This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Documents Relating to U.S. Department of Defense Research into Neurotoxicity and/or Adverse Neuropsychiatric Effects of the Anti-malarial Drug Mefloquine'.




Freedom of Information 
CP1-6-001 
PO Box 7910 
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610 
Tel: 02 626 62200 
 
Fax: 02 626 62112 
xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
 
 
Our reference: FOI 389/15/16 
 
 
 
Mr Stuart McCarthy 
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
 
 
Dear Mr McCarthy 
 NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF CHARGES 
1. 
I refer to your request of 17 June 2016 in which you requested access, under the 
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), to: 
I hereby request to be provided with documents held by the Australian Department of 
Defence (Aus DoD) relating to U.S. Department of Defense (U.S. DoD) research into 
the neurotoxicity and/or neuropsychiatric adverse effects of mefloquine, dating from 1 
January 2013 to the present, including: 
 
a. Emails, minutes, letters, memos, briefings, presentations, or summaries relating to 
proposals, conduct, findings, outcomes or recommendations of the above research, 
including correspondence between U.S. DoD and Aus DoD officials, or internal Aus 
DoD correspondence. 
 
b. Documents relating to the involvement of Aus DoD officials in the above research, as 
sponsors, researchers, reviewers or subjects. 
 
c. Documents relating to the attendance of Aus DoD officials at meetings, visits or 
conferences on the subject of mefloquine use in the military, including notes, briefings 
or similar correspondence on the observations, findings or outcomes of those activities. 
 
d. Documents relating to the implications of the above research for the use of 
mefloquine in the ADF, or possible adverse health effects on ADF personnel. 
 
2. 
 The Department excludes personal email addresses, signatures, PMKeys numbers and 
mobile telephone numbers, contained in documents that fall within the scope of a FOI request 
unless you specifically request such details. Defence also excludes duplicates of documents. 
3. 
  If you do require these personal details, please inform us within five days of receipt of 
this email so that the decision maker can consider your request. 


LIABILITY TO PAY CHARGES 
4. 
In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act, I have deemed that you are required to 
pay a charge for processing your request.  
5. 
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  
6. 
The preliminary assessment of the charge is $167.00. You are required to pay a deposit 
of $41.75. A breakdown of the charges is at Enclosure 1. 
DEPOSIT REQUIRED 
7. 
If you wish to proceed with your request, and agree to pay the charge, a deposit is 
required as indicated above in the preliminary assessment of charges. 
8. 
Please complete the authorisation form at Enclosure 2 and return it. Processing will 
recommence on receipt of the deposit payment.  
RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE 
9. 
Under the FOI Act 1982 you have 30 days of receipt of this letter, to notify the 
Department of your decision to: 
a. 
withdraw your request (you will not be required to pay any charges); or 
b. 
agree to pay the charges as set out in the preliminary assessment of charges; 
or 
c. 
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  
d. 
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. 
10.  If you require additional time to respond, please contact this office.  
11.  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 
12.  If you wish to contest the charges for your request, the decision maker will consider all 
relevant reasons which include the following: 
a. 
whether payment of the charge, or part of it, would cause you financial 
hardship; and 
b. 
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  
13.  If you proceed with the request, when a decision letter is sent to you, an invoice for the 
outstanding balance of charges will be raised and forwarded to you within 5 working days. 
Documents will not be released until we receive your proof of payment. 
14.  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. 
15.  Please contact me if you have any questions about this matter.  
Yours sincerely 
Digitally signed by 
 theresa.sti theresa.stinson@defence.
gov.au 
nson@defe DN: 
cn=theresa.stinson@defe
 nce.gov.au nce.gov.au 
Date: 2016.07.01 14:28:20 
+10'00'
Theresa Stinson 
Assistant Director 
Freedom of Information 
 
1 July 2016 
Enclosures: 
1. 
Breakdown of Charges 
2. 
FOI – Deposit authorisation 




Freedom of Information 
CP1-6-001 
PO Box 7910 
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610 
Tel: 02 626 62200 
 
Fax: 02 626 62112 
xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Enclosure 1 
BREAKDOWN OF CHARGES 
 
Search and retrieval time
3 hours @ $15 per hour
$     45
  .00
Decision-making time:
Examination of documents
2 hours @ $20 per hour
$     4
  0.00
Consulting outside of Defence
4 hours @ $20 per hour
$     8
  0.00
Making copies of documents
2 hours @ $20 per hour
$     4
  0.00
Preparing decision notice
3 hours @ $20 per hour
$     6
  0.00
Other decision making tasks
 @ $20 per hour
$         -
  
Copying of documents
20 pages @ 10 cents per page
$      2.
    00
production of CD
$         -
  
GST (Exempt):
Nil
Sub total:
$   2
   67.00
  Less
5 hours of free decision making time
$   10
   0.00
  Total
$   1
   67.00
  Deposit required
 $          41.75 
 
 




Freedom of Information 
CP1-6-001 
PO Box 7910 
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610 
Tel: 02 626 62200 
 
Fax: 02 626 62112 
xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Enclosure 2  
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST - PAYMENT AUTHORISATION 
 
 
FULL NAME or ORGANISATION 
 
Service or PMKEYS ID (if applicable) 
POSTAL ADDRESS: 
 
CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS 
H/B 
 
 M 
 
EMAIL: 
 
FOI REFERENCE : 
FOI 389/15/16 
DEPOSIT AMOUNT $  
$41.75 
 
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: 
On completion of your request a final invoice will be generated for the outstanding balance of 
charges. 
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. 
The FOI Directorate 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: ____________________________________________________