This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Cocos Keeling Island Surveillance System'.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FOI 003/15/16 
 
 
CD 
 
By email:  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Dear CD 
PRELIMINARY ASSSESMENT OF CHARGES FOR FREEDOM OF 
INFORMATION ACT 1982 REQUEST NO: 003/15/16 

I refer to your request of 7 July 2015 in which you requested access, under the Freedom of 
Information Act 1982
 (FOI Act), to: 
"1.  Cocos Island Surveillance System -Concepts and Capability - 2013/2014, 
Strategic Management - Research", and 
 
 
2. 
. "Cocos Island Surveillance System -Trials and Reports - 2013/2014, 
Strategic Management - Research - Projects". 

 
Revised scope 
By email of 13 July 2015, you agreed to the following revised scope: 
“access under the Freedom of information Act 1982 (FOI Act), to documents from 
Defence Science and Technology Organisation to the Department of Border Force Control 
(formerly Department of Immigration and Border Protection) in relation to the Cocos 
Island Surveillance System Trials, created during the period 1 June 2013 to 31 December 
2014."  
 

LIABILITY TO PAY CHARGES 
In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act, Ms Natalie Carpenter, Assistant Director 
FOI, deemed that you are required to pay a charge for processing your request.  


The decision regarding payment of a charge does not mean that you are required to pay 
now. You will only be required to pay if, after consideration of your response to this letter, 
the decision is made to impose a charge.  
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF CHARGES SCHEDULE 
The preliminary assessment of the charge is $225.00. You are required to pay a deposit of 
$56.25.  Further breakdown of the charges is at Enclosure 1. 
DEPOSIT REQUIRED 
If you wish to proceed with your request, and agree to pay the charge, a deposit is required 
as indicated above. The deposit is not refundable except in some limited circumstances (for 
example, if Defence fails to make a decision on your request within the statutory time 
limit). 
Please complete the authorisation form at Enclosure 2 and return it. Processing will 
recommence on receipt of the deposit payment.  
RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE 
Under the FOI Act 1982 you have 30 days of receipt of this letter, to notify the Department 
of your decision to: 
  withdraw your request (you will not be required to pay any charges); or 
  agree to pay the charges as set out in the preliminary assessment of charges 
schedule; or 
  contest that the charge has been wrongly assessed, or should be reduced or 
not imposed (you should give your full reasons for doing so); or  
  reduce the scope of your request. Defence will offer you one opportunity to 
consult our office to reduce the scope of your request and revise the 
preliminary assessment of charges. 
If you require additional time to respond, please contact this office.  
If you do not respond to this letter within 30 days or by the extension date provided by this 
office, it will be assumed you have withdrawn your request.  
CHALLENGING ASSESSMENT OF CHARGES 
If you wish to contest the charges for your request, the decision maker will consider all 
relevant reasons which include the following: 
  whether payment of the charge, or part of it, would cause you financial 
hardship; and 
  whether the giving of access to the documents requested is in the general 
public interest or in the interest of a substantial section of the public. 



FURTHER INFORMATION  
In accordance with the requirements of section 11C of the FOI Act, Defence is required to 
publish, on its website, information released under the FOI Act within 10 working days of 
the applicant being given access to documents. Defence will also publish the decision 
notice, with personal and business information deleted.  
Please contact me if you have any questions about this matter.  
Yours sincerely 
 
John Peterson 
Case Officer 
Freedom of Information 
15 July 2015 
CP1-6-001 
PO Box 7910 
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610 
Tel: 02 626 62200 
Fax: 02 626 62112 
xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Enclosures: 
1.  Breakdown of FOI Charges 
2  FOI Deposit Authorisation 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Enclosure 1 – Breakdown of FOI Charges 
 
Search and retrieval time
7 hours @ $15 per hour
$      105
   
.00
Decision-making time:
Examination of documents
3 hours @ $20 per hour
$     
60
      .00
Consulting outside of Defence
1 hour & 30 minutes @ $20 per hour
$     
30
      .00
Making copies of documents
2 hours @ $20 per hour
$     
4
      0.00
Preparing decision notice
4 hours @ $20 per hour
$     
8
      0.00
Other decision making tasks
 @ $20 per hour
$      
-
       
Copying of documents
100 pages @ 10 cents per page
$     
10
      .00
production of CD
$      
-
       
GST (Exempt):
Nil
Sub total:
$       325.0
 
0
  Less
5 hours of free decision making time
$      1
    00.00
  Total
$       225.0
 
0
  Deposit required
$    
5
       6.25
 
(The rates of charges are set by the Freedom of Information Charges Regulations.) 
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has compiled a Fact Sheet on FOI 
charges, which is available at: http://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/foi-
resources/freedom-of-information-fact-sheets/foi-fact-sheet-7-freedom-of-information-
charges  





 
 
Enclosure 2  
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST ‐ DEPOSIT AUTHORISATION 
 
 
FULL NAME or ORGANISATION 
 
 
Service or PMKEYS ID (if applicable) 
POSTAL ADDRESS: 
 
CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS: 



EMAIL: 
 
FOI REFERENCE : 
 
AMOUNT $  
$56.25 
 
By signing this form you are agreeing to pay the charges notified to you by the Freedom of 
Information Directorate. Once you have signed this form the charges are considered imposed. 
The deposit is not refundable except in some limited circumstances (for example, if Defence 
fails to make a decision on your request within the statutory time limit), or may be refundable 
in part if the final charge is less than the deposit paid: 
 
PLEASE DO NOT SEND CHEQUES OR MONEY ORDERS TO FOI  
 
Once our office receives this form, the Department of Defence will generate an invoice in 
order for you to make payment of the agreed charges via one of the payment options 
made available. 

 
Our office will not proceed to process your request until a receipt has been received in our 
office notifying that the deposit amount has been paid. 
 
Please sign below and return this form by one of the following: 
 
via email to xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
via fax 02 6266 2112 
by post to the address noted above. 
 
Signature: ____________________________________________________