Alleged Medicare fraud in immigration detention facilities
Dear Department of Home Affairs,
I seek access to documents in relation to an investigation involving Service Australia's Fraud Fusion Taskforce regarding an alleged Medicare fraud conducted out of immigration detention facilities.
Specifically, I seek:
1. Daily unit logs from relevant facilities for when warrants were executed;
2. Reports on contraband seized; and
3. Any pre or post briefing reports to a relevant facility's manager regarding the warrants and investigation.
Date range: 1 January to today.
I agree to exclude personal affairs information of employees of the Department and any other agencies involved. However this should not exclude position designations and domain names. E.g. @department.gov.au
I also agree to exclude the personal affairs information of any individuals involved.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Pellew
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy
In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 25/10/01766
File Number: FA25/10/01766
Good morning Edward PELLEW (Right To Know),
Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request
This letter acknowledges that on 22 October 2025 the Department of Home
Affairs (the Department) received your request to access documents held by
the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
This letter also provides important information about your request.
Scope of request
You have requested access to the following:
Dear Department of Home Affairs,
I seek access to documents in relation to an investigation involving
Service Australia's Fraud Fusion Taskforce regarding an alleged Medicare
fraud conducted out of immigration detention facilities.
Specifically, I seek:
1. Daily unit logs from relevant facilities for when warrants were
executed; 2. Reports on contraband seized; and 3. Any pre or post briefing
reports to a relevant facility's manager regarding the warrants and
investigation.
Date range: 1 January to today.
I agree to exclude personal affairs information of employees of the
Department and any other agencies involved. However this should not
exclude position designations and domain names. E.g. @department.gov.au
I also agree to exclude the personal affairs information of any
individuals involved.
Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 25/10/01766. Please
include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of
Information Section.
Timeframe
The timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the day we receive
your request, as set out in the FOI Act.
Your review rights in relation to your request are available on [1]Freedom
of information reviews | OAIC.
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documents about themselves. However, a charge may apply to all other
requests for access to documents.
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request. Charges can range from $10 to over $1,000 depending on the
complexity and scope of your request. The Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner reported that across the public service, the
average charge notified was $335.50 in 2020-21.
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is available on [2]the Department’s website.
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(SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in
documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require
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excluded from the scope of your request as irrelevant under section
22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act. However names of staff that have previously
been released in departmental correspondence may be disclosed.
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Department may be required to publish these documents on its website
within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act.
Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or
business affairs information.
How to reduce or withdraw your request
Reducing the scope of your request can reduce the time and charges
associated with processing your FOI request.
To reduce or withdraw your request, contact the FOI section at
[3][Department of Home Affairs request email] and include your FOI request number.
Contacting the FOI Section
Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at
[Department of Home Affairs request email].
Kind regards,
Leigh
Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information
Position Number 60201191
Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch
Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs
E: [4][Department of Home Affairs request email]
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Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
-----Original Message-----
From: Edward Pellew <[FOI #13912 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 22 October 2025 11:36 PM
To: FOI <[Department of Home Affairs request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Alleged Medicare fraud in
immigration detention facilities
Dear Department of Home Affairs,
I seek access to documents in relation to an investigation involving
Service Australia's Fraud Fusion Taskforce regarding an alleged Medicare
fraud conducted out of immigration detention facilities.
Specifically, I seek:
1. Daily unit logs from relevant facilities for when warrants were
executed; 2. Reports on contraband seized; and 3. Any pre or post briefing
reports to a relevant facility's manager regarding the warrants and
investigation.
Date range: 1 January to today.
I agree to exclude personal affairs information of employees of the
Department and any other agencies involved. However this should not
exclude position designations and domain names. E.g. @department.gov.au
I also agree to exclude the personal affairs information of any
individuals involved.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Pellew
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