If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
28 March 2019
Our reference: LEX 43040
Ms Evelyn Doyle
Only by email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Ms Doyle
Freedom of Information Request - Charges
I refer to your request dated 10 March 2019 and received by the Department of Human Services
(
department) on the same date, for access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (
FOI Act),
made in the following terms:
‘I note in a Sydney Morning Herald newspaper article dated 30 October 2018, there is mention
of a $51m trial to outsource Centrelink call centre services to Serco.
Since then, the department has proceeded with a large call centre outsourcing project to various
companies based on the report outlining the findings of the trial, and from which the decision to
outsource was made.
I would like to request a copy of the report under administrative access, as I assume the
department has it ready to hand or could provide a link. I searched the Department of Human
Services website but have not managed to locate the report.
If administrative access is not an available option, please accept this as a formal freedom of
information request for the report under the FOI Act.’
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. Payment of the charge does not guarantee access to the document,
redacted or otherwise, but is charge to process the document under the FOI Act.
My preliminary assessment of that charge is $44.50 calculated as follows:
Search and retrieval time: 0.63 hours, at $15.00 per hour:
$ 9.50
Decision-making time (*after deduction of 5 hours): 1.75 hours, at
$20.00 per hour
$35.00
TOTAL
$44.50
*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 one document with 45 pages relevant to
your request.
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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
Alternatively, you may wish to withdraw your request for access.
If you do not provide a written response in accordance with one of options a) or b) 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.
Further information on options a) and b) are set out below.
Option a) - pay the charge
As the charge exceeds $25, you are required to pay a deposit of $20.00 within 30 days of receiving
this notice. You may, of course, elect to pay the charge in full at this point.
You may select from one of the following payment methods:
1. Online payment via Government EasyPay - follow this link and enter the relevant details.
You will need your FOI LEX reference number,
LEX 43040; or
2. Cheque made out to the Collector of Public Monies and posted to Freedom of Information,
Department of Human Services, PO BOX 7820, Canberra BC, ACT 2610; or
3. Money order made out to the Collector of Public Monies and posted to Freedom of
Information, Department of Human Services, PO BOX 7820, Canberra BC, ACT 2610.
If you elect to pay the charge, please email xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx to advise us
of your payment. Please quote reference number
LEX 43040 in this correspondence.
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 you or 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 you or 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.
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Department of Human Services
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.
Further assistance
If you have any FOI questions please email xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
Robert
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
