Referencecode:DKP2ZDNK
ICRequestForm
– Agency
extensionoftime
forprocessingan
FOIrequest
Gettingstarted
Aboutthisform
TheOfficeoftheAustralianInformationCommissioner(OAIC)cangrantextensionsoftimetoagencies
whoareprocessingFreedomofInformationrequests.
ThisformcanbeusedbyagenciestorequestanextensionoftimetoprocessanFOIrequestortonotify
anagreedextensionoftime.
PleasenotethatifanagencydoesnotprovidetheInformationCommissionerwithadequatereasons,the
extensionoftimerequestmayberefused.
Furtherguidanceandadviceforagenciesaboutextensionoftimeforprocessingrequests
(https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/guidance-and-advice/extension-of-time-for-processing-
requests/),includingthedetailstobeincludedinarequest,isavailableonourwebsite
(https://www.oaic.gov.au/).
AnagencymayapplytovarytheextensionifanearlierextensiongrantedbytheOAICisinsufficient,
howevertheagencymustexplainwhathaschangedsincetheinitialextensionoftimerequestandprovide
reasonsforwhyavariationtotheextensionisjustified.
Youcansavethisformatanypointandreturntocompleteitwithin3days.Ifyoudonotsubmityour
savedformwithin3daysitwil bepermanentlyerasedfromthesecureserver.
PLEASENOTE:
Tosaveyourform,clickonthe
SaveandClosebuttonatthetopofthisform.
Refreshingyourbrowserwil clearanyinformationthatyouhavenotsaved.Ifyouneedtorefresh
yourbrowserwhilecompletingthisformandwishtokeepyourchangespleasesavetheformfirst.
ThisrequestmaybesubjecttotheFreedomofInformationAct1982.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutmakinganextensionoftimerequestorhavetroublecompletingthisform
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.auorcal ourenquirieslineon1300363992.
Yourpersonalinformation
Wewil handleyourpersonalinformationinaccordancewiththeAustralianPrivacyPrinciples.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthepersonalinformationwecol ectandhowwewil handleyour
information,pleasecontacttheOAICorseeourprivacypolicy(http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy-policy-
summary)availableonourwebsite.
Beforeyoustart
Toensureyouareusingthecorrectform,pleaseselectoneofthefollowingoptions. *
Toensureyouareusingthecorrectform,pleaseselectoneofthefollowingoptions. *
Iamnotifyingoforrequestinganextensionoftime
IamrequestingareviewofanFOIdecision
IwanttocomplainaboutthehandlingofmyFOIrequest
Iamsubmittingthisnotificationorrequestonbehalfof: *
AustralianGovernmentAgency
Minister
Agencydetails
AdministrativeAppealsTribunal
Attorney-General'sDepartment
AustralianBroadcastingCorporation
AustralianFederalPolice
AustralianPrudentialRegulationAuthority
AustralianSecuritiesandInvestmentsCommission
AustralianTaxationOffice
AustralianTransactionReportsandAnalysisCentre(AUSTRAC)
Comcare
CommonwealthOmbudsman
DepartmentofAgriculture,WaterandtheEnvironment
DepartmentofDefence
DepartmentofForeignAffairsandTrade
DepartmentofHealth
DepartmentofHomeAffairs
DepartmentofIndustry,Science,EnergyandResources
DepartmentofthePrimeMinisterandCabinet
DepartmentofSocialServices
DepartmentoftheTreasury
DepartmentofVeterans’Affairs
ImmigrationAssessmentAuthority
NationalDisabilityInsuranceAgency
NorfolkIslandRegionalCouncil
ServicesAustralia
TheAustralianNationalUniversity
Other
FOIreferencenumber
PleaseprovideyourinternalFOIreferencenumberforthisnotificationorrequest: *
LEX48671
Yourdetails
Pleasenotethatweareunabletoacceptanonymousrequests.You
mustprovideanemailorpostaladdresssothatwecansendyou
notices.
Title
Givenname *
Familyname *
InformationAccessUnit
Preferredcontactmethod(youmustprovideatleastonecontactmethod) *
Email
Phone
Post
Other
Emailaddress *
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
Phone(daytime)
Mobile
Includeareacode
Postaladdress
Starttypingful addresshere.
Othercontactdetails(eg.faxorinternationaladdress)
FOIapplicantdetails
IstheFOIapplicant *
anIndividual
anOrganisation
Title
Givenname *
Familyname *
Julie
A
Preferredcontactmethod(youmustprovideatleastonecontactmethod) *
Email
Phone
Post
Other
Emailaddress *
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Phone(daytime)
Mobile
Includeareacode
Postaladdress
Starttypingful addresshere.
Othercontactdetails(eg.faxorinternationaladdress)
IstheFOIapplicantrepresented *
Yes
No
Extensiondetails
Pleaseselectthetypeofextensionyouareseeking *
Extensionoftimenotificationwiththeagreementoftheapplicant(s15AA)
Extensionoftimetoprocesscomplexorvoluminousrequests(s15AB)
Extensionwheredecisionnotmadewithintime(s15AC)
Extensionwhereinternalreviewdecisionnotmadewithintime(s54D)
Extensionwhereamendment/annotationrequestnotmadeintime(s51DA)
Hasthestatutorytimeperiodforprocessingalreadyrunout?Thatis,hasadeemeddecisionalreadybeenmade? *
Yes
No
DateyoureceivedtheFOIrequest *
18Mar2022
Currentdatethedecisionisdue *
18Apr2022
Requestedlengthofextension(numberofdays)
*
30
Newdecisionduedateifextensiongranted *
18May2022
Didyouapproachtheapplicantforanextensionoftimeunders15AA
Yes
No
Pleaseprovideyourinternalreference,and/ortheOAICreferenceforthisnotificationorrequest?*
LEX48671
Whatwastheoutcome?Didtheapplicantraiseanyconcerns?*
TheDepartmentcontactedMsJulieAon11April2022toseekanextensionof14daystoprocesstherequest.Aresponsewas
requestedby13April2022andnoresponsehasbeenreceived.
Hastheprocessingperiodbeenextendedasaresultofotherstatutoryprovisions,orareyouconsideringsuchanextension?*
(Forexample,throughconsultationprovisionsorprovisionsaboutchargesthatimpactonthestatutoryduedate)
Yes
No
Hastheapplicantraisedanyconcernsaboutdelays?
*
Yes
No
Pleaseprovideatimelinesettingouttheworkalreadycompletedinordertoprocessthisrequest,theworkundertakenonthisrequest
followinganyearlierextensiongrantedandtheexpectedtimelineforcompletingtheFOIrequest. *
ThisrequestwasregisteredbytheDepartment'sregistrationteamon24March2022.Astheprocessingofficerwithcarriageofthis
request,IhavecontactedanumberofbusinessareaswithintheDepartmenttoundertakedocumentsearchexercises.Atimelineof
workundertakentodateisasfollows:
-30March2022:ClientBenefitsDivisionandVeteranandFamilyPolicyapproachedtoundertakedocumentsearches;
-31March2022:MentalHealthandWellbeingServicesDivisionapproachedfordocumentsearch;
-4April2022:Integrity,InformationandSecurityBranchapproachedforassistancelocatinghistoricrecords;
-5April2022:furtherliaisonwithClientBenefitsDivisionregardingsearches;
-11April2022:requesttoapplicantfors15AAextensionoftimetoundertakefurthersearches;
-12April2022:receiptofsearchminutefromClientBenefitsDivision;
-13April2022:Secretary'sOfficeapproachedtoundertakesearches;
-14April2022:furtherliaisonwithClientBenefitsDivisionandIntegrity,InformationandSecurityBranchregardingsearches.
Asthesedocumentsdatebackto2007,ithasbeennecessaryfortheDepartmenttoconsultwithnumerousbusinessareastolocate
documentswithinthescopeoftherequest.Additionaltimeisneededtolocatedocumentswithinscopeandensurethatreasonable
searcheshavebeenundertaken.AdditionaltimeisalsorequiredfortheDepartmenttoconsideranystatutoryexemptionswhich
mayapplytomaterial(includinginternalandexternalconsultationasneeded)andtoprepareaStatementofReasonsunders26of
theFOIAct.
Pleasealsoexplainthereasonsfortherequestandwhyanextensionwouldbejustified.Requestsforlongerextensionsoftime(more
than30days)willrequiregreaterjustification.
Youwillneedtoaddress:
whytherequestisconsideredcomplexorvoluminous
anyconsultationwiththeapplicantconcerninglengthoftime
whetherotheragenciesorpartieshaveaninterestintherequest
measuresthatwillbetakentoensureadecisionwillbemadewiththeperiodofextensiongrantedandtokeeptheapplicant
informedaboutprogress.
GenerallytheOAICwillconsulttheapplicantwheretheextensionsoughtisforaperiodlongerthan30daysorwheretheagencyis
seekingtovary(furtherextend)anearlierextensiongrantedbytheOAIC.Duringconsultation,theOAICwilloftensendtheapplicanta
copyoftheEOTapplication,sopleaseadviseifitcontainsanythingsensitivethatshouldnotbepassedon.
Reasons* *
Asthedocumentsrequesteddatebackto2007andtherehavebeenchangestotheDepartment'sorganisationalstructuresincethis
time,theDepartmenthasneededtoconsultwithanumberofbusinessareastolocatedocumentsfallingwithinthescopeofthe
request.Furthersearchesarerequiredtoensurereasonablesearcheshavebeenundertakenforthisrequest.Thedepartmenthas
approachedtheapplicantforanextensionunders15AAoftheFOIAct,however,noresponsehasbeenreceived.Additionaltimeis
neededtolocatedocumentswithinscopeandensurethatreasonablesearcheshavebeenundertaken.Additionaltimeisalso
requiredfortheDepartmenttoconsideranystatutoryexemptionswhichmayapplytomaterial(includinginternalandexternal
consultationasneeded)andtoprepareaStatementofReasonsunders26oftheFOIAct.Anextensionof30dayswillenablethe
Departmenttoensureitcanmakeafullandproperdecisionforthisrequest.
PleaseprovideacopyoftheFOIapplicant'soriginalFOIrequestandanyrevisionstothescopeoftheFOIrequest.*
Filesyouat ach
must:
bein*.pdf,*.docx,*.doc,*.txt,*.jpg,*.gif,*.pngformat
benomorethanfivefiles
intotalbenolargerthan20MB.
* LEX48671-Request.pdf
Ifyouhavedocumentstoattachtothisform,pleasedosohere:
Filesyouat ach
must:
bein*.jpg,*.gif,*.png,*.pdf,*.doc,*.docx,*.txt,*.xls,*.xlsxformat
benomorethanfivefiles
intotalbenolargerthan20MB.
Submission
Submittingyourrequest
Youcansavethisformatanypointandreturntocompleteitwithin3days.Ifyoudonotsubmityour
savedformwithin3daysitwil bepermanentlyerasedfromthesecureserver.
Pleasereviewtheinformationthatyouhaveprovidedinyourrequest.Ifyouwouldliketochangeanything,
youcanreturntotherelevantsectionusingtheGoBackbutton.
Whenyouarereadytosubmityourform,clicktheSubmitbuttonbelow.
Onceyousubmityourform,youwil betakentoaconfirmationpage.Thispagewil provideareceipt
numberforyoursubmission,andyouwil beabletodownloadacopyofyourcompletedformorhavea
copysenttoanemailaddressofyourchoice.
Adecisiononyourrequestwil usual ybeprovidedwithinfiveworkingdays.Incertaincircumstancesthe
OAICmayneedtoconsultwiththeFOIapplicantorotheraffectedparties.Ifthisisthecase,the
extensionmaytakelongertoprocess.
TheOAIC'sprocessingofanEOTapplicationmayalsotakelongerthanfivedaysiffurtherinformationis
required.Itisimportantthatagenciesprovideacompleteapplicationinthefirstinstance.IncompleteEOT
applicationsmayresultinanextensionbeingdenied.
