PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610                            
 
 
5 November 2021 
 
 
Our reference:  LEX 64959 
G Griffiths 
 
 
 
Only by email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
 
 
Dear Sir / Madam 
Freedom of Information Request - Charges 
 
I refer to your request to Services Australia (the agency) dated 19 October 2021 for access under 
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to the following documents:  
 
copies of any documents relating to the selection of the hold music for the Services Australia 
phone lines, including Centrelink, Medicare, and the Australian Immunisation Register. 
 
Preliminary Assessment of the Charge  
 
The agency has in its possession 9 documents relevant to your request. 
 
In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act, I have decided you are liable to pay a charge for the 
processing of your request. My preliminary assessment of the  charge is $110.00  calculated as 
follows: 
  Search and retrieval time: 2.5 hours, at $15.00 per hour: 
$37.50 
Decision-making time (*after deduction of 5 hours): 3.63 hours, 
 
at $20.00 per hour 
$72.50 
 
 
TOTAL 
$110.00 
 
*The FOI Act provides that the first five hours of decision-making time are free of charge and this is reflected in the 
calculation. 
 
Required Action  
 
If you would like the agency to continue processing your request, you must notify us 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days of receiving this notice, your request wil  be taken to have been withdrawn under section 29(2) 
of the FOI Act. 
 
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Further information on options a) and b) are set out below.   
 
Option a) - pay the charge 
 
You are required to pay a deposit of $27.50  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 wil  need your FOI LEX reference number, LEX 64959; or 
 
2.  Cheque made out to the Collector of Public Monies and posted to Freedom of Information, 
Services Australia, 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, Services Australia, PO BOX 7820, Canberra BC, ACT 2610. 
 
If you elect to pay the charge, please email xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx to advise 
us of your payment. Please quote reference number LEX 64959 in this correspondence.  
 
Option b) - seek reduction or non-imposition of the charge 
 
You may contend 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 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. 
 
Time limits for processing your request 
 
Section 31 of the FOI Act provides 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 fol owing 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 
Services Australia  
PO Box 7820  
CANBERRA  ACT  2610   
 
Or by email to xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
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Publication of information in the FOI disclosure log  
 
Information released under the FOI Act may be published in a disclosure log on the agency’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 questions please email xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.   
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Philippa  
Authorised FOI Decision Maker 
Freedom of Information Team 
Information Access Branch Legal Services Division 
Services Australia 
 
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