Dear Mr Ashmore

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (the department) has received your
request for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act). I note you have requested access to the following:

‘I recently received a completed FOI that in part listed the top three
issues regarding complaints to Open Arms for each of the last 4 financial
years.  In 21/22 one of the top three issues was 'staff atttude.'

Information I am seeking:

The number of complaints to Open Arms for each of the last 4 financial
years citing staff attitude.’

Your request was received by the department on 11 December 2022 and the
ordinary 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced
from the day after that date.

Extension of Time

Due to an increase in the number of information access applications
currently being received by the department, we are asking your agreement
to an extension of time for a further 30 days to process this request
under section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that your request is
due on 9 February 2023.

If we are in a position to make a decision on your request earlier than
this date, we will endeavour to do so.

The statutory period may also be extended if we need to consult third
parties or for other reasons permitted under the FOI Act. We will advise
you if this happens.

Please reply by return email if you agree to this extension of time. If
you do agree we will notify the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) of your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act.

Charges

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

The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your email address is
[1][FOI #9686 email]. Unless you tell us
otherwise, we will send all notices and correspondence to this address.

Disclosure log

Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.

Request to treat certain material as out of scope or irrelevant to the
request

To the extent the department has documents in its possession that fall
within the scope of your request, we intend to treat the following
information as out of scope or irrelevant to your request, pursuant to
section 22(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act:

1.      The surnames, signatures and direct contact details of non-SES
Commonwealth employees and contractors, including clinical staff working
for Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling;

2.      The surnames, signatures and direct contact details of serving
members of the Australian Defence Force; and

3.      The signatures of third party individuals.

If you agree to the department treating these details as irrelevant,
please advise by 20 December 2022.

Further assistance

If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][DVA request email]

Regards

Fiona  Position Number – 62211034

Information Access Registrations Officer

Information Access Unit / Client Access and Rehabilitation Branch

Client Engagement and Support Services Division

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)

[3][DVA request email]

[4]www.dva.gov.au 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #9686 email]
2. mailto:[DVA request email]
3. mailto:[DVA request email]
4. http://www.dva.gov.au/
5. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
6. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
7. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
8. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus

***Important message***

Thank you for your email.

Where your email is a request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act (1982) or administrative access, this email is
notification that your request has been received by the department and
will be processed.

For all other matters we will respond to your email shortly.

Sincerely,

Information Access Unit

Client and Rehabilitation Branch

Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Dear Mr Ashmore,

Thank you for your recent information access request.

Please refer to the attached documentation and contact me via email
([1][email address]) if I can be of further assistance.

Kind regards

Natalie | Senior Information Access Officer 

Position Number 62211022

Information Access Unit  I Client Access and RehabilitationBranch

Client Engage and Support Services Division

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Tek 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)

[2][email address]

[3]www.dva.gov.au 

[4]cid:image002.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[5]cid:image003.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[6]cid:image004.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[7]cid:image005.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.dva.gov.au/
4. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
5. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
6. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
7. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus