Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10 | Belconnen ACT 2616


          FOI Ref: 202526/02

Name: Liam Edwards-Playne
e-mail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx

Dear Liam,
RE: YOUR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST [FOI202526/02]
I refer to your request received by the ABS on 20 July 2025 and revised on 4 August 2025 in which you
seek:
“Access to the following categories of documents, all dated between 1 January 2023
and 30 June 2025, held by the SIH Survey team or the Data Collection and Service Improvement
Branch (including Senior Executive Staff but excluding drafts and routine correspondence):
• Final reports or memoranda that identify and describe the specific shortcomings in the SIH 2023–24
questionnaire design and data collection processes
• Cost analysis documents (summary or working papers) detailing the increase in data collection
costs for SIH 2023–24 relative to SIH 2021–22 or SIH 2022–23
• Minutes, agendas or final minutes of meetings (including any steering committee, governance
board or executive management meetings) where the decision was made not to release the
SIH 2023–24 results, or where the issues above were discussed and resolved”
You confirmed that you did not require draft versions, personal email chains or documents outside the
branches and date range specified. You stated that if further narrowing was needed, you were happy to
discuss limiting the request to one or two specific meetings or particular cost breakdown tables.
Response to Your Request
I am an authorised decision maker under section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). I
am satisfied that the ABS has taken all reasonable steps to locate documents relevant to your request as
required by s.24A(1)(a) of the FOI Act. I am also satisfied that the ABS does not hold any documents that
fall within the scope of your revised request. Therefore, I am refusing your request for access under
s.24A(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act, on the grounds that the documents are not in the possession of the ABS.
Matters taken into account
I have taken the following into account in making my decision:
•  email correspondence between yourself and the FOI team; and
•  the relevant provisions of the FOI Act, specifically section 24A.
Charges
There are no charges for this request.

Additional Information
The FOI team attempted to contact you on two occasions (6 and 11 August 2025), to assist you in making
amendments to revise your request. As we did not receive a response, your revised request was
processed as received on 4 August 2025.
The ABS intends to publish a paper on the ABS website detailing the reasons for not releasing the SIH
2023-2024 data in due course.
Review Rights
Section 54 of the FOI Act gives you the right to apply for an internal review of the decision by the ABS.
Section 54L of the FOI Act gives you the right to request a review of this decision by the Information
Commissioner.
Section 70 of the FOI Act provides that a person may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner
about action taken by an agency in the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the
Act.
Details of these rights are set out at Attachment A.
If you have any queries on this matter, please contact the ABS FOI Contact Officer at
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx.

Yours sincerely,

Marcel van Kints
General Manager
Statistical Production and Digital Services Division
Australian Bureau of Statistics

25 August 2025

ATTACHMENT A

INFORMATION ON RIGHTS OF REVIEW

1.  INTERNAL REVIEW OF DECISION
If you disagree with our decision, you have the right to apply for an internal review under section 54 of
the FOI Act.
Application for a review of the decision must be made within 30 days of receipt of this letter. No
particular form is required but it would assist the decision-maker if you set out in the application
the grounds on which you consider that the decision should be reviewed.
Application for an internal review of the decision should be emailed to
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or posted to:
ABS FOI Contact Officer
Policy and Legislation Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10
BELCONNEN ACT 2617

2.  AUSTRALIAN INFORMATION COMMISSIONER REVIEW OF DECISION
Section 54L of the Act gives you the right to seek a review of the decision from the Information
Commissioner.  An application for review must be made within 60 days of receiving the decision.
An application for Information Commissioner review of the decision can be made via this online form.
Alternatively, you can apply for Information Commissioner review via email at
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx or via post to:
FOI Regulatory Group GPO
Box 5228
SYDNEY  NSW  2001

3.  COMPLAINTS TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
Section 70 of the Act provides that a person may complain to the Information Commissioner about
action taken by an agency in the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the Act.
A complaint to the Information Commissioner must be in writing and identify the agency the
complaint is about. You can lodge a complaint to the Information Commissioner via this this
online form. Alternatively, you can lodge your complaint via email to xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx or via
post to:
FOI Regulatory Group GPO Box
5228
SYDNEY  NSW  2001
The Information Commissioner may decline to investigate the complaint in a number of
circumstances, including that you did not exercise your right to ask the agency, the Information
Commissioner, a court or tribunal to review the decision.

Document Outline