Vanessa Teague
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Vanessa
FOI application
Thank you for your email received on 25 September 2020 in relation to a Freedom of
Information (FOI) request to the ACT Electoral Commission.
The default period for processing FOI request applications is 20 working days after the
request has been received, if no consultation is required in order to process the request.
If you, as the applicant, are notified that a relevant third party is being consulted as part
of the processing of the request, the period is extended by an additional 15 working days.
Accordingly, you should expect a decision in relation to your FOI request by 23 October
2020 (if no consultation is required), or 13 November 2020 if a relevant third party is
being consulted.
As per recent email correspondence with you on this matter, I’ve attached the Deed Poll
for the provision of the 2020 EVACs source code. Upon receipt of your completed Deed
Poll I am happy to provide the source code to you, along with the independent audit
certification report.
Elections ACT is a small organisation with an ongoing FTE of twelve. Given your familiarity
with electoral management systems and the environment that surrounds the conduct of
an electoral event I am sure you can appreciate we are in the midst of one of the most
critical, incredibly busy periods of delivering the 2020 ACT Legislative Assembly Election.
The administration requirements of a formal FOI request will be particularly challenging
for our organisation in these circumstances. To this end, the FOI deadline of 23 October
2020 is the same day as the deadline for the final receipt of postal votes for the election.
In accordance with the ACT Ombudsman’s FOI guidelines, respondents may negotiate
with the applicant for extra time to process an access application. Accordingly, I seek your
agreement to commence the 20 working days on 17 October 2020. If agreed you should
then expect a decision in relation to your FOI request by 13 November 2020.
I appreciate your close consideration of the deadline and request that you respond
accordingly. If you would like to contact me directly on this matter, please do so at
xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or on 02 6205 0224.
Yours sincerely
Ro Spence
Deputy Electoral Commissioner
30 September 2020