LEX 47940
Decision and Statement of reasons issued under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982
Decision and reason for decision of Llewel yn (Position Number 62329531)
Information Access Unit, Client Access Rehabilitation Branch, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Applicant:
Julie
Decision date:
13 April 2022
FOI reference number:
LEX 47940
Sent by email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Julie
Freedom of Information Request: LEX 47940
Decision
1. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (
Department) has undertaken a reasonable search of its
records and has identified two (2) document bundles relevant to your request.
2. I have made a decision to grant access in part to these two (2) document bundles.
3. The documents that I have chosen to grant access in part to are set out in
Schedule 1,
together with applicable exemption provisions. Where I have decided to grant access in part,
I have provided access to an edited copy of the documents, modified by deletions in
accordance with section 22(2) of the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (
FOI Act).
Authority to make decision
4. I, Llewellyn (Position Number 62329531), Information Access Officer, Information Access
Unit, am an officer authorised by the Secretary of the Department to make decisions about
access to documents in the possession of the Department in accordance with section 23(1)
of the FOI Act.
1
Summary
5. On 11 February 2022 you made a request for access to documents in the possession of the
Department. Your request sought access on the fol owing terms:
…While a FOI request is for documents, in this instance given the potentially
sensitive personal information that might otherwise be in scope, you may wish to
make a s 17 document like was done in FOI 38412
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/all_contract_medical_advisers_to#incomi
ng-19110
I seek copy of reports of self harm and suicide, including intention to self harm or
suicide, received by the Department of Veterans Affairs (excluding Open
Arms/VVCS) during 2021.
I do not seek the details of self harm and suicide (or intention) received, beyond the
number of such incidents and their distribution throughout the year (a breakdown
by month would be ideal).
I also seek copy of any brief provided to the Secretary during 2021 on such events,
but again do not wish the details of the private individual involved or the type of self
harm or suicide that occurred or was expressed.
I also seek copy of any current quick reference instructions Veterans Affairs give
staff to fol ow when report of self harm and suicide, including intention to self
harm or suicide, is made to them…
6. On 16 February 2022, the Department acknowledged your request via email.
7. On 10 March 2022, I consulted with you to confirm the terms of your request. We note that,
as per the terms of your request, all personal information within relevant documents that
pertain to veteran self-harm or suicide is out of scope of your request, with it being explicitly
stated in your request that you do not seek this information, and that you are only seeking
“the number of such incidents and their distribution throughout the year”.
8. As an extension of time was applied to process your request in accordance with section
15AB of the FOI Act, a decision on your request is due by 13 April 2022.
2
9. I have decided not to impose a charge in relation to this request, in accordance with
Regulation 8 of the
Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations 2019.
Material taken into account
10. In accordance with section 26(1)(a) of the FOI Act, my findings on any material question of
fact, the material on which those findings were based and the reasons for my decision to
grant partial access to the documents fol ows.
11. I have taken the following material into account in making my decision.
the terms of your request;
the types of information and documents that are in the Department’s possession;
the content of the document that fal within the scope of your request;
the availability of information relevant to your request, insofar as it determines the
practicality and ease in which the Department can create a document under section 17
of the FOI Act;
Sections 3, 11 and 11A of the FOI Act which give the Australian community a legally
enforceable right to obtain access to information held by the Government of the
Commonwealth. I also considered the following provision[s] of the FOI Act relevant to
my decision:
- Section 11B Public interest exemption – factors
- Section 15 Request for Access
- Section 17 Requests involving use of computers etc (e.g. request for the
Department to create a document)
- Section 22 Access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant material deleted
- Section 47E Public interest conditional exemptions--certain operations of agencies
- Section 47F Public interest conditional exemptions--personal privacy; and
the Guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under section 93A
of the FOI Act (
FOI Guidelines).
12. A full extract of all FOI Act provisions used to make my decision are provided in
Schedule 2.
3
Reasons for decision
13. I have decided to
grant part access to the documents within the scope of your request,
subject to the fol owing exemptions in accordance with the FOI Act:
Creation of a document in response to your FOI request (section 17)
14. Part of your request sought access to copies of
“…reports of self harm and suicide, including
intention to self harm or suicide, received by the Department of Veterans Affairs (excluding
Open Arms/VVCS) during 2021...” In your request you specify that the information you are
seeking is
“…the number of such incidents and their distribution throughout the year (a
breakdown by month would be ideal)…”
15. So that you can be provided with access to the information in the form you have requested,
we have extracted the relevant data and created a document in response to your request.
This document is listed at
Schedule 1. This document was created in accordance with section
17 of the FOI Act.
Public interest conditional exemptions--certain operations of agencies (sections 47E(c) and
47E(d))
16. The documents within the scope of your application contain the full names and contact
information of staff of the Department. I have decided that s 47E(c) and 47E(d) applies to
this material, as identified in
Schedule 1.
17. Section 47E(c) conditionally exempts documents where disclosure would, or could
reasonably be expected to, have a substantial adverse effect on the management or
assessment of personnel by the Commonwealth or an agency. Management of personnel by
the Department includes, among other things, human resources policies and activities,
recruitment, and work health and safety.
18. Section 47E(d) conditionally exempts documents where disclosure would, or could
reasonably be expected to, have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient
conduct of the operations of an agency.
19. The Department has policies and procedures to support staff within its operating
environment and to meet its obligations as an employer to provide a safe working
environment. Some policies restrict the amount of identifying information generally
provided by individual staff members to clients. For example, staff are generally required to
identify themselves in correspondence with clients by a given name and position number.
4
20. This is consistent with the approach taken by other Commonwealth agencies with similar
functions, including provision of support services and administration of statutory benefits
schemes.
21. Implementation of these policies provides staff at more junior levels with confidence that
they will not be inappropriately named or contacted in relation to actions taken in the
course of their routine work for the Department.
22. Disclosure of identifying information about staff members contained within the documents
would be inconsistent with these Departmental policies. Knowledge that identifying
information about them may be disclosed in documents accessed under the FOI Act would
be likely to undermine the confidence of staff in Departmental policies intended to support
their work health and safety. Staff concern about inappropriate contact and the potential for
harassment by clients is based on known instances of such things occurring. For example,
public identification of individual staff members in an online client forum.
23. An adverse effect on the Department’s ability to manage staff could reasonably be expected
to result from widespread staff concern about disclosure of identifying information about
staff members. Staff members may experience concern even when not based on personal
experience of harassment.
24. I also note that the Department provides a wide range of services to its clients. To facilitate
efficient conduct of its operations, the Department has established channels for
communication on specific topics and in relation to specific services. These channels, such as
email inboxes and telephone support lines, enable services to be delivered efficiently by
directing clients to the most appropriate point of contact. In addition, the Department is
able to manage staffing efficiently by providing staff with access to communication points
attached to a role rather than to an individual.
25. Disclosure of identifying information about staff members in these documents would
disclose contact details for individual staff members, which is not generally available. Once
contact details for individual staff members are disclosed they are likely to become publically
known through private correspondence. Making it possible for clients to address
correspondence to individual staff members or to seek to contact individuals directly is likely
to undermine Departmental arrangements to channel communications based on role rather
than individual. Reduced efficiency in communication and delivery of services could
reasonably be expected to result.
5
26. Accordingly, for the reasons outlined above I consider that certain material, as identified in
Schedule 1, meets the criteria for conditional exemption under section 47E(c) and 47E(d) of
the FOI Act.
Public interest conditional exemptions--personal privacy (section 47F)
27. Section 47F of the FOI Act provides that a document is conditionally exempt if its disclosure
would involve the unreasonable disclosure of personal information about any person
(including a deceased person).
28. Section 4 of the FOI Act provides that personal information has the same meaning as in the
Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act). Personal information is defined in section 6 of the Privacy Act
as:
. information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is
reasonably identifiable:
(a)
whether the information or opinion is true or not;
(b)
whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.
29. The elements of ‘personal information’ are:
(a)
it relates only to a natural person (not, for example, a company);
(b)
it says something about the individual;
(c)
it may be in the form of an opinion, it may be true or untrue, and it may form
part of a database;
(d)
the individual’s identity is known or is reasonably ascertainable using the
information in the document.
30. If information is personal information, it will be conditionally exempt if disclosure would be
‘unreasonable’. In considering whether disclosure would be unreasonable, section 47F(2) of
the FOI Act requires me to take into account:
(a)
the extent to which the information is wel known;
6
(b)
whether the person to whom the information relates is known to be (or to have
been) associated with the matters dealt with in the document;
(c)
the availability of the information from publicly accessible sources; and
(d)
any other matter I consider relevant.
31. The documents outlined in
Schedule 1 contain the full names and contact information of
staff of the Department. Contact details of an individual staff member, such as their mobile
phone number is personal information about that person.
32. The Department has policies and procedures to support staff within its operating
environment and to meet its obligations as an employer to provide a safe working
environment. Some policies restrict the amount of identifying information generally
provided by individual staff members to clients. As outlined above, staff are generally
required to identify themselves in correspondence with clients by a given name and position
number. This reduces the likelihood that individuals are reasonably identifiable in a different
context. For example, it reduces the likelihood that a private social media profile can be
linked with an individual who is a staff member of the Department.
33. I consider that disclosure of personal information of individual staff members in the
document would be unreasonable because it would be inconsistent with Departmental
policies and procedures designed to support a sage and efficient working environment.
Additional y, it would be unreasonable because it would be contrary to the expectations of
those individual staff members, who may rely on those Departmental policies and
procedures for assurance of their personal privacy.
34. Accordingly, I have decided that the parts of documents which are listed as exempt in
accordance with this provision in
Schedule 1, meet the criteria for conditional exemption.
Where a document is assessed as conditionally exempt, access must be given subject to the
public interest test in accordance with section 11A(5).
35. Please note that, where the contact details or full name relates to a Senior Executive Service
level staff members or relates to contact details that are already publicly available, these
have not been exempted from release.
7
Application of the public interest test – sections 47E(c), (d) and 47F
36. Section 11A(5) of the FOI Act provides that an agency must give the person access to the
document if it is conditional y exempt at a particular time unless (in the circumstances)
access to the document would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest.
37. In order to assess whether release of the exempt material would be contrary to the public
interest, I considered the fol owing factor which favours disclosure:
(a)
disclosure would promote the objects of the FOI Act by providing access to
government held information.
38. I also considered the fol owing factors which do not favour disclosure:
(a)
disclosure could be expected to adversely affect the management of staff of the
Department, resulting in a likely reduction in the capability of the Department to
efficiently carry out its functions;
(b)
disclosure could be expected to adversely affect the delivery of services by the
Department in accordance with its functions; and
(c)
Disclosure could reasonably be expected to prejudice the protection of an
individual’s right to privacy, both in relation to the third-party individuals and staff
of the Department and other commonwealth agencies.
39. I have placed greater weight on these factors. I consider that disruption of established
channels for communication and delivery of services would be likely to follow disclosure of
contact information about individual staff members. I consider that impairment of the
Department’s ability to efficiently deliver services to veterans and their families could
reasonably be expected as a result. Further, I consider that there is little public interest in
the disclosure of information identifying individuals who are, or have been, staff members in
roles more junior than the Senior Executive Service. Disclosure of that information could
reasonably be expected to result in interference with the privacy of those individuals by
enabling them to be identified in their private lives and associated with actions for which the
Department is responsible.
40. On balance, I consider the public interest factors against disclosure to be more persuasive
than the public interest factors favouring disclosure. I am satisfied that the public interest is
to withhold the exempt material.
8
41. I am satisfied that no irrelevant factor has been considered, as set out in section 11B(4) of
the FOI Act.
Delete exempt or irrelevant material from documents and provide access to edited copies
(section 22)
42. The Department may refuse access to a document on the grounds that it is exempt. If so, the
Department must consider whether it would be reasonably practicable to prepare an edited
copy of the document for release, that is, a copy with relevant deletions made under
section 22 of the FOI Act. The Department is under the same obligation to consider
preparing an edited copy of a document by removing information that would reasonably be
regarded as irrelevant to the request.
43. As explained above, some of the documents subject to your request contain exempt
information.
44. As noted above, in your original request, you specified that any personal details of self harm
and suicide were not being sought as part of this request. In your email sent 10 March 2022
you further clarified that you had “…excluded the personal information of private individuals
as irrelevant...” In light of this, all such personal information within the documents released
to you has been redacted under section 22 of the FOI Act
45. On this basis, I have prepared the documents for release by removing the exempt and
irrelevant material in accordance with section 22 of the FOI Act. The material that has been
edited for release is marked within the documents as wel as at
Schedule 1.
Access to documents
46. The documents released to you in accordance with the FOI Act are enclosed.
Information Publication Scheme
47. The Information Publication Scheme requires the Department to publish information
released in response to individual requests made under the FOI Act, except in specified
circumstances.
48. I am of the view that details of your request should be made available on the Department’s
FOI Disclosure Log. As such, details of your request will be published on the Department’s
FOI Disclosure Log which can be accessed at
http://www.dva.gov.au/about-dva/freedom-
information/foi-disclosure-log. Please note that the Department does not publish details of
9
FOI applicants, it only publishes details of the FOI request and the documents released in
response to the request.
Your rights of review
49. If you are dissatisfied with my decision, you may apply for internal review or request the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (
OAIC) review my decision. We
encourage you to seek internal review as a first step to resolve any concerns you may have.
Internal review
50. Under section 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply in writing to the Department for an Internal
Review of my decision. The Internal Review application must be made within 30 days of the
date of this letter. Where possible please attach reasons why you believe review of the
decision is necessary. The internal review will be carried out by another officer within 30
days.
51. You can make your application for Internal Review in one of the fol owing ways:
Post:
Information Access Unit,
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
GPO Box 9998, Brisbane QLD 4001
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
OAIC review
52. Under section 54L of the FOI Act, you may apply to the OAIC to review my decision. An
application for review by OAIC must be made in writing within 60 days of the date of this
letter, and be lodged in one of the fol owing ways:
Online:
www.oaic.gov.au
Post:
Director of FOI Dispute Resolution
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
Facsimile:
(02) 9284 9666
Phone:
1300 363 992
Email:
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
53. More information about your review rights under the FOI Act is available in Fact Sheet 12
published by the OAIC:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-
complaints/information-commissioner-review/
10
Contact us
54. If you wish to discuss this decision, please do not hesitate to contact the Information Access
Unit using the following details:
Online:
https://www.dva.gov.au/about-us/overview/reporting/freedom-
information/access-information
Post:
Information Access Unit
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
GPO Box 9998, Brisbane QLD 4001
Phone:
1800 838 372
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
Yours sincerely,
Llewel yn (Position Number 62329531)
Information Access Officer
Information Access Unit
Client Rehabilitation Access Branch
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
13 April 2022
11
LEX 47940
Schedule 1
Schedule of documents
Applicant:
Julie
Decision date:
13 April 2022
FOI reference number:
LEX 47940
Document Date of
Document description
Page Decision Relevant
reference document
number
provision
1
Various Incidents Doc Bundle
1-92
Part s 17; s 47E;
release
s 47F
2
Various Quick Reference Material Bundle
1-23
Part s 47E; s 47F
Release
12
LEX 47940
Schedule 2
Schedule of relevant provisions in the FOI Act
3
Objects—general
(1)
The objects of this Act are to give the Australian community access to information held by
the Government of the Commonwealth or the Government of Norfolk Island, by:
(a)
requiring agencies to publish the information; and
(b)
providing for a right of access to documents.
(2)
The Parliament intends, by these objects, to promote Australia’s representative democracy
by contributing towards the fol owing:
(a)
increasing public participation in Government processes, with a view to promoting
better informed decision-making;
(b)
increasing scrutiny, discussion, comment and review of the Government’s
activities.
(3)
The Parliament also intends, by these objects, to increase recognition that information held
by the Government is to be managed for public purposes, and is a national resource.
(4)
The Parliament also intends that functions and powers given by this Act are to be
performed and exercised, as far as possible, to facilitate and promote public access to
information, promptly and at the lowest reasonable cost.
11
Right of access
(1)
Subject to this Act, every person has a legally enforceable right to obtain access in
accordance with this Act to:
(a)
a document of an agency, other than an exempt document; or
(b)
an official document of a Minister, other than an exempt document.
(2)
Subject to this Act, a person’s right of access is not affected by:
(a)
any reasons the person gives for seeking access; or
(b)
the agency’s or Minister’s belief as to what are his or her reasons for seeking
access.
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 fol owing:
(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).
13
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 conditional y exempt.
Note 2: A conditional y 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 conditional y 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).
11B Public interest exemptions — factors
Scope
(1)
This section applies for the purposes of working out whether access to a conditionally
exempt document would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest under
subsection 11A(5).
(2)
This section does not limit subsection 11A(5).
Factors favouring access
(3)
Factors favouring access to the document in the public interest include whether access to
the document would do any of the fol owing:
(a)
promote the objects of this Act (including al the matters set out in sections 3 and
3A);
(b)
Inform debate on a matter of public importance;
(c) promote effective oversight of public expenditure;
(d)
allow a person to access his or her own personal information.
Irrelevant factors
(4)
The following factors must not be taken into account in deciding whether access to the
document would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest:
(a)
access to the document could result in embarrassment to the Commonwealth
Government, or cause a loss of confidence in the Commonwealth Government;
(b)
access to the document could result in any person misinterpreting or
misunderstanding the document;
(c)
the author of the document was (or is) of high seniority in the agency to which the
request for access to the document was made;
(d)
access to the document could result in confusion or unnecessary debate.
Guidelines
14
(5)
In working out whether access to the document would, on balance, be contrary to the
public interest, an agency or Minister must have regard to any guidelines issued by the
Information Commissioner for the purposes of this subsection under section 93A.
15
Requests for access (as related to the requirements for requests)
Persons may request access
(1) Subject to section 15A, a person who wishes to obtain access to a document of an agency
or an official document of a Minister may request access to the document.
Requirements for request
(2)
The request must:
(a)
be in writing; and
(aa) state that the request is an application for the purposes of this Act; and
(b)
provide such information concerning the document as is reasonably necessary to
enable a responsible officer of the agency, or the Minister, to identify it; and
(c)
give details of how notices under this Act may be sent to the applicant (for
example, by providing an electronic address to which notices may be sent by
electronic communication).
(2A) The request must be sent to the agency or Minister. The request may be sent in any of the
following ways:
(a)
delivery to an officer of the agency, or a member of the staff of the Minister, at the
address of any central or regional office of the agency or Minister specified in a
current telephone directory;
(b)
postage by pre-paid post to an address mentioned in paragraph (a);
(c)
sending by electronic communication to an electronic address specified by the
agency or Minister.
17
Requests involving use of computers etc
(1)
Where:
(a)
a request (including a
request in relation to which
a practical refusal reason exists)
is made in accordance with the requirements o
f subsection 15(2) to an
agency;
(b)
It appears from the
request that the desire of th
e applicant is for information that
is not available in discrete form in writte
n documents of the
agency; and
(ba)
it does not appear from the
request that th
e applicant wishes to be provided with
a computer tape or computer disk on which the information is recorded; and
(c)
th
e agency could produce a written
document containing the information in
discrete form by:
(i) the use of a computer or other equipment that is ordinarily available to the
agency for retrieving or collating stored information; or
(ii) the making of a transcript from a sound recording held in th
e agency;
th
e agency shall deal with the
request as if it were
a request for access to a written
document so produced and containing that information and, for that purpose, this Act
applies as if th
e agency had such
a document in its possession.
(2)
An
agency is not required to comply wit
h subsection (1) if compliance would substantially and
unreasonably divert the resources of the
agency from its other operations.
22
Access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted
Scope
(1)
This section applies if:
15
(a)
an agency or Minister decides:
(i)
to refuse to give access to an exempt document; or
(ii)
that to give access to a document would disclose information that would
reasonably be regarded as irrelevant to the request for access; and
(b)
it is possible for the agency or Minister to prepare a copy (an edited copy) of the
document, modified by deletions, ensuring that:
(i)
access to the edited copy would be required to be given under section 11A
(access to documents on request); and
(ii)
the edited copy would not disclose any information that would reasonably
be regarded as irrelevant to the request; and
(c)
it is reasonably practicable for the agency or Minister to prepare the edited copy,
having regard to:
(i)
the nature and extent of the modification; and
(ii)
the resources available to modify the document; and
(d)
it is not apparent (from the request or from consultation with the applicant) that
the applicant would decline access to the edited copy.
Access to edited copy
(2)
The agency or Minister must:
(a)
prepare the edited copy as mentioned in paragraph (1)(b); and
(b)
give the applicant access to the edited copy.
Notice to applicant
(3)
The agency or Minister must give the applicant notice in writing:
(a)
that the edited copy has been prepared; and
(b)
of the grounds for the deletions; and
(c)
if any matter deleted is exempt matter—that the matter deleted is exempt matter
because of a specified provision of this Act.
(4)
Section 26 (reasons for decision) does not apply to the decision to refuse access to the
whole document unless the applicant requests the agency or Minister to give the applicant
a notice in writing in accordance with that section.
23
Decisions to be made by authorised persons
(1)
Subject to subsection (2), a decision in respect of a request made to an agency may be
made, on behalf of the agency, by the responsible Minister or the principal officer of the
agency or, subject to the regulations, by an officer of the agency acting within the scope of
authority exercisable by him or her in accordance with arrangements approved by the
responsible Minister or the principal officer of the agency.
(2)
A decision in respect of a request made to a court, or made to a tribunal, authority or body
that is specified in Schedule 1, may be made on behalf of that court, tribunal, authority or
body by the principal officer of that court, tribunal, authority or body or, subject to the
regulations, by an officer of that court, tribunal, authority or body acting within the scope
of authority exercisable by him or her in accordance with arrangements approved by the
principal officer of that court, tribunal, authority or body.
26
Reasons and other particulars of decisions to be given
(1)
Where, in relation to a request, a decision is made relating to a refusal to grant access to a
document in accordance with the request or deferring provision of access to a document,
the decision-maker shall cause the applicant to be given notice in writing of the decision,
and the notice shal :
(a)
state the findings on any material questions of fact, referring to the material on
which those findings were based, and state the reasons for the decision; and
16
(aa)
in the case of a decision to refuse to give access to a conditionally exempt
document—include in those reasons the public interest factors taken into account
in making the decision; and
Note:
Access must general y be given to a conditional y exempt document unless it would be contrary to the public
interest (see section 11A).
(b)
where the decision relates to a document of an agency, state the name and
designation of the person giving the decision; and
(c)
give to the applicant appropriate information concerning:
(i)
his or her rights with respect to review of the decision;
(ii)
his or her rights to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner in
relation to the decision; and
(iii)
the procedure for the exercise of the rights referred to in subparagraphs (i)
and (ii); including (where applicable) particulars of the manner in which an
application for internal review (Part VI) and IC review (Part VII) may be
made.
(1A)
Section 13 of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 does not apply to a
decision referred to in subsection (1).
(2)
A notice under this section is not required to contain any matter that is of such a nature
that its inclusion in a document of an agency would cause that document to be an exempt
document.
(see section 11A).
Public interest conditional exemptions 47E Public interest conditional exemptions—certain operations of agencies
A document is conditional y exempt if its disclosure under this Act would, or could reasonably be
expected to, do any of the fol owing:
(a)
prejudice the effectiveness of procedures or methods for the conduct of tests,
examinations or audits by an agency;
(b)
prejudice the attainment of the objects of particular tests, examinations or audits
conducted or to be conducted by an agency;
(c)
have a substantial adverse effect on the management or assessment of personnel
by the Commonwealth, by Norfolk Island or by an agency;
(d)
have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient conduct of the
operations of an agency.
Note: Access must general y be given to a conditional y exempt document unless it would be contrary to the public
interest (see section 11A).
47F
Public interest conditional exemptions—personal privacy
General rule
(1)
A document is conditional y exempt if its disclosure under this Act would involve the
unreasonable disclosure of personal information about any person (including a deceased
person).
(2)
In determining whether the disclosure of the document would involve the unreasonable
disclosure of personal information, an agency or Minister must have regard to the following
matters:
(a)
the extent to which the information is well known;
(b)
whether the person to whom the information relates is known to be (or to have
been) associated with the matters dealt with in the document;
(c)
the availability of the information from publicly accessible sources;
17
(d)
any other matters that the agency or Minister considers relevant.
(3)
Subject to subsection (5), subsection (1) does not have effect in relation to a request by a
person for access to a document by reason only of the inclusion in the document of matter
relating to that person.
Access given to qualified person instead
(4)
Subsection (5) applies if:
(a)
a request is made to an agency or Minister for access to a document of the agency,
or an official document of the Minister, that contains information concerning the
applicant, being information that was provided by a qualified person acting in his or
her capacity as a qualified person; and
(b)
it appears to the principal officer of the agency or to the Minister (as the case may
be) that the disclosure of the information to the applicant might be detrimental to
the applicant’s physical or mental health, or well-being.
(5)
The principal officer or Minister may, if access to the document would otherwise be given
to the applicant, direct that access to the document, so far as it contains that information,
is not to be given to the applicant but is to be given instead to a qualified person who:
(a)
carries on the same occupation, of a kind mentioned in the definition of qualified
person in subsection (7), as the first-mentioned qualified person; and
(b)
is to be nominated by the applicant.
(6)
The powers and functions of the principal officer of an agency under this section may be
exercised by an officer of the agency acting within his or her scope of authority in
accordance with arrangements referred to in section 23.
(7)
In this section:
qualified person means a person who carries on, and is entitled to carry on, an occupation
that involves the provision of care for the physical or mental health of people or for their
well-being, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes any of the
following:
(a)
a medical practitioner;
(b)
a psychiatrist;
(c)
a psychologist;
(d)
a counsellor;
(e)
a social worker.
Note: Access must general y be given to a conditional y exempt document unless it would be contrary to the public
interest (see section 11A).
18
Document Outline
