If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
3 February 2015
Mr Ben Fairless
Our reference: LEX 12160
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Fairless,
Your Freedom of Information Request
1. I refer to the request that you have made for access to documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act). I have taken your request to be for:
“…a copy of the current template(s) used by the Department to refuse face to face
services and to offer “Alternative Service Arrangements” (Also Known As “ASA”)
…
A copy of any current guidance issued to Departmental officers on when and how
Alterantive Service Arrangements are to be offered.”
2. Your request was received by the department on 30 January 2015 and the 30 day
statutory period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date.
You should therefore expect a decision from us by 2 March 2015. The period of 30
days may be extended if we need to consult third parties or for other reasons. We will
advise you if this happens.
3. The department will advise you if a charge is payable to process your request and the
amount of any such charge as soon as practicable. No charge is payable for
providing a person with their own personal information.
Your Address
4. The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address which we can send notices
to. You have advised your electronic address is foi+request-898-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. We will send all notices and correspondence to this
address. Please advise us if you wish correspondence to be sent to another address
or if your address changes as soon as possible. If you do not advise us of changes to
your address, correspondence and notices will continue to be sent to the address
specified above.
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Disclosure Log
5. Please note that information released under the FOI Act may be published in a
disclosure log on the department’s website. Section 11C of the FOI Act requires this
publication, however it is subject to certain exceptions, including where publication of
personal, business, professional or commercial information would be unreasonable.
Exclusion of junior departmental officers details
6. The department is working towards ensuring that all employees have a choice about
whether they provide their full name and direct contact details in response to public
enquiries. Where such details are included in the scope of a request, this may add to
processing time and applicable charges as it may be necessary to consider whether
the details are exempt under the FOI Act. On this basis, unless you tell us otherwise,
we will assume that staff names, direct contact details and personal log-on identifiers
are out of the scope of your request and they will be redacted under section 22 of the
FOI Act.
7. Should you have any enquiries concerning this matter, you may send queries via
email to the FOI Legal Team via xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx and we will
correspond with you by email in relation to your request.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Delegate
FOI and Information Release Branch
Legal Services Division
Department of Human Services
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Department of Human Services
