (our reference FOI 23-24/041).
Kind regards
FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
Classification: OFFICIAL
Classified by: [email address] on: 8/11/2023 2:22:56 PM
Dear FOI Requests,
I have reviewed the information you've sent through, and would like to clarify the following.
You state that 'Although the Cyber Hubs project was led from the Finance portfolio, the lead agency was the Digital Transformation Agency, not the Department of Finance.'
And that: 'There are no documents responsive to paragraph a) of your request as Finance has not led, conducted or requested any review into the Cyber Hubs project.'
In a news article in ITNews on the 23rd of May 2023 (link below), it was reported that: 'The [Cyber Hubs] pilot was discontinued earlier this month after a Finance-led review of the pilot scheme.'
And further: '[Then-Home Affairs secretary Mike] Pezzullo said questions about the review of the cyber hubs pilot, and why it was discontinued, needed to be directed at either Finance or the DTA.'
(https://www.itnews.com.au/news/home-affa...)
Based on your statements, I'm willing to accept that the references to involvement by the Department of Finance should perhaps instead be specifically the DTA, and that following the Machinery of Government change, any such documents would reside with Home Affairs, with the Department of Finance only holding documents related to the Budget process or advice to Cabinet.
I am not seeking Budget or Cabinet advice documents, rather I am seeking information related to, or as a result of, the aforementioned review and subsequent decision making process (such as recommendations from staff, consultants, external firms or APS executives) that led to the cancellation or de-funding of the project. I accept that the Department of Finance may not hold the documents that I am seeking.
You note that 'You may also wish to consider making this request of the agency with primary responsibility for this policy, which as noted above is Home Affairs.'
In light of the above, in accordance with s 15(4) and s 24AB(3), rather than outright withdrawing the 'paragraph b' section of this request that the Department of Finance is currently processing and potentially submitting a new one to Home Affairs, would it be more appropriate to transfer this aspect of the request to Home Affairs under s 16?
Yours sincerely,
V Dog
Thank you for your email, which has been forwarded to the Department’s FOI
Team for their consideration. A member of the FOI Team will respond to
your email in the next couple of days.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
OFFICIAL
Good morning
Thank you for your email and response to the notice.
Finance sought a transfer of the request in full to Home Affairs, however, they only accepted part (a) which I believe they are currently processing.
Can you please confirm if you would like to reduce the scope of your request given this information? If so, can you please provide the details of the amended scope?
Many thanks
FOI Team
Classification: OFFICIAL
Classified by: [email address] on: 15/11/2023 10:28:28 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: V Dog <[FOI #10739 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2023 4:41 PM
To: FOI Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Re: FOI 23-24/041 - Request consultation notice [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Dear FOI Requests,
I have reviewed the information you've sent through, and would like to clarify the following.
You state that 'Although the Cyber Hubs project was led from the Finance portfolio, the lead agency was the Digital Transformation Agency, not the Department of Finance.'
And that: 'There are no documents responsive to paragraph a) of your request as Finance has not led, conducted or requested any review into the Cyber Hubs project.'
In a news article in ITNews on the 23rd of May 2023 (link below), it was reported that: 'The [Cyber Hubs] pilot was discontinued earlier this month after a Finance-led review of the pilot scheme.'
And further: '[Then-Home Affairs secretary Mike] Pezzullo said questions about the review of the cyber hubs pilot, and why it was discontinued, needed to be directed at either Finance or the DTA.'
(https://www.itnews.com.au/news/home-affa...)
Based on your statements, I'm willing to accept that the references to involvement by the Department of Finance should perhaps instead be specifically the DTA, and that following the Machinery of Government change, any such documents would reside with Home Affairs, with the Department of Finance only holding documents related to the Budget process or advice to Cabinet.
I am not seeking Budget or Cabinet advice documents, rather I am seeking information related to, or as a result of, the aforementioned review and subsequent decision making process (such as recommendations from staff, consultants, external firms or APS executives) that led to the cancellation or de-funding of the project. I accept that the Department of Finance may not hold the documents that I am seeking.
You note that 'You may also wish to consider making this request of the agency with primary responsibility for this policy, which as noted above is Home Affairs.'
In light of the above, in accordance with s 15(4) and s 24AB(3), rather than outright withdrawing the 'paragraph b' section of this request that the Department of Finance is currently processing and potentially submitting a new one to Home Affairs, would it be more appropriate to transfer this aspect of the request to Home Affairs under s 16?
Yours sincerely,
V Dog
-----Original Message-----
OFFICIAL
Dear Sir or Madam
Please see attached a request consultation notice in relation to your FOI
request (our reference FOI 23-24/041).
Kind regards
FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
Classification: OFFICIAL
Classified by: [email address] on: 8/11/2023 2:22:56 PM
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Dear FOI Requests,
I would like to withdraw the part (b) of this request that the Department of Finance is currently processing.
I will continue to await the outcome of part (a) from Home Affairs.
Yours sincerely,
V Dog
Thank you for your email, which has been forwarded to the Department’s FOI
Team for their consideration. A member of the FOI Team will respond to
your email in the next couple of days.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
Dear FOI,
I have not received any update on the portion of this request being processed by Home Affairs.
The statutory deadline for this was the 8th of December, which has now elapsed.
Could you please provide an update by Wednesday the 13th of December, or I will consider this to be a deemed refusal under s 15AC.
Yours sincerely,
V Dog
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy
V Dog
BY EMAIL: [FOI #10739 email]
In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 23/10/00842
File Number: FA 23/10/00842
Dear V Dog,
Freedom of Information (FOI) request – Access Decision
On 9 October 2023, the Department of Home Affairs (the Department)
received a request for access to document under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
The purpose of this email is to provide you with a decision on your
request for access under the FOI Act. Please find attached.
Regards
Susan
Freedom of Information
FOI & Records Management Branch | Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs
E: [1][email address]
Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.
Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]