This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Risk Governance and Oversight of Centrelink Data Matching'.



If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610 
 
 
14 March 2017 
 
 
 
 
 
Our reference:  LEX26567 
Mr Justin Warren 
Right to Know 
 
 
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
 
 
Dear Mr Warren 
Outcome of Consultation under section 24AB 
I refer to your request, dated 6 February 2017 and received by the Department of Human 
Services (the department) on the same day for access under the Freedom of Information 
Act 1982 
(the FOI Act) to the following documents:  
'I request the following information relating to the initiative to match Centrelink data 
with data from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) to detect potential overpayment and 
the recovery of those overpayments from citizens.  
 
- Documents listing identified risks, categorisations (Likelihood, Impact, etc.), and 
treatments (e.g. Risk Registers) in the period 1 Jan 2016 to 31 Dec 2016.  
 
This initiative has been extensively covered by the media using various 
names, including #robodebt and #notmydebt.' 
On 22 February 2017, I wrote to you providing a notice of intention to refuse your request 
under section 24AB(2) of the FOI Act, giving you an opportunity to consult with the 
department to revise your request so as to remove the practical refusal reason.  
 
In order to assist you to revise your request, I wrote to you on 8 March 2017 seeking a 14 
day extension of time for the consultation period under section 24AB(5) of the FOI Act. On 
the same day you replied stating that you did not agree to an extension of time as requested.  
 
Later, on 8 March 2017 I provided you with a response to your questions.  
 
You did not contact the department to provide a revised scope within the consultation period, 
which ended at midnight on 8 March 2017.  
 
Section 24AB(6) of the FOI Act provides: 
 
The applicant must, before the end of the consultation period, do one of the following, by 
written notice to the agency or Minister: 
 
(a)  withdraw the request; 
(b)  make a revised request;  
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(c)  indicate the applicant does not wish to revise the request.  
 
Section 24AB(7) of the FOI Act provides: 
 
 
The request is taken to be withdrawn under subsection (6) at the end of the 
consultation period if:  
 
(a)  the applicant does not consult the contact person during the consultation 
period in accordance with the notice; or 
(b)  the applicant does not do one of the things mentioned in subsection (6) 
before the end of the consultation period.  
 
You did not do one of the things mentioned in section 24AB(6) prior to midnight on 8 March 
2017. Therefore, in accordance with section 24AB(7) of the FOI Act, your request was taken 
to be withdrawn.  
 
On 10 March 2017, you wrote to the department to revise the scope of your original request.  
 
This correspondence was not received during the consultation period and by the time the 
correspondence was received your request had already been taken as withdrawn in 
accordance with the provisions of the FOI Act.  
 
It is not possible to revise a request deemed withdrawn by operation of the FOI Act.   
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Authorised FOI Decision Maker 
Freedom of Information Team 
FOI and Litigation Branch | Legal Services Division  
Department of Human Services 
 
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Department of Human Services