Year on year percentage pay increases for the Department's SES Band 3 officers for 2013/14 to 2014/15 and 2014/15 to 2015/16
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
I’d like to make an FOI request.
I’ve been following the FOI request titled ‘Group Certificates/PAYG payment summaries of the Department’s SES staff - FY2013/14, FY2014/15 and FY2015/16’ here: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/g... where the Department's Chief People Officer decided that Australian taxpayers have no right to know how much the Department's SES Band 3 officers receive in public funding to perform duties and functions on behalf of Australian taxpayers.
I request a document or documents (likely prepared under s.17 of the FOI Act) that details the year on year increase in remuneration (as a percentage, rounded to the nearest decimal point) paid to each of the Department’s SES Band 3 staff for the financial years: 2013/14 to 2014/15 and 2014/15 to 2015/2016 as determined from the group certificates/PAYG summaries issued to those SES staff (pro-rated, to reflect full year amounts, if necessary). I’m not interested in the names of the SES officers and so I’m happy for you to de-identify those. Here’s an example to illustrate the type of document(s) I’m seeking acesss to.
Example PAYG Payment Summary Information
Department SES Band 3 officer name: John Citizen.
Total remuneration for 2013/14 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $100,000
Total remuneration for 2014/15 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $101,000
Total remuneration for 2015/16 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $103,000
Department SES Band 3 officer name: Deborah Smith
Total remuneration for 2013/14 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $50,000 (nb. only commenced employment at the Department on 1/1/2014)
Total remuneration for 2014/15 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $107,000
Total remuneration for 2015/16 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $110,000
____
Example document produced for purposes of my FOI request using data gleaned from relevant PAYG payment summaries (respectively, per the example data set out above above)
Department SES Band 3 Officer identifier: ‘Department SES Band 3 Officer #1’
Year on year pay increase as a percentage (rounded to nearest decimal point):
2013/14 - 2014/15 = 1%
2014/15 – 2015/2016 = 2%
Department SES Band 3 Officer identifier: ‘Department SES Band 3 Officer #2’
Year on year pay increase as a percentage (rounded to nearest decimal point):
2013/14 - 2014/15 = 7% (note: the officer only commenced employment on 1/1/14, therefore the officer’s total remuneration for 2013/14 has been pro-rated to reflect a yearly amount)
2014/15 – 2015/2016 = 2.8%
______
Given that the Department has already located the PAYG payment summaries of the relevant Departmental SES Band 3 officers (for the purposes of dealing with the FOI request referred to above) and therefore has those payment summaries readily at hand, the Department should be able to provide the information the subject of my request quickly and with minimal effort. Should you require any clarification of my request, please let me know.
Thanks.
UNCLASSIFIED
FOI/2017/098
Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your email dated 8 June 2017, received by the Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department), in which you made a
request to the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act) in the following terms:
I request a document or documents (likely prepared under s.17 of the FOI
Act) that details the year on year increase in remuneration (as a
percentage, rounded to the nearest decimal point) paid to each of the
Department’s SES Band 3 staff for the financial years: 2013/14 to 2014/15
and 2014/15 to 2015/2016 as determined from the group certificates/PAYG
summaries issued to those SES staff (pro-rated, to reflect full year
amounts, if necessary). I’m not interested in the names of the SES
officers and so I’m happy for you to de-identify those. Here’s an example
to illustrate the type of document(s) I’m seeking acesss to.
Example PAYG Payment Summary Information
Department SES Band 3 officer name: John Citizen.
Total remuneration for 2013/14 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary):
$100,000 Total remuneration for 2014/15 (taken from relevant PAYG payment
summary): $101,000 Total remuneration for 2015/16 (taken from relevant
PAYG payment summary): $103,000
Department SES Band 3 officer name: Deborah Smith Total remuneration for
2013/14 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $50,000 (nb. only
commenced employment at the Department on 1/1/2014) Total remuneration for
2014/15 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary): $107,000 Total
remuneration for 2015/16 (taken from relevant PAYG payment summary):
$110,000
____
Example document produced for purposes of my FOI request using data
gleaned from relevant PAYG payment summaries (respectively, per the
example data set out above above)
Department SES Band 3 Officer identifier: ‘Department SES Band 3 Officer
#1’
Year on year pay increase as a percentage (rounded to nearest decimal
point):
2013/14 - 2014/15 = 1%
2014/15 – 2015/2016 = 2%
Department SES Band 3 Officer identifier: ‘Department SES Band 3 Officer
#2’
Year on year pay increase as a percentage (rounded to nearest decimal
point):
2013/14 - 2014/15 = 7% (note: the officer only commenced employment on
1/1/14, therefore the officer’s total remuneration for 2013/14 has been
pro-rated to reflect a yearly amount)
2014/15 – 2015/2016 = 2.8%
Timeframe for receiving your decision
We received your request on 8 June 2017 and the 30 day statutory period
for processing your request commenced from the day after that date. You
should therefore expect a decision from us by 8 July 2017, or the next
available business day, being Monday 10 July 2017. The period of 30 days
may be extended in certain circumstances. We will advise you if there is
any extension of time.
Charges
Agencies may decide that an applicant is liable to pay a charge in respect
of a request for access to documents. If the Department decides that you
are liable to pay a charge, we will send you a preliminary assessment of
the charge as soon as possible.
Publication of documents
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log at
[1]http://www.dpmc.gov.au/pmc/accountabilit...,
subject to certain exceptions. If you think you might wish to raise any
objections to the publication of any of the information which may be
released to you please contact us by email at
[2][DPMC request email]<mailto:[DPMC request email]>. If you do wish to object to the
publication of information, you would need to provide supporting reasons.
Exclusion of officers’ names and contact details
For documents that fall within scope of the request, it is the
Department’s policy to withhold:
· any person’s signature;
· the names and contact details of Australian Public Service
officers not in the Senior Executive Service (SES);
· the mobile or direct numbers of SES officers;
· the names and contact details of Ministerial staff at a level
below Chief of Staff.
The names and other details of SES officers will not be withheld unless
there is some reason for that information to be exempt from release. If
you require signatures, the names and contact details of non-SES officers
or Ministerial staff below the level of Chief of Staff, or the mobile or
direct numbers of SES officers please let us know at
[3][DPMC request email]<mailto:[DPMC request email]> so the decision-maker may
consider; otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information
being excluded from the scope of your request (that is, the information
will be treated as irrelevant and redacted from any documents for
release).
We will write again when the Department has more information. Further
information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the Office of
the Australian Information Commissioner at
[4]http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi-portal/about_....
Kind regards
FOI Adviser
Access and Administrative Review | Honours, Symbols and Legal Policy
Branch
Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. +61 2 6271 5849
e. | [5][DPMC request email] | [6]www.dpmc.gov.au
PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
References
Visible links
1. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/pmc/accountabilit...
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]%3cmailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]%3cmailto:[DPMC request email]
4. http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi-portal/about_...
5. mailto:[DPMC request email]
6. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your email dated 8 June 2017, received by the Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department), in which you made a
request to the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act) in the following terms:
I request a document or documents (likely prepared under s.17 of the FOI
Act) that details the year on year increase in remuneration (as a
percentage, rounded to the nearest decimal point) paid to each of the
Department’s SES Band 3 staff for the financial years: 2013/14 to 2014/15
and 2014/15 to 2015/2016 as determined from the group certificates/PAYG
summaries issued to those SES staff (pro-rated, to reflect full year
amounts, if necessary). I’m not interested in the names of the SES
officers and so I’m happy for you to de-identify those.
Extension of time request
The current due date for a decision on your request is 8 July 2017.
Regrettably, the Department is not in a position to finalise the decision
on the FOI request before the due date. Accordingly, we are seeking your
consent to a 30 day extension of time to the processing period, in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act.
We kindly request you confirm your consent to the extension by way of
return email. If you are not inclined to agree to an extension of time, we
ask that you let us know as soon as possible.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
FOI Adviser
Access and Administrative Review | Honours, Symbols and Legal Policy
Branch
Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. +61 2 6271 5849
e. | [1][DPMC request email] | [2]www.dpmc.gov.au
PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/
Thank you for your note.
Having regard to:
- the rudimentary nature of my request;
- that PM&C has already had over 4 weeks to consider my request;
- PM&C's record of particularly poor compliance with the FOI Act; and
- PM&C's tendency to make politically motivated decisions under the FOI Act rather than decisions made in accordance with the objects of the FOI Act (as evidenced by the number of occasions that the Information Commissioner has been required to vary or set aside decisions made by PM&C under the FOI Act);
I am willing to agree to an extension of 13 days, such that a decision is due on my request by Friday, 21 July 2017.
Regards.
I Whittaker
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
PM&C reference number — FOI/2017/098
We write to request a s 15AB extension for an FOI request made by
applicant I Whittaker contactable at
[1][FOI #3613 email].
Details of the access request
I Whittaker lodged their FOI access request (see attached) complying with
s 15 with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) on 8
June 2017. Taking into account an extension to the processing period
agreed to by the applicant under s 15AA (see attached), PM&C is due to
make a decision on the applicant's request by 21 July 2017.
Period of s 15AB extension sought
PM&C requests a 7 day extension under s 15AB. This would make the new due
date for a decision 28 July 2017.
Reasons
A draft access decision prepared by PM&C’s FOI team is now with the
relevant PM&C line area.
A short extension is required to finalise the FOI request for the
following reasons:
· Additional time is required for the line area to consider the
decision and undertake such briefing as necessary before PM&C notifies the
decision to the FOI applicant.
· The additional time will allow PM&C to fully consider its
decision and ensure all relevant views are taken account of in making the
decision. This will ensure a better and fully-informed access decision.
Should you require more information, please contact us.
Yours sincerely
FOI Adviser
Access and Administrative Review Section | Honours and Legal Policy Branch
Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. 02 6271 5849
e. [2][DPMC request email]
[3]www.pmc.gov.au
PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
[4]Description: Description: Description: FOI design element
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #3613 email]
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. http://www.pmc.gov.au/
Our reference: RQ17/01345
Agency reference: FOI/2017/098
I Whittaker
By email: [FOI #3613 email]
Dear I Whittaker
Extension of time under s 15AB
On 20 July 2017, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the
Department) applied for further time to make a decision on your FOI
request of 8 June 2017.
This application was on the basis that the processing period is
insufficient to deal adequately with your request, because it is complex.
The Department has advised the OAIC that the processing time has already
been extended by agreement under s 15AA of the FOI Act to 21 July 2017.
Decision
I have decided to grant the Department an extension of time to process
your request to 28 July 2017. This decision has been made under s 15AB(2)
of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).
By granting further time it is anticipated that the Department will
provide a well-reasoned and better managed decision.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding this email please contact me on 02
9284 9745 or via email [email address]. Please quote OAIC
reference number RQ17/01345 in all correspondence.
Yours sincerely
Carl English | Assistant Review and Investigation Officer | Freedom of
Information Dispute Resolution
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218 SYDNEY NSW 2001| [1]www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: +61 2 9284 9745 | E-mail: [email address]
Protecting information rights – advancing information policy
[2]cid:image001.png@01D26682.9CE52410
References
Visible links
1. http://www.oaic.gov.au/
Is there a reason why the Department hasn't been able to meet the OAIC's extended decision making deadline?
Yours sincerely,
I Whittaker
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear I Whittaker
Due to competing priorities we weren't in a position to meet the deadline.
We regret the delay and expect to contact you regarding finalisation of
your FOI request this week or early next week.
Yours sincerely
FOI Adviser
Access and Administrative Review Section | Honours and Legal Policy Branch
Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. 02 6271 5849
e. [DPMC request email]
PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
Thank you for your email.
As I understand it, the Department’s view is that compliance with the law is an obligation that can be displaced by “competing priorities”. That speaks volumes of the prevailing culture at the Department.
I think that most reasonable, decent and law-abiding Australians would consider that, at this stage, a complaint/PID by reference to the APS Code of Conduct/APS Values against the responsible officer is warranted. To that end could you please provide me with the name of the senior officer responsible for the Department’s handling of this FOI request.
Yours sincerely,
I Whittaker
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear I Whittaker
In relation to your response of 1 August 2017, information about how you can complain about the Department's actions under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) is available on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's website at https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor....
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet upholds a Complaints Policy and Procedures. If you wish to register a complaint directly with the Department, you can do so by emailing the Department's complaints mail box ([email address]) or telephoning the Department's complaints hotline (02 6271 5688). If you are dissatisfied with the handling of a complaint by the Department then you may contact the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman on 1300 362 072 between 9am-5pm (AEDT) Monday to Friday (it is not a toll free number).
Once again, the Department regrets the delay in finalising your FOI request.
Yours sincerely
Peter Rush
Assistant Secretary
Government Division
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet www.pmc.gov.au PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear I Whittaker
We refer to your attached FOI request to the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet.
We have found no documents meeting the terms of your request and our
systems are not capable of producing a document to meet the terms of your
request as would otherwise be required by section 17 of the FOI Act.
However, we can release to you the attached document which will allow you
to calculate the year-on-year increase in remuneration as a percentage for
SES Band 3 officers for the financial years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.
In light of the above information, can you please advise whether you wish
to continue with your FOI request?
If you wish to continue with your FOI request then we expect to notify you
of a decision to refuse your FOI request under section 24A(1) of the FOI
Act on the ground that all reasonable steps have been taken to find the
document relevant your request and that the document sought does not
exist.
Should you have any queries, please contact us.
Yours sincerely
FOI Adviser
Access and Administrative Review Section | Honours and Legal Policy Branch
Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. 02 6271 5849
e. [1][DPMC request email]
[2]www.pmc.gov.au
PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
[3]Description: Description: Description: FOI design element
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. http://www.pmc.gov.au/
Thank you for your work on this matter. On the basis of the information you have provided to me, I agree to withdraw my request.
I Whittaker