OFFICIAL
PO Box 457
CANBERRA ACT 2601
dta.gov.au
Email - Fraser Tweedale <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx>
Dear Fraser Tweedale
RE: Decision FOI 12/2025
The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) refers to your Freedom of Information request (FOI
request) received on 14 November 2025 in which you sought access to documents under the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
The documents you requested:
(1). Documents mentioning or discussing, with respect to the changes between the Digital Service
Standard v1.0 and the Digital Service Standard Version 2.0:
(a) The removal of the v1.0 "Make source code open" criterion
(b) Whether or how the v1.0 "Make source code open" criterion, or the intent of that criterion, is
incorporated in or encapsulated by the Version 2.0 standard.
The DTA has identified 4 documents in relation to the scope of your FOI request. I examined the
documents and have decided to release 3 documents in full and one document to be exempted in
part under section 47E of the FOI Act as the document contains information relating to the business
affairs of DTA.
Section 26 of the FOI Act requires the DTA to provide a statement of reasons in support of a
decision. In depth reasons for this decision is set out in
Attachment A.
The FOI Act also provides a number of avenues for review set out in
Attachment B if you are
dissatisfied with any aspect of this decision.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the FOI Officer on
02 6120 8595 or via email at xxx@xxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
Vanessa Douglas-Savage
Authorised Decision Maker
Digital Transformation Agency (DTA)
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ATTACHMENT A -
STATEMENT OF REASONS
Decision
I, Vanessa Douglas-Savage, am an officer authorised to make decisions under subsection 23(1) of the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)
I have examined the document subject to this request and have decided to release three documents
in full and exempt one document in part.
Reasons for decision
Section 47E – Public interest conditional exemptions – certain operations of agencies
A document is conditionally exempt if its disclosure under this Act would, or could reasonably
be expected to, do any of the following:
(a) prejudice the effectiveness of procedures or methods for the conduct of
tests, examinations or audits by an agency;
(b) prejudice the attainment of the objects of particular tests, examinations or audits
conducted or to be conducted by an agency;
(c) have a substantial adverse effect on the management or assessment of personnel by
the Commonwealth or by an agency;
(d) have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient conduct of the
operations of an agency.
Note: Access must generally be given to a conditionally exempt document unless it would be
contrary to the public interest (see section 11A).
In assessing if section 47E of the FOI Act applies, I have considered:
• whether the information contained in the document would prejudice the effectiveness of a
procedure or method for the conduct of a test or examination;
• whether the information if released would have substantial adverse effect on the proper and
efficient conduct of the operations of an agency
• whether the information if released would effect on the management or assessment
of personal by the Commonwealth or by an agency; and
• the extent to which the information is already a matter of public knowledge.
I have also taken the below factors against disclosing the information into consideration:
• the information contained in the documents would prejudice the effectiveness of
a procedure or method for the conduct of a test or examination;
• the information contained in the documents, if released, would have substantial
adverse effects on the proper and efficient conduct of the operations of an agency; and
• the information is not a matter of public knowledge.
Providing details about junior staff might lead to increased public contact, which could potentially
impact on daily operations, as staff may need to manage more calls and redirect inquiries, possibly
affecting DTA's efficiency.
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I have determined that the information pertaining to the identity of a junior staff member is not a
matter of public knowledge and release of this information would have a substantial adverse effect
on the proper and efficient conduct of agency operations and have therefore decided to exempt the
relevant information under section 47E.
Public interest considerations
Public interest conditional exemption considerations
In relying on the public interest conditional exemptions under section 47G, I considered the public
interest factors under section 11A – Access to documents on request.
Section 11A
(5) The agency or Minister must give the person access to the document if it is conditionally exempt at
a particular time unless (in the circumstances) access to the document at that time would, on
balance, be contrary to the public interest.
Note 1: Division 3 of Part IV provides for when a document is conditionally exempt.
Note 2: A conditionally exempt document is an exempt document if access to the document would, on
balance, be contrary to the public interest (see section 31B (exempt documents for the purposes of
Part IV)).
Note 3: Section 11B deals with when it is contrary to the public interest to give a person access to
the document.
(6) Despite subsection (5), the agency or Minister is not required to give access to the document at a
particular time if, at that time, the document is both:
(a) a conditionally exempt document; and
(b) an exempt document:
(i) under Division 2 of Part IV (exemptions); or
(ii) within the meaning of paragraph (b) or (c) of the definition of exempt
document in subsection 4(1).
Section 11B (3), (4) and (5) – Public interest exemptions – factors
(3) Factors favoring access to the document in the public interest include whether
access to the document would do any of the following:
(a) promote the objects of this Act (including all the matters set out in
sections 3 and 3A);
(b) inform debate on a matter of public importance;
(c) promote effective oversight of public expenditure;
(d) allow a person to access his or her own personal information.
(4) The following factors must not be taken into account in deciding whether access to the document
would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest:
(a) access to the document could result in embarrassment to the
Commonwealth Government, or cause a loss of confidence in the
Commonwealth Government;
(aa) access to the document could result in embarrassment to the
Government of Norfolk Island or cause a loss of confidence in the
Government of Norfolk Island;
(b) access to the document could result in any person misinterpreting or
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misunderstanding the document;
(c) the author of the document was (or is) of high seniority in the agency to
which the request for access to the document was made;
(d) access to the document could result in confusion or unnecessary debate.
Guidelines
(5) In working out whether access to the document would, on balance, be contrary to the public
interest, an agency or Minister must have regard to any guidelines issued by the Information
Commissioner for the purposes of this subsection under section 93A.
DTA has established channels of communication for customers and members of the public, which
have been put in place to ensure the effective management of the significant volume of
communication received. Such channels include dedicated and externally published positional
mailboxes of different business areas within the Agency.
Disclosing identifying information about a junior staff member would circumvent established
channels and interfere with the officer’s regular duties by requiring them to answer calls and redirect
them, which would have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient conduct of the
DTA’s operations.
I am satisfied that releasing the information about junior staff would not be in the public interest and
would, if released.
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ATTACHMENT B – REVIEW RIGHTS
If you are dissatisfied with this decision, you have certain rights of review available to you.
Firstly, under section 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply to DTA for an internal review of the decision.
Your application must be made by whichever date is the later between:
• 30 days of you receiving this notice; or
• 15 days of you receiving the documents to which you have been granted access
An internal review will be conducted by a different officer from the original decision-maker.
No particular form is required to apply for review although it will assist your case to set out in the
application the grounds on which you believe that the original decision should be overturned. An
application for a review of the decision should be addressed to: xxx@xxx.xxx.xx
If you choose to seek an internal review, you will subsequently have a right to apply to the Australian
Information Commissioner for a review of the internal review decision.
Review by the Australian Information Commissioner
Alternatively, under section 54L of the FOI Act, you may seek review of this decision by the Australian
Information Commissioner without first going to internal review. Your application must be made
within 60 days of you receiving this notice.
The Australian Information Commissioner is an independent office holder who may review decisions
of agencies and Ministers under the FOI Act. More information is available on the Australian
Information Commissioner's website www.oaic.gov.au.
You can contact the Information Commissioner to request a review of a decision online or by writing
to the Information Commission at:
Director of FOI Dispute Resolution
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Complaints to the Australian Information Commissioner
You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner about action taken in relation to your
request.
Your enquiries to the Australian Information Commissioner can be directed to:
Phone 1300 363 992 (local call charge)
Email xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
There is no particular form required to make a complaint to the Australian Information
Commissioner. The request should be in writing and should set out the grounds on which it is
considered that the action taken in relation to the request should be investigated and identify the
DTA as the relevant agency.
Contacts
If you have any queries about this notice, please contact the FOI team by em
ail xxx@xxx.xxx.xx.
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