2016-17 Most Expensive Trip
Dear Department of Finance,
This is a request under the FOI Act.
Can you please provide the travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements and reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by a Minister or Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in 2016-17.
I request that any fees arising in relation to this request be waived as the information is in the public interest, as it helps inform the public about how the government is spending public revenue.
Yours faithfully,
Jackson Gothe-Snape
Thank you for your email to the Freedom of Information Team at the
Department of Finance. An officer will respond to your email shortly. In
the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
the FOI Team on (02) 6215 1783.
Regards,
FOI Officer, Legal Services Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [1][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[Finance request email]
Thank you for your email, which has been forwarded to the Department’s FOI
Team for their consideration. A member of the FOI Team will respond to
your email in the next couple of days.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
________________________________
Finance Australian Business Number (ABN): 61 970 632 495
Finance Web Site: www.finance.gov.au
IMPORTANT:
This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone on 61-2-6215-2222 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
If responding to this email, please send to the appropriate person using the suffix .gov.au.
________________________________
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Gothe-Snape
Thank you for your request, dated 8 August 2017, made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) for the following:
‘Can you please provide the travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit
card statements and reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by a
Minister or Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in
2016-17.’
Publically available information
The Department of Finance (Finance) has various material publicly
available on its website. In particular, reporting of parliamentarian’s
work expenses has been published since 2008-09, please see here:
[1]http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/p...
Specifically in relation to your request, detailed expenditure reporting
for the Ministers in the Finance portfolio, for the period July to
December 2016, is available here:
· Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance:
[2]http://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/...
· Senator the Hon Scott Ryan, Special Minister of State:
[3]http://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/...
New independent body to oversee parliamentarians’ expenses - IPEA
From 3 April 2017, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA)
was established as an independent body to oversee parliamentarians’
expenses. In particular, IPEA has the following functions (our emphasis):
· Giving advice to parliamentarians and MOP(S) Act staff about
travel expenses and travel allowances.
· Monitoring the travel expenses and travel allowances of
parliamentarian and MOP(S) Act staff.
· Preparing regular reports relating to:
o all work expenses, travel expenses and travel allowances claimed by
parliamentarians
o travel expenses and travel allowances claimed by MOP(S) Act staff.
· Conducting audits relating to:
o all work expenses, travel expenses and travel allowances claimed by
parliamentarians
o travel expenses and travel allowances claimed by MOP(S) Act staff.
· Processing claims relating to travel expenses and travel
allowances of parliamentarians and their staff.
Since 3 April 2017, IPEA commenced responsibility for the reporting
functions of parliamentarians’ work expenses from Finance. You may be
aware that over time, reporting by IPEA will transition from six-monthly
reporting to a quarterly and then to a monthly reporting basis, to improve
transparency and accountability for parliamentarians’ work expenses.
Reporting for January to June 2017
We note that you have requested information for the 2016-17 financial
year. Reporting for the period January to June 2017 is currently being
compiled by IPEA. We understand that reporting for the period January to
March 2017 will be available towards the end of quarter 3 in 2017.
Reporting for April to June 2017 will be available towards the end of
quarter 4 in 2017.
Finance acknowledges that there is a public interest in obtaining
information on parliamentarians’ travel expenses, which is consistent with
the regime to publish this material.
As the information is still being completed for the full 2016-17 financial
year, it is not possible to identify the ‘most expensive trip’ until the
reporting and acquittal processes are completed.
Suggested way forward
Finance has already received a number of requests from other departments
seeking to transfer this request under section 16 of the FOI Act. As
Finance does not perform the function for reporting on ministerial travel,
Finance does not hold the information requested. The functions are more
closely aligned with IPEA.
We suggest that you contact IPEA directly ([4][email address]) in relation
to your request for documents. We note that you may wish to amend the
scope of your request, following your review of the publicly available
information and the comments made on reporting, as set out above.
As IPEA would be the most appropriate agency to process your request, we
will consider your request withdrawn from Finance unless you advise
otherwise, by Tuesday, 15 August 2017.
Kind regards
[5]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.F1CA1B30
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783
E: [6][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
________________________________
Finance Australian Business Number (ABN): 61 970 632 495
Finance Web Site: www.finance.gov.au
IMPORTANT:
This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone on 61-2-6215-2222 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
If responding to this email, please send to the appropriate person using the suffix .gov.au.
________________________________
References
Visible links
1. http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/p...
2. http://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/...
3. http://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/...
4. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[Finance request email]
Hello,
I am interested in trips taken by a Minister accompanied by Departmental staff. Can you process the request on this basis?
Yours sincerely,
Jackson Gothe-Snape
Thank you for your email, which has been forwarded to the Department’s FOI
Team for their consideration. A member of the FOI Team will respond to
your email in the next couple of days.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
________________________________
Finance Australian Business Number (ABN): 61 970 632 495
Finance Web Site: www.finance.gov.au
IMPORTANT:
This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone on 61-2-6215-2222 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
If responding to this email, please send to the appropriate person using the suffix .gov.au.
________________________________
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Gothe-Snape
Thank you for your emails to the Department of Finance (Finance)
requesting access to the following under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act):
Can you please provide the travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit
card statements and reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by a
Minister or Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in
2016-17.
On 16 August 2017, you revised this FOI request to be limited to trips
taken by a Minister accompanied by Departmental staff.
Given your further email, the scope of your request is as follows:
The travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements and
reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by the Finance Minister
or Special Minister of State, accompanied by Departmental staff, and paid
for by the Department of Finance in the 2016-17 financial year.
Preliminary discussions with relevant business areas indicate that there
will be no documents within the scope of the request. Please advise if you
wish to continue with your request or whether you wish to withdraw this
request by COB Tuesday, 29 August 2017.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.7457D930
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [2][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
________________________________
Finance Australian Business Number (ABN): 61 970 632 495
Finance Web Site: www.finance.gov.au
IMPORTANT:
This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone on 61-2-6215-2222 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
If responding to this email, please send to the appropriate person using the suffix .gov.au.
________________________________
References
Visible links
2. mailto:[Finance request email]
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Gothe-Snape
Further to our email dated 24 August 2017 (copy below), please advise us
as soon as possible if you wish to continue with this request.
As indicated, we understand that there are no documents within the scope
of the revised request. Unless you advise otherwise by Wednesday, 6
September 2017, we propose to consider your FOI request withdrawn.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.F1CA1B30
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783
E: [2][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
From: FOI Requests
Sent: Thursday, 24 August 2017 3:24 PM
To: '[FOI #3781 email]'
<[FOI #3781 email]>
Cc: FOI Requests <[email address]>
Subject: FOI 17/110 - Scope of your request [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Gothe-Snape
Thank you for your emails to the Department of Finance (Finance)
requesting access to the following under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act):
Can you please provide the travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit
card statements and reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by a
Minister or Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in
2016-17.
On 16 August 2017, you revised this FOI request to be limited to trips
taken by a Minister accompanied by Departmental staff.
Given your further email, the scope of your request is as follows:
The travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements and
reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by the Finance Minister
or Special Minister of State, accompanied by Departmental staff, and paid
for by the Department of Finance in the 2016-17 financial year.
Preliminary discussions with relevant business areas indicate that there
will be no documents within the scope of the request. Please advise if you
wish to continue with your request or whether you wish to withdraw this
request by COB Tuesday, 29 August 2017.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.7457D930
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [4][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
________________________________
Finance Australian Business Number (ABN): 61 970 632 495
Finance Web Site: www.finance.gov.au
IMPORTANT:
This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone on 61-2-6215-2222 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
If responding to this email, please send to the appropriate person using the suffix .gov.au.
________________________________
References
Visible links
2. mailto:[Finance request email]
4. mailto:[Finance request email]
UNCLASSIFIED
Good afternoon Mr Goethe-Snape
We refer to the email below. As we have not received a response, we have
considered this FOI request to be withdrawn.
Kind regards
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.F1CA1B30
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783
E: [2][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
From: FOI Requests
Sent: Friday, 1 September 2017 1:56 PM
To: 'Jackson Gothe-Snape' <[FOI #3781 email]>
Cc: FOI Requests <[email address]>
Subject: FW: FOI 17/110 - Scope of your request [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Gothe-Snape
Further to our email dated 24 August 2017 (copy below), please advise us
as soon as possible if you wish to continue with this request.
As indicated, we understand that there are no documents within the scope
of the revised request. Unless you advise otherwise by Wednesday, 6
September 2017, we propose to consider your FOI request withdrawn.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.F1CA1B30
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783
E: [4][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
From: FOI Requests
Sent: Thursday, 24 August 2017 3:24 PM
To: '[FOI #3781 email]'
<[5][FOI #3781 email]>
Cc: FOI Requests <[6][email address]>
Subject: FOI 17/110 - Scope of your request [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Gothe-Snape
Thank you for your emails to the Department of Finance (Finance)
requesting access to the following under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act):
Can you please provide the travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit
card statements and reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by a
Minister or Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in
2016-17.
On 16 August 2017, you revised this FOI request to be limited to trips
taken by a Minister accompanied by Departmental staff.
Given your further email, the scope of your request is as follows:
The travel expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements and
reimbursements for the most expensive trip taken by the Finance Minister
or Special Minister of State, accompanied by Departmental staff, and paid
for by the Department of Finance in the 2016-17 financial year.
Preliminary discussions with relevant business areas indicate that there
will be no documents within the scope of the request. Please advise if you
wish to continue with your request or whether you wish to withdraw this
request by COB Tuesday, 29 August 2017.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
[7]cid:image001.jpg@01D20F6A.7457D930
FOI Officer, Legal and Assurance Branch
Business Enabling Services
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [8][Finance request email]
A: One Canberra Avenue, Forrest ACT 2603
UNCLASSIFIED
________________________________
Finance Australian Business Number (ABN): 61 970 632 495
Finance Web Site: www.finance.gov.au
IMPORTANT:
This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone on 61-2-6215-2222 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.
If responding to this email, please send to the appropriate person using the suffix .gov.au.
________________________________
References
Visible links
2. mailto:[Finance request email]
4. mailto:[Finance request email]
5. mailto:[FOI #3781 email]
6. mailto:[email address]
8. mailto:[Finance request email]
Locutus Sum left an annotation ()
It can cause problems when an applicant sends out a very large number of requests together in a bulk request. It is convenient for the applicant when she makes the requests but then when so many responses are received it is inconvenient for an applicant to work out how she should continue ... or evan to classify the responses.
In this case, the application was deemed to have been withdrawn because the agency did not receive a response from the applicant.