This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Reports to the Office of the Australian Information Commission'.



If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610 
 
 
26 September 2018 
 
 
Our reference:  LEX 39599 
 
 
Mr Keith Owen (Right to Know) 
By email only: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
 
 
Dear Mr Owen 
Your Freedom of Information request – Consultation 
I refer to your request, dated 17 September 2018 and received by the Department of Human 
Services (department) on the same date, for access to documents under the Freedom of 
Information Act 1982 
(Cth) (FOI Act), made in the following terms: 
I would like to access any reports made to the Office of the Australian 
Information Commission regarding any data breaches by the Department of 
Human Services from March 2018 when it became mandatory to report such 
breaches. 
 
Your request gives rise to a practical refusal reason  
 I am consulting with you because:  
 
  your request does not provide sufficient information as is reasonably necessary to 
enable the department to identify the documents that you are requesting. 
 
I am asking you to:  
 
  revise your request to give me more specific details about the documents you are 
requesting. 
If you decide not to revise your request in order to resolve the issues raised above, I will 
have to refuse your request on the basis that one or more practical refusal reason still exists.  
 
For a more detailed explanation of what this means, see Attachment A
 
How to send us a 'revised request' 

Within the next 14 days (consultation period); that is, by 10 October 2018, you must do one 
of the following, in writing: 
  withdraw the request; 
  make a revised request; or 
  advise that you do not want to revise your request.  
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If you do not contact me during the consultation period, your request will be deemed to have 
been withdrawn by operation of the FOI Act. See Attachment A for relevant sections of the 
FOI Act.  
 
We have 30 days to give you a decision about your request, however, the time taken to 
consult with you is not included in this 30 day time period. 
Contact officer 
I am the contact officer for your request. During the consultation period you are welcome to 
ask for my help in revising your request. You can contact me: 
  by writing to the address at the top of this letter; or 
  via email to xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. 
Note: When you contact us please quote the reference number FOI LEX 39599. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Ellen 
Authorised FOI Decision Maker 
Freedom of Information Team 
Employment Law and Freedom of Information Branch | Legal Services Division  
Department of Human Services 
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Department of Human Services 



If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610 
Attachment A 
What you requested  
 
On 17 September 2018, you made a request under the FOI Act in the following terms:  
 
I would like to access any reports made to the Office of the Australian 
Information Commission regarding any data breaches by the Department of 
Human Services from March 2018 when it became mandatory to report such 
breaches. 
 
Interpretation of the scope of your request  
 
Your request is unclear 
 
Your request does not provide such information as is reasonably necessary to enable the 
department to identify the documents that you are requesting. 
 
Your request for ‘reports made to the Office of the Australian Information Commission 
regarding any data breaches’ is unclear as it could be interpreted to mean:  
  access to any reports made to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner 
regarding data breaches by the Department of Human Services;  
  access to any reports the department sent to the Office of the Australian Information 
Commissioner regarding any data breaches, between March 2018 – 
17 September 2018; or  
  access to the reports the department made to the Office of the Australian Information 
Commissioner under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme between March 2018 –  
17 September 2018.  
 
Because I cannot be certain what is and what is not intended to be captured by your request, 
I am consulting with you to determine precisely what documents you are requesting.   
Accordingly, under sections 24AA(1) of the FOI Act, practical refusal reasons exist in relation 
to your request. 
 
Assistance to revise the scope  
 
You may wish to consider revising your scope with reference to the issues raised above by, 
for example:  
 
  Specifying the type of report you are seeking; and 
  Providing a date range for your request. 
Relevant sections of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 
Section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act provides that a request must provide such information as is 
reasonably necessary to enable a responsible officer to identify the documents sought. 
Section 24AA(1)(b) of the FOI Act provides that a practical refusal reason exists in relation to 
an FOI request if the request does not satisfy the requirements of section 15(2)(b) of the FOI 
Act.  
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Section 24AB(6) provides that the applicant must, before the end of the consultation period, 
do one of the following, by written notice to the agency or Minister: 
  withdraw the request, 
  make a revised request, or 
  indicate that the applicant does not wish to revise the request. 
Section 24AB(7) of the FOI Act provides that the request is taken to have been withdrawn 
under at the end of the consultation period if: 
  the applicant does not consult the contact person during the consultation period in 
accordance with the notice, or 
  the applicant does not do one of the things mentioned in subsection (6) before the 
end of the consultation period. 
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Department of Human Services