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 Mr Moorcroft,

Freedom of Information Request – FOI 24-25/004 and FOI 24-25/005

I refer to your two (2) requests to the Department of Finance under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act), seeking access to the
following:

o 004: The briefing pack prepared for the Minister of Finance for the
Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee's 2024-25 Budget
Estimates hearings.
o 005: The briefing pack prepared for the Secretary of Finance for the
Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee's 2024-25 Budget
Estimates hearings.

The requests I refer to are attached.

Your requests, as currently framed, capture a significant volume of
material (over 200 pages) and will require substantial third party
consultation. As such, the work involved in processing the request would
substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of this agency from
its other operations. This could result in your request being refused
pursuant to section 24 of the FOI Act on the basis that a ‘practical
refusal’ reason exists.

Section 24 of the FOI Act provides that two or more requests may be
treated as a single request if the agency is satisfied that:

o the requests relate to the same document or documents (paragraph
24(2)(a))
o the subject matter is substantially the same for the requests
(paragraph 24(2)(b)).

Accordingly, the Department has decided to combine 2 of your FOI requests
(as attached) as single request under subsection 24(2) as there is a clear
connection between the subject matter of the requested documents.

Request for assistance

Therefore, we would like to engage in an informal consultation process
with you to narrow the terms of your request so that it can be processed
by the Department.

We kindly ask that you respond by COB Friday 26 July 2024 and advise
Finance of a narrower scope for your requests.

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.

Please contact the FOI Team if you wish to discuss your request.

Kind regards,

FOI Team

FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch

Business Enabling Services

Department of Finance

A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Moorcroft,

Freedom of Information Request – FOI 24-25/004 and FOI 24-25/005

I refer to your two (2) requests to the Department of Finance under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act), seeking access to the
following:

o 004: The briefing pack prepared for the Minister of Finance for the
Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee's 2024-25 Budget
Estimates hearings.
o 005: The briefing pack prepared for the Secretary of Finance for the
Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee's 2024-25 Budget
Estimates hearings.

The requests I refer to are attached.

Your requests, as currently framed, capture a significant volume of
material (over 200 pages) and will require substantial third party
consultation. As such, the work involved in processing the request would
substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of this agency from
its other operations. This could result in your request being refused
pursuant to section 24 of the FOI Act on the basis that a ‘practical
refusal’ reason exists.

Section 24 of the FOI Act provides that two or more requests may be
treated as a single request if the agency is satisfied that:

o the requests relate to the same document or documents (paragraph
24(2)(a))
o the subject matter is substantially the same for the requests
(paragraph 24(2)(b)).

Accordingly, the Department has decided to combine 2 of your FOI requests
(as attached) as single request under subsection 24(2) as there is a clear
connection between the subject matter of the requested documents.

Request for assistance

Therefore, we would like to engage in an informal consultation process
with you to narrow the terms of your request so that it can be processed
by the Department.

We kindly ask that you respond by COB Friday 26 July 2024 and advise
Finance of a narrower scope for your requests.

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.

Please contact the FOI Team if you wish to discuss your request.

Kind regards,

FOI Team

FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch

Business Enabling Services

Department of Finance

A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Moorcroft

The Department of Finance will be conducting third party consultation for
your request (FOI 24-25/004 and FOI 24-25/005). As provided for under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982, the processing period has been extended
by 30 calendar days to allow for this consultation. As such, a decision is
currently due to you by Monday 2 September 2024.

If you have any questions regarding the consultation process or your
request more generally, please contact our FOI Team by reply email.

Kind regards

FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch

Business Enabling Services

Department of Finance

A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Moorcroft

The Department of Finance will be conducting third party consultation for
your request (FOI 24-25/004 and FOI 24-25/005). As provided for under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982, the processing period has been extended
by 30 calendar days to allow for this consultation. As such, a decision is
currently due to you by Monday 2 September 2024.

If you have any questions regarding the consultation process or your
request more generally, please contact our FOI Team by reply email.

Kind regards

FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch

Business Enabling Services

Department of Finance

A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603

OFFICIAL

Good afternoon Mr Moorcroft,

Please see attached a decision letter together with a document released to
you in response to your combined FOI requests (our refs: FOI 24-25/004 and
FOI 24-25/005).

Kind regards,

FOI Team

FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch

Business Enabling Services

Department of Finance

A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603

OFFICIAL

Good afternoon Mr Moorcroft,

Please see attached a decision letter together with a document released to
you in response to your combined FOI requests (our refs: FOI 24-25/004 and
FOI 24-25/005).

Kind regards,

FOI Team

FOI Officer | Legal and Assurance Branch

Business Enabling Services

Department of Finance

A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603