Thank you for your email.

You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the department).

If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.

Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...

This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address].  Alternatively you can contact the department by
calling 1800 634 035.

With regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information

Government and Executive Services

Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

Good morning,

We refer to your correspondence received by the Department of Social
Services (the department) on 30 July 2021, in which you requested access
under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to:

“1. Reasoning why the department is preventing its staff from accessing
ongoing 'work from home' arrangements 2. Data and/or statistics that have
informed this policy 3. Data and/or statistics and/or briefs relied upon
by the former Secretary when she informed staff that up to 250 staff did
not work and/or log on in 2020 during COVID-19 lockdowns/stay-at-home
requirements”.

The department’s policy is to exclude the names and contact details of
non-Senior Executive Service (SES) staff, as well as the signatures and
mobile numbers of those SES staff. Additionally, draft and duplicate
documents are excluded and only final versions considered in the scope of
your request. This information is considered irrelevant to your request
and removed under section 22 of the FOI Act, unless you advise otherwise.
Please respond by 11 August 2021 confirming your agreement to this
proposal or alternatively, if you would like to receive this information,
please respond advising same for the decision maker’s consideration.

The statutory period for processing your request is 30 days commencing
from the day after your request was received. If the due date falls on a
Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, in accordance with the FOI guidelines
issued by the Australian Information Commissioner, the timeframe will
expire on the first day following which is none of those days.

You will be notified as soon as possible if a charge is associated with
processing your request.

The department will correspond with you by email in relation to your FOI
request.  Should you have any queries about this matter, please do not
hesitate to contact the FOI team via email at [1][Department of Social Services request email].

With regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information Team

Government and Executive Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [2][Department of Social Services request email] W: [3]dss.gov.au

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and
to Elders both past and present.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]
2. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]
3. https://www.dss.gov.au/

Thank you for your email.

You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the department).

If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.

Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...

This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address].  Alternatively you can contact the department by
calling 1800 634 035.

With regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information

Government and Executive Services

Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

Good afternoon

Further to our acknowledgement dated 6 August 2021 you were advised that
the statutory deadline for a response to your FOI request was 30 days
commencing from the day after your request was received.

The department has been processing your request ready for decision on 29
August 2021. However, given the current lockdown/stay home orders due to
the Covid 19 Delta outbreak we are  experiencing delays in our ability to
process all requests currently with the department, we seek your agreement
to a 30 day extension of time under section 15AA of the Commonwealth FOI
Act.

It would be appreciated if you could provide a response to this extension
request by COB 23 August 2021 to enable the department time to notify the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

If you wish to discuss this matter further or have any queries, please do
not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information

Cabinet and FOI

Government and Executive Services

Department of Social Services
E: [1][Department of Social Services request email]

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

Thank you for your email.

You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the department).

If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.

Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...

This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address].  Alternatively you can contact the department by
calling 1800 634 035.

With regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information

Government and Executive Services

Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

Good afternoon,

Please find the attached decision for FOI 2122-010.

Kind regards,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information

Cabinet and FOI

Government and Executive Services

Department of Social Services
E: [1][Department of Social Services request email]

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]