This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Student payment claims auto-rejected'.



If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610 
 
 
 
5 July 2016 
 
 
 
 
 
Our reference:  LEX 19533 
Mr James Smith 
 
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
 
 
 
Dear Mr Smith 
 
Freedom of Information Request - Charges 
 
I refer to your request dated 10 June 2016 and received by the Department of Human Services (the 
department) on the same date, for access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI 
Act
) to the following: 
 
'I request all emails, and any other records, which were created in the department's efforts to 
identify the documents I requested on 2 May 2016, in relation to this request. To be clear, 
this includes any replies you may have received from the different sections within the 
department.’ 
Revised request 
 
On 24 June 2016, the department sent you a notice under section 24AB of the FOI Act inviting you 
to revise the scope of your request. 
 
On 25 June 2016, you sent the following correspondence:  
 
'My revised request is not for the documents I requested on 2 May. Instead of the 
documents, at this stage I would like to see the emails that have been generated as a 
result of my original request. This includes emails sent from the FOI area to all business 
areas seeking the requested information, and replies to those emails. Where applicable, 
this would also include any emails generated by the relevant staff within each of the 
different business areas.’ 
 
From this, the department has taken your request to be for only the emails that were created in the 
department’s efforts to identify the documents you requested on 2 May 2016. 
 
PAGE 1 OF 4 

Preliminary Assessment of the Charge  
 

In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act, I have decided that you are liable to pay a charge for 
the processing of your request.  My preliminary assessment of that charge is $192.25 calculated as 
follows: 
 
Search and retrieval time: 6.82 hours, at $15.00 per hour: 
$102.25  
Decision-making time (*after deduction of 5 hours): 4.50 hours, 
 
at $20.00 per hour 
$90.00 
 
 
TOTAL 
$192.25 
 
*The FOI Act provides that the first five hours of decision-making time are free of charge and this is reflected in the 
calculation. 
 
I am advised that the department has in its possession 63 documents with 235 pages relevant to 
your request. 
 
Required Action  
 

If you would like the department to continue processing your request, you must notify the 
department in writing within 30 days of receiving this notice that you: 
 
a)  agree to pay the charge; 
b)  wish to contend that the charge: 
i.  has been wrongly assessed; or 
ii.  should be reduced or not imposed; or 
iii.  both 
c)  withdraw the request for access. 
 
If you do not provide a written response in accordance with one of Options A, B or C above within 
30 days of receiving this notice, your request will be taken to have been withdrawn under 
section 29(2) of the FOI Act. 
 
Alternatively you may wish to further refine the scope of your FOI request.  If you would like to 
discuss this please contact me for assistance. 
 
Further information on options A, B and C is set out below.   
 
Option A - pay the charge 
 

As the charge exceeds $25, you are required to pay a deposit of $48.13 within 30 days of receiving 
this notice. You may, of course, elect to pay the charge in full at this point. 
 
The amount due should be paid by cheque or money order made out to the Collector of Public 
Monies.  Please quote the reference number FOI LEX 19533 with your payment. 
 
Should you elect to pay the charge please email xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx once you 
have posted your cheque or money order to advise us of your payment.  
 
 
 

PAGE 2 OF 4 
 
Department of Human Services 
 

Option B - seek reduction or non-imposition of the charge 
 

You may contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed, or should be reduced or not 
imposed.  Section 29(5) of the FOI Act provides that, in deciding whether to reduce or not to impose 
a charge, the decision-maker must take into account any relevant reasons, including whether 
payment of the charge, or part of it, would cause your organisation financial hardship, and whether 
the giving of access to the documents is in the general public interest or in the interest of a 
substantial section of the public. 
 
If you wish to contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed or should be reduced or not 
imposed, please set out your reasons and the evidence in support of your reasons as clearly as 
possible.  If you believe that payment of the charge would cause your organisation financial 
hardship, please provide sufficient details of your financial circumstances to enable the 
decision-maker to make a well-informed decision in this regard. 
 
Option C - withdraw your request 
 

If you wish to withdraw your request you may do so in writing. 
 
Time limits for processing your request  
 

Section 31 of the FOI Act provides that where a notice is sent to an applicant regarding the payment 
of a charge in respect of a request, the time limit for processing the request is suspended from the 
date the notice is received until either: 
 
(a)  the day following payment of the charge (in full or the required deposit); or  
(b)  if applicable, the day following the notification to the applicant of a decision not to impose the 
charge. 
 
Address for correspondence 
 
Please send all correspondence regarding your FOI request to me at the following address: 
 
Freedom of Information team 
Department of Human Services  
PO Box 7820  
CANBERRA  ACT  2610   
 
Or by email to xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Publication of information in the FOI disclosure log  
 
Information released under the FOI Act may be published in a disclosure log on the department's 
website.  Section 11C of the FOI Act requires this publication, subject to certain exceptions, 
including where publication of personal, business, professional or commercial information would be 
unreasonable.  
 
PAGE 3 OF 4 
 
Department of Human Services 
 

Further assistance 
If you have any questions please email xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. 
 
 
 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Authorised FOI Decision Maker 
Freedom of Information Team 
FOI and Litigation Branch Legal Services Division 
Department of Human Services 
 
PAGE 4 OF 4 
 
Department of Human Services