This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Labour hire, APRA'.










 
 
 
 
FOI 21-3 
21 September 2020 
 
John Smith  
Right to Know 
 
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
  
Dear Mr Smith  
 
NOTICE OF DECISION MADE UNDER SECTION 23 OF THE FREEDOM OF 
INFORMATION ACT 1982
 (CTH) (FOI ACT) WITH REASONS FOR DECISION PROVIDED 
UNDER SECTION 26 

Applicant: 
 
John Smith 
Decision-maker: 
Evelyn Ong, an authorised officer of the Australian Prudential 
Regulation Authority (APRA) for the purposes of subsection 
23(1) of the FOI Act. 
FOI Request:   
“I request a document that contains the total number of labour 
hire staff procured throughout your department. 
 
I also request a document that contains the total number of 
labour hire staff procured throughout the APS, that are 
fulfilling functionally equivalent roles to actual APS 
employees throughout your department.  
 
Additionally, I seek a document that contains the amount 
spent on labour hire staff procured throughout your 
department, for the 19/20 financial year. 
 
Finally, I seek a document that contains the amount spent on 
labour hire staff procured throughout your department, for the 
19/20 financial year; that are fulfilling functionally equivalent 
roles to actual APS employees in your department.” 
 
(your FOI request). 
My decision: 
Grant access, under subsection 11A(3) of the FOI Act, to the 
documents specified in the Applicant’s request. 
MATERIAL FACTS 
1. 
On 23 July 2020, you made the FOI request by email under the FOI Act. 
2. 
On 27 July 2020, APRA acknowledged receipt of the FOI request by email.  


 
 
 
 
3. 
On 27 August 2020, APRA extended the decision date until 21 September 2020 by email 
under the FOI Act.  
EVIDENCE AND MATERIAL RELIED ON 
4. 
In making my decision, I have relied on the following evidence and material: 
a) 
the Applicant’s request received by APRA on 23 July 2020; 
b) 
acknowledgment email from FOI Officer to the Applicant dated 27 July 2020; 
c) 
correspondence between APRA staff between 29 July 2020 – 28 August 2020; 
d) 
relevant sections of the FOI Act; and 
e) 
guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to 
date (FOI Guidelines). 
REASONS  
5. 
APRA has conducted all reasonable searches of its records and identified one document 
relevant to your FOI request (relevant document).   
6. 
I have decided to grant access to the relevant document under subsection 11A(3) of the 
FOI Act.  
RIGHTS OF REVIEW 
Application for Internal Review of Decision  
7. 
Under section 54 of the FOI Act, you have the right to apply for an internal review of the 
decision if you disagree with my decision. If you make an application for review, another 
officer of APRA will be appointed to conduct the review and make a fresh decision on 
the merits of the case. 
8. 
Under section 54B of the FOI Act, you must apply in writing for a review of the decision 
within 30 days after the day the decision has been notified to you.   
9. 
You do not have to pay any other fees or processing charges for an internal review, 
except for providing access to further material in the document released as a result of 
the review (for example, photocopying, inspection, etc). 
10.  No particular form is required to apply for review although it is desirable (but not 
essential) to set out in the application the grounds on which you consider that the 
decision should be reviewed. 
11.  Application for an internal review of the decision should be addressed to: 
 FOI 
Officer 
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority  
GPO Box 9836, Sydney NSW 2001 
Telephone: 
(02) 9210 3000 
Facsimile: 
(02) 9210 3411 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
12.  If you make an application for internal review and we do not make a decision within 30 
days of receiving the application, the agency is deemed to have affirmed the original 
decision. However, under section 54D of the FOI Act, APRA may apply, in writing to the 
Information Commissioner for further time to consider the internal review. 
Application for review by Information Commissioner 
13.  Under section 54L of the FOI Act, you have the right to apply to the Information 
Commissioner for a review of the original decision or a review of a decision made on 
review. 
14.  Any application must be in writing and must give details of an address where notices 
may be sent and include a copy of the original decision or the decision made on internal 
review. 
15.  An application for review by the Information Commissioner maybe lodged in the 
following ways:  
Online 
Complete and lodge the online review form at:  
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-
and-complaints/information-commissioner-review/ 
Post 
Director of FOI Dispute Resolution 
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001 
Email 
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx 
Facsimile 
(02) 9284 9666 
Delivered in person 
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner 
Level 3, 175 Pitt Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
 
Application for review by Administrative Appeals Tribunal 
16.  If the decision on review by the Information Commissioner is not to grant access to all 
of the documents within your request, you would be entitled to seek review of that 
decision by the AAT.   
17.  The AAT is an independent review body with the power to make a fresh decision. An 
application to the AAT for a review of an FOI decision does not attract a fee. The AAT 
cannot award costs either in your favour or against you, although it may in some 
circumstances recommend payment by the Attorney-General of some or all of your 
costs. Further information is available from the AAT on 1300 366 700. 
Complaints to the Information Commissioner 
18.  You may complain to the Commissioner concerning action taken by this agency in the 
exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the FOI Act. There is no fee 
for making a complaint. The Commissioner will conduct an independent investigation of 
your complaint. 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
19. 
You may complain to the Commissioner either orally or in writing, by any of the methods 
outlined above, or by telephone, on 1300 363 992. 
 
Evelyn Ong  
FOI Officer 
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
Schedule of documents to be released 
Doc No.  
Description 
Method of release 

Labour Hire Staff Statistics   
Attached 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 (CTH)  
 
11A Access to documents on request  
Scope 
             (1)  This section applies if: 
                     (a)  a request is made by a person, in accordance with subsection 15(2), to an 
agency or Minister for access to: 
                              (i)  a document of the agency; or 
                             (ii)  an official document of the Minister; and 
                     (b)  any charge that, under the regulations, is required to be paid before access 
is given has been paid. 
             (2)  This section applies subject to this Act. 
Note:          Other provisions of this Act are relevant to decisions about access to documents, for 
example the following: 
(a)    section 12 (documents otherwise available); 
(b)    section 13 (documents in national institutions); 
(c)    section 15A (personnel records); 
(d)    section 22 (access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted). 
Mandatory access—general rule 
             (3)  The agency or Minister must give the person access to the document in 
accordance with this Act, subject to this section. 
Exemptions and conditional exemptions 
             (4)  The agency or Minister is not required by this Act to give the person access to 
the document at a particular time if, at that time, the document is an exempt 
document. 
Note:          Access may be given to an exempt document apart from under this Act, whether or not 
in response to a request (see section 3A (objects—information or documents otherwise 
accessible)). 
             (5)  The agency or Minister must give the person access to the document if it is 
conditionally exempt at a particular time unless (in the circumstances) access to 
the document at that time would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest. 
Note 1:       Division 3 of Part IV provides for when a document is conditionally exempt. 
Note 2:       A conditionally exempt document is an exempt document if access to the document 
would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest (see section 31B (exempt 
documents for the purposes of Part IV)). 
Note 3:       Section 11B deals with when it is contrary to the public interest to give a person access 
to the document. 
             (6)  Despite subsection (5), the agency or Minister is not required to give access to 
the document at a particular time if, at that time, the document is both: 
                     (a)  a conditionally exempt document; and 
                     (b)  an exempt document: 
                              (i)  under Division 2 of Part IV (exemptions); or 
                             (ii)  within the meaning of paragraph (b) or (c) of the definition of exempt 
document in subsection 4(1). 
 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY