Reviews or evaluations of the impact of tobacco excise on smoking behaviour
Dear Department of the Health and Aged Care,
I am writing to request a copy of any evaluations, reviews or assessments of the impact of tobacco excise on smoking behaviour (e.g. consumption, prevalence, product switching to e-cigarettes, product switching to the black market, etc.).
Please include any that have been undertaken, commissioned or received by the Department of the Health and Aged Care since 2018.
Please note that I am submitting an identical request to the Department of Treasury.
Yours faithfully,
Francis Markham.
Good morning Mr Markham,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
any evaluations, reviews or assessments of the impact of tobacco excise on
smoking behaviour (e.g. consumption, prevalence, product switching to
e-cigarettes, product switching to the black market, etc.).
Please include any that have been undertaken, commissioned or received by
the Department of the Health and Aged Care since 2018.
The reference number for your request is FOI 25-0156 LD. Please ensure
that you quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning
this request.
Request for 14 day extension due to agency shutdown
Your request was received on 05 December 2024. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is currently 30 calendar days, and the department
is required to provide you with an access decision on or before 04 January
2025.
Many areas of the department, including the FOI Section, will be/were
closed from 25 December 2024 to 1 January 2025 inclusive.
To ensure the department has sufficient time to process your request, we
are seeking your agreement to extend the period for completing your FOI
request by 14 days (under section 15AA of the FOI Act).
If you agree to this extension, the department would be required to
provide you with an access decision by 18 January 2025.
If you agree to this extension, please let us know by return email to
[1][Health request email] by close of business 10 December 2024. The department
will then notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
(OAIC) of the agreed extension of time.
If you do not agree to the extension, the department may request the
extension from the OAIC under section 15AB of the FOI Act.
The department will process your request as soon as possible within any
extended timeframe.
Request to exclude irrelevant information from your request
To assist with processing your request, can you also please advise by COB
10 December 2024, if you agree that information regarding any public
service employee names below Senior Executive Service level and direct
telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the scope of your
request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Other Information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge, you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise any draft and duplicate documents will be
excluded from the scope of your request.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[2]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [3][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Jordan(he/him)
FOI Administration Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [4][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
Dear Jordan,
Thank you for acknowledging receipt of my request.
I am happy to grant a 14 day extension to 18 January 2025.
Yours sincerely,
Francis Markham
Dear Mr Markham,
I refer to your request of 5 December 2024 to the Department of Health and
Aged Care (department), seeking access under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to the following documents:
any evaluations, reviews or assessments of the impact of tobacco excise on
smoking behaviour (e.g. consumption, prevalence, product switching to
e-cigarettes, product switching to the black market, etc.).
Please include any that have been undertaken, commissioned or received by
the Department of the Health and Aged Care since 2018.
Notice of Third Party Consultation
Documents have been identified in the scope of your request which contain
information relating to third parties. It has been determined that it
would be appropriate to consult with the affected third parties under
sections 27 and 27A of the FOI Act prior to a decision on access to those
documents being made.
Section 15(6) of the FOI Act allows the timeframe for processing your
request to be extended by 30 days to facilitate this consultation.
Accordingly, the statutory due date for your request is now 17 February
2025.
The department will continue processing your request and provide you with
a decision on access as soon we are able to do so.
Relevant provisions
The FOI Act, including the provisions referred to in this email, can be
accessed from the Federal Register of Legislation website:
[1]www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A02562.
If you require clarification of any of the matters discussed in this email
you should contact the department’s FOI Section by email at
[2][email address].
Kind Regards,
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [3][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 6 December 2024 11:05 AM
To: Francis Markham <[FOI #12480 email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information Request 25-0156 LD – Acknowledgement of
Receipt and Request for an Extension of Time [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good morning Mr Markham,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
any evaluations, reviews or assessments of the impact of tobacco excise on
smoking behaviour (e.g. consumption, prevalence, product switching to
e-cigarettes, product switching to the black market, etc.).
Please include any that have been undertaken, commissioned or received by
the Department of the Health and Aged Care since 2018.
The reference number for your request is FOI 25-0156 LD. Please ensure
that you quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning
this request.
Request for 14 day extension due to agency shutdown
Your request was received on 05 December 2024. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is currently 30 calendar days, and the department
is required to provide you with an access decision on or before 04 January
2025.
Many areas of the department, including the FOI Section, will be/were
closed from 25 December 2024 to 1 January 2025 inclusive.
To ensure the department has sufficient time to process your request, we
are seeking your agreement to extend the period for completing your FOI
request by 14 days (under section 15AA of the FOI Act).
If you agree to this extension, the department would be required to
provide you with an access decision by 18 January 2025.
If you agree to this extension, please let us know by return email to
[4][Health request email] by close of business 10 December 2024. The department
will then notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
(OAIC) of the agreed extension of time.
If you do not agree to the extension, the department may request the
extension from the OAIC under section 15AB of the FOI Act.
The department will process your request as soon as possible within any
extended timeframe.
Request to exclude irrelevant information from your request
To assist with processing your request, can you also please advise by COB
10 December 2024, if you agree that information regarding any public
service employee names below Senior Executive Service level and direct
telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the scope of your
request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Other Information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge, you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise any draft and duplicate documents will be
excluded from the scope of your request.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[5]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [6][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Jordan(he/him)
FOI Administration Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [7][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
Dear Jordan,
I am happy to grant the requested extension to undertake third-party consultation.
Yours sincerely,
Francis Markham