The cost of retired politicians pensions and allowances
Dear Department of the Treasury, Please supply the cost of retired politicians pensions and allowances.
Yours faithfully, Ernest Sabiston, 22/07/2016
Dear Mr Sabiston.
Please find attached correspondence relating to your above FOI request
recently lodged with this department.
Kind regards
FOI Team
Parliamentary and Legal Services Unit
Financial and Parliamentary Division
The Treasury, Langton Crescent, Parkes ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6263 2800
Email: [1][email address]
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Dear FOI, In response to my inquiry FOI ref;1936 dated 12/08/2016, under the paragraph heading; Searches Carried Out, you stated that Departmental officers carried out a thorough search of hard copy and electronic files, and also inquiries of officers who may be able to locate such documents. None were located. Ir would seem improbable that the Treasury Officers responsible for the transfer of pension and allowance funds to retired politicians bank accounts cannot be found, and that 'all reasonable steps' have been taken to locate these persons. This answer represents at the very least a distortion of the truth, and at best an outright lie, and a complete contradiction to the terms of reference which constitutes the Freedom of Information Act. I am in the process of forwarding your reply and my response to the Queensland Ombudsman to get his opinion of the matter.
Yours sincerely,
Ernest Sabiston
Dear Mr Sabiston.
Thank you for your reply.
The essential reason for this department not having any such documents is that it is not responsible for such matters. If you wish to pursue the matter we recommend that you approach the Commonwealth Department of Finance. We note that this issue has also been previously discussed on the Right to Know website.
Kind regards
FOI Team
Parliamentary and Legal Services Unit
Financial and Parliamentary Division
The Treasury, Langton Crescent, Parkes ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6263 2800
Email: [Treasury request email]
-----Original Message-----
From: Ernest Sabiston [mailto:[FOI #2073 email]]
Sent: Sunday, 14 August 2016 2:01 PM
To: FOI
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - The cost of retired politicians pensions and allowances
Dear FOI, In response to my inquiry FOI ref;1936 dated 12/08/2016,
under the paragraph heading; Searches Carried Out, you stated that
Departmental officers carried out a thorough search of hard copy
and electronic files, and also inquiries of officers who may be
able to locate such documents. None were located. Ir would seem
improbable that the Treasury Officers responsible for the transfer
of pension and allowance funds to retired politicians bank accounts
cannot be found, and that 'all reasonable steps' have been taken to
locate these persons. This answer represents at the very least a
distortion of the truth, and at best an outright lie, and a
complete contradiction to the terms of reference which constitutes
the Freedom of Information Act. I am in the process of forwarding
your reply and my response to the Queensland Ombudsman to get his
opinion of the matter.
Yours sincerely,
Ernest Sabiston
-----Original Message-----
Dear Mr Sabiston.
Please find attached correspondence relating to your above FOI
request
recently lodged with this department.
Kind regards
FOI Team
Parliamentary and Legal Services Unit
Financial and Parliamentary Division
The Treasury, Langton Crescent, Parkes ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6263 2800
Email: [1][email address]
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
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Please Note: The information contained in this e-mail message
and any attached files may be confidential information and
may also be the subject of legal professional privilege. If you are
not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this
e-mail is unauthorised. If you have received this e-mail by error
please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete all
copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
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Ernest Sabiston left an annotation ()
It is obvious that the cost of politicians pensions and entitlements is a sum of such enormity that the Government will go to any lengths to keep it under wraps, to the extent of gagging the Canberra Ombudsman and the Freedom of Information Act, and any requests for information are passed around various Government Departments with each denying any knowledge of the matter. This is a case of outright lying, and if the Ombudsman can be gagged what is the point of having an Ombudsman whose core task is the investigation of these very matters, and who has the power to silence him?
Ernest Sabiston left an annotation ()
The Office of the Ombudsman in Canberra informed me that they have no authority to investigate this matter and I was told to contact the Australian Complaints Commission. They informed me that there would be a 4 to 12 week waiting period before they could investigate the matter. I have since informed the Queensland Ombudsman of the matter and am waiting an answer.