Our reference: FOIREQ22/00371
Attention:
Julie
By Email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Your Freedom of Information Request – FOIREQ22/00371
Dear Julie
I refer to your request for access to documents made under the
Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (Cth) (the FOI Act) and received by the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) on 5 November 2022.
In your request you seek access to the following:
“A recent foi released documents referring to numerous seconded external law
firm employees working embedded in the OAIC. These are law firms also working
as representatives for agencies and organisations that are respondents in
matters before the OAIC.
I request copy of any document that refers to how such conflicts of interest are
managed.
I also request copy of a document listing cost of expenditure of external legal
services (including the cost of seconding of external lawyers) for the financial
years 2012-2022, by financial year.
I also request a list of external legal firms who have had seconded their
employees to the OAIC, by number of employees seconded, in FY2021-2022 and
FY2020-2021.”
Decision on 4 January 2023
I am an officer authorised under s 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in relation to
FOI requests.
In my decision sent to you on 4 January 2023, I identified 3 documents within scope of
your request. As stated in my decision, I formed the view that 2 documents should be
released in full, and 1 document should be released in part. However, because an
1300 363 992
T +61 2 9284 9749 GPO Box 5218
www.oaic.gov.au
xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
F +61 2 9284 9666 Sydney NSW 2001 ABN 85 249 230 937
affected third party was consulted in the making of this decision and objected to
release of the material contained within 1 document, I was required, under sections
27 and 27A of the FOI Act, to advise them of my decision and provide them with an
opportunity to seek:
• Internal review of my decision; or
• Review of my decision by the Information Commissioner.
The third party had 30 days from the date they were notified of my decision (4 January
2023) in which to seek review. As a result, the document which the third party had
objected to could not be released to you until this time (3 February 2023) had expired,
or until any internal review or appeal has completed and my decision to release the
document was upheld or confirmed.
Release of the document
I can confirm that 30 days has lapsed since the affected third party was notified of my
decision. The affected third party has not sought internal or Information
Commissioner review.
Accordingly, please find the document for release attached to this letter, with
redactions applied in accordance with my decision of 4 January 2023.
Yours sincerely
Molly Cooke
Lawyer
6 February 2023
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Document Outline
