PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
18 February 2021
Our reference: LEX 60515
Mr Ben Fairless
Only by email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Dear Mr Fairless
Decision on your Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your request received by Services Australia on 19 January 2021, for access under
the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act) to the following documents:
Background: There are messages on customer service lines reminding customers
that they will be treated with courtesy and respect, and asking that customers treat
staff the same way.
Would you be able to provide the documents in relation to the decision to have this
message installed on customer service lines?
I am happy for the names and direct contact details (but not positions) of individuals
to be excluded as irrelevant under this request.
Please consider processing this request administratively (outside the FOI Act) if
possible. If you are unable to do so, please consider it a formal FOI request.
My decision
I have decided to refuse your request for access under section 24A of the FOI Act as all
reasonable steps have been taken to locate the documents you have requested and I am
satisfied they do not exist. Please see
Attachment A for the reasons for my decision.
You can ask for a review of our decision
If you disagree with any part of the decision you can ask for a review. There are two ways
you can do this. You can ask for an internal review from within Services Australia, or an
external review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. You do not have to
pay for a review of the decision. See
Attachment B for more information about how to
request a review.
Further assistance
If you have any questions please email
xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. Yours sincerely
Megan
Authorised FOI Decision Maker
Freedom of Information Team
Employment Law and Freedom Of Information Branch | Legal Services Division
Services Australia
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Attachment A
REASONS FOR DECISION
What you requested
On 19 January 2021, you sought access to:
Background: There are messages on customer service lines reminding customers
that they will be treated with courtesy and respect, and asking that customers treat
staff the same way.
Would you be able to provide the documents in relation to the decision to have this
message installed on customer service lines?
I am happy for the names and direct contact details (but not positions) of individuals
to be excluded as irrelevant under this request.
Please consider processing this request administratively (outside the FOI Act) if
possible. If you are unable to do so, please consider it a formal FOI request.
What I took into account
In reaching my decision I took into account:
your request dated 19 January 2021
consultations with Services Australia officers about Services Australia's operating
environment and functions
guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under section 93A of
the FOI Act (the
Guidelines), and
the FOI Act.
Reasons for my decisions
I am authorised to make decisions under section 23(1) of the FOI Act.
Section 24A of the FOI Act
Section 24A of the FOI Act provides:
(1) An agency or Minister may refuse a request for access to a document if:
(a) all reasonable steps have been taken to find the document; and
(b) the agency or Minister is satisfied that the document:
(i) is in the agency's or Minister's possession but cannot be found; or
(ii) does not exist.
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The Child Support, Indigenous and Tailored Services Division conducted searches for any
documents relevant to the scope of your request. The Division’s aim is to improve customer
experiences and the Division is responsible for requests that relate to customer aggression.
I am satisfied that the Division is the relevant business area for your request.
The Divison advised that searches were conducted in the shared drive where Customer
Aggression Committee documents are stored. Searches were also conducted in the
personal and positional mailboxes of relevant team members within the Division. The
searches did not identify any documents relating to the decision to implement a message on
customer service lines reminding customers they will be treated with respect and to treat the
staff in the same way.
On the basis of these searches, I am satisfied in accordance with section 24A of the FOI
Act:
1. all reasonable steps have been taken to find the documents, and
2. the documents do not exist.
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PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
Attachment B
INFORMATION ON RIGHTS OF REVIEW
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982
Asking for a full explanation of a freedom of information (FOI) decision
Before you ask for a formal review of a FOI decision, you can contact us to discuss your
request. We will explain the decision to you. This gives you a chance to correct
misunderstandings.
Asking for a formal review of a FOI 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:
1. an Internal Review Officer in Services Australia; and/or
2. the Australian Information Commissioner.
Note 1: There are no fees for these reviews.
Applying for an internal review by an Internal Review Officer
If you apply for internal review, a different decision maker to the Services Australia 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
made within 30 days of receiving this letter
sent to the address at the top of the first page of this letter.
Note 2: 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 decision or the internal review decision, you can ask the
Australian Information Commissioner to review the decision.
If you do not receive a decision from an Internal Review Officer in Services Australia within
30 days of applying, you can ask the Australian Information Commissioner for a review of the
original FOI decision.
You will have 60 days to apply in writing for a review by the Australian Information
Commissioner.
You can
lodge your application:
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Online:
www.oaic.gov.au
Post:
Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Email:
xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Note 3: The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner generally prefers FOI
applicants to seek internal review before applying for external review by the Australian
Information Commissioner.
Important:
If you are applying online, the application form the 'Merits Review Form' is available
at
www.oaic.gov.au.
If you have one, you should include with your application a copy of the Services
Australia decision on your FOI request
Include your contact details
Set out your reasons for objecting to Services Australia's decision.
Complaints to the Australian Information Commissioner and Commonwealth
Ombudsman
Australian Information Commissioner
You may complain to the Australian 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 Australian Information
Commissioner must be made in writing. The Australian Information Commissioner's contact
details are:
Telephone: 1300 363 992
Website:
www.oaic.gov.au Commonwealth Ombudsman
You may also complain to the Commonwealth 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 Commonwealth Ombudsman may be
made in person, by telephone or in writing. The Commonwealth Ombudsman's contact
details are:
Phone: 1300 362 072
Website:
www.ombudsman.gov.au
The Commonwealth Ombudsman generally prefers applicants to seek review before
complaining about a decision.
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