Mr Jason Potts
By ema
il: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Our reference: SHC19-3397
Dear Mr Potts
Freedom of Information request
1. I am writing in relation to your email message of 23 August 2019 seeking access to certain
documents held by the Australian Public Service Commission (the Commission) under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
2. You requested access to email correspondence from Mr Peter Woolcott’s Microsoft
Outlook account sent to and received from Mr John Lloyd between 9 August 2018 and 23
August 2019.
FOI request decision
3. I am authorised under subsection 23(1) of the FOI Act to make FOI request decisions.
4. The relevant area of the Commission was asked to conduct a search of Mr Woolcott’s
Microsoft Outlook account for the relevant email correspondence. No documents were
identified.
5. Under section 24A of the FOI Act, an agency may amongst other things, refuse an FOI
request for access to a document if the agency is satisfied that all reasonable steps have
been taken to find the document and the agency is satisfied that the document does not
exist.
6. I am satisfied after the relevant officer conducted a search that no documents relevant to
your FOI request exist. I have therefore decided to refuse your request for access under
section 24A of the FOI Act.
Contacts
7. If you require clarification of any of the matters in this letter, you may contact the
Commission’s FOI Co-ordinator by telephone on (02) 6202 3500 or by email at
xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.
B Block, Treasury Building
Parkes Place West PARKES ACT 2600
GPO Box 3176 CANBERRA ACT 2600
Review rights
8. You are entitled to seek review of this decision. Your review rights are set out at
Attachment A.
Yours sincerely
Sayuri Grady
Authorised FOI decision maker
30 August 2019
ATTACHMENT A
Rights of Review
Asking for a ful explanation of a Freedom of Information decision
If you are dissatisfied with this decision, you may seek review. Before you seek review of an
FOI decision, you may contact us to discuss your request and we will explain the decision to
you.
Seeking review of a Freedom of Information decision
If you still believe a decision is incorrect, the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) gives
you the right to apply for a review of the decision. Under sections 54 and 54L of the FOI Act,
you can apply for a review of an FOI decision by seeking:
1. an internal review by an different officer of the Commission; and/or
2. external review by the Australian Information Commissioner.
There are no fees applied to either review option.
Applying for a review by an Internal Review Officer
If you apply for internal review, a different decision maker to the departmental delegate who
made the original decision will carry out the review. The Internal Review Officer will consider
all aspects of the original decision and decide whether it should change. An application for
internal review must be made in writing within 30 days of receiving this letter to:
Email:
xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Post:
The FOI Co-ordinator
Australian Public Service Commission
B Block, Treasury Building
GPO Box 3176
Parkes Place West
PARKES ACT 2600
You do not need to fill in a form. However, it is a good idea to set out any relevant submissions
you would like the Internal Review Officer to further consider, and your reasons for disagreeing
with the decision.
Applying for external review by the Australian Information Commissioner
If you do not agree with the original FOI decision or the internal review decision, you can ask
the Australian Information Commissioner to review the decision. You have 60 days to apply
in writing for a review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) from
the date you received this letter or any subsequent internal review decision.
You can
lodge your application:
Online:
www.oaic.gov.au
Post:
Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Email:
xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
The OAIC encourage applicants to apply online. Where possible, to assist the OAIC you
should include your contact information, a copy of the related FOI decision and provide details
of your reasons for objecting to the decision.
Complaints to the Information Commissioner and Commonwealth Ombudsman
Information Commissioner
You may complain to the Information Commissioner concerning action taken by an agency in
the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the FOI Act. There is no fee for
making a complaint. A complaint to the Information Commissioner must be made in writing.
The Information Commissioner's contact details are:
Telephone:
1300 363 992
Website:
www.oaic.gov.au
Commonwealth Ombudsman
You may complain to the Ombudsman concerning action taken by an agency in the exercise of
powers or the performance of functions under the FOI Act. There is no fee for making a
complaint. A complaint to the Ombudsman may be made in person, by telephone or in writing.
The Ombudsman's contact details are:
Phone:
1300 362 072
Website:
www.ombudsman.gov.au
Document Outline
